Show CANDLEMAS DAY lUOrliln Itw ll > lh > Ant llnOhtrM once Our Saxon fathers named the month from tome characterise minlfetlillon of nature February was the month nl protit lilt and March the wind month but timing dominance ol the Komin church the day ol the month were designated des-ignated not ao the tenth or twelfth but from the nearest Mint In the calendar In the Iltton Letter that mine ol antiquarian lights which to vividly rep 1 reteiiti the household of lie of the Kit trench Century there It icarrrly a letter let-ter which U I not thus dated at on the rimridav next before Sl Agatha the Mender alter St MlehaelV the Wrtlnrtdav liter St auleV a curlout mlndng of I honor to Woden and Thor with the steed lean of a more endue I < e faith The festival otCandlemai the lynch rnnnut celebration of the presentation and ol the purification wit probably In itltiitrd at such by the Illthop Gelatin In the reign of Jutllnln hat Ills with nut doubt a more ancient observance and one ol the legacies of a dying cult GrratPan U I dead but lilt worship lingers In many an uncontclout service Candlcmat occurring ai It doe on the 7d of February may well be the sure Iul of the Knman lupercalla the Februa or riles of luttratlnn performed on the lilt of that month lilt eenl tries before the nb Icy I In the manner of nethlthem The ute ol candles although considered consid-ered typical ol the prophetic word of SImrunA Light to lighten the Gentiles Gen-tiles le I probably the relic of that lea lure of the Ilpe rculla when during day of rlotout license under the cloak nl pious ceremonies the people ran hither and thither carrying randlrt to represent sent the torch with which Demeter tough her toil Ieriephone through the plalntol Hnna Ileaullful mylhtyni helloing tn much truth tplrltual and phvilcal fair Pertephonr reincarnate In the daffodils which ipriing on line bank of Cyanel The trantlllnn into I the lupercalla tn Candlemat wa but ore of the I many compromise by whirl pagan customs were baptlied with Christian yawns In rnnlaml the heal tribute to the day It given by the opening tnnwdrnp < Candlemat hells fair Maid of Ieh runny tine ol the many floweri dedl catrd to Mary and formerly called the Purification Flower henry VIIIby pedal proclamation In 1539 prrmltrd the uteof candles and the further oh ervance ol the day for neither Henry 1 nor hit daughter In their nominal Prot eilanlini renounced the pageantry ol Koine In every nngllth parish thin Christmas greens were removed from church and home nn Candlcmat Kir a custom prettily by llcrrlcki Ihiwn with IU rnwnirr Hint tn J Ifcmii with the lnnniil mtiltiinii Down elite Its built I my l amt Ml WIrrri > llli > edri rllli a > rUlnMtllittl That m thr nil rrstltlnns and Nut oorlMtt branrli three left lirhbul nr look him nsny lerre I linen ihA Nnitfxlnl ihredwiMt Iriiri In mat Fro Inatiygolillnt you limit sea In the morning the Yut log which hid burned until Twelfth Night or Old Chrlitmit wat relighted Kliilt ll OirltliM brand nol ben Ill sunset 11 11 Iii I eu Who iinrnrliM tliMilny 1 It npsWinn I Till rtirltlim seat return 1nI roust lie kept w hnenlil ls ter Tkrflirltlm 1 lee nut rrnr A lid wherell smell cep t Hit IWI Callln 110 mlebtf thereIn there-In Scotland where the time It of tome official Impedance as the chief I quarter day great lire called the Camllema bleeie glimmering from tho ashes of the long eillnct worship of llaal were lighted on the hilltops and 1 woe betide that neighborhood where for any reason the flic did not burn the livelong night Candlema la I one ol the few festivals ol the church ol which Iurltanltm hat left nn tradition In popular parlance Thl may be became It It a noteworthy observation day and In every northern north-ern land there clutter about II prove < prediction nl the duration ol winter Ill the one day of the year when the sun le welcome A German proverb ilrilnrr the shepherd would rather seethe see-the woll In hi fold than the sun on Camllcmai Day The lory ol the bear I who rouses Idmtell from hit long alum her and conies out of hole returning to sleep sin week longer iii he ear the shadow It I told of the wnodetiuck or groundhog and In man cnuntrun of the badger and other hibernating sot matA A Scotch taw runt thuit It r > txU nitM hey ami 1 fair one flair nf wltiirr to row in 1 main 1 If Pamlunniu be wl and fun Tfcoliair of w lur nnl Vnlr lit tcbitanrc Is I embodied la our own laying Halt ynm wood and hall you lay on CanJIrmat Day a practlca measure nl the winter totes Tin gee oral 1 meteorological I truth eryttllla d In these proteili many of them hotrv will I the lime ul age arohvlout to one who I studies the tkley Infleunce and they may thu tend to preserve toinetlirag 01 our vtnlthlng Oretide loft II at ha been will cold popular cuitomi Contain the germ of hlitory It U equally Irua that the current belief and even the itiperttltlone of a people are the seed 1 field of philosophy and ol sociology from which mar be reaped a rich bar YIINe York Evening Poet |