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Show UTAH STATESMAN X'!- 1 - HoweAbou- tBr A Bill ED HOWE WjNU Bwviesi SjrwUeiU. There Is scarcely a neighborhood some one anywhere not disturbed by practicing on a musical Inatrumeut. but e have almost no musicians, and no music. Our methods of learning are shiftless. In my neighborhood a boy la trying to learn to play the saxophone. Hla practicing consists of playing "Old Black Joe twenty minutes a day and hla mother la compelled to drive him to that. Every day be tries "Star 8pongled Banner, but In six months has been unable to "get It. a His mother,, his teacher, do not know the boy la not learning mudlc. -- I NewoNoteoj: to Lioo if' m im Privilog Utah it ! ' ItMIMMIHMMMMMMw LOGAN Oregon fir trees, which were ordered by the merchants' committee of the Logan chamber of commerce, arrived here. The trace, which 'a to be used for Christmas street decorations and are of uniform also, will be placed in the flag receptacles along Main street These, together with colored festoons, which will be strung above them, are expected. to make the business section at town very attractive and also stimulate early Christmas shopping . OGDEN Members of the county commission discussed with Kenneth C. Wright district state road engineer, the' hard surfaced highway program of the county for 1928. For this purpose $70,000 haa been set aside In the budget Mr. Wright said that the atat road commission would be willing to stretch from the terpare the minus 62 tha present hard surfaced highway In Ogden calley to Huntsville. PANOUITCH Fifty thousand dollars la the estimated value of the certified seed potato crop of Piute and Garfield counties, according to Morgan McKay, counly agent for the section. Although many will be kept for seed, approximately sixty carloads, valued at $86,000, will be sold from the tlon before spring. JUNCTION Land totaling approximately 120 acres at Koos harem In Sevier county near the Piute .county line was set aside for homestead filing by the government for use of thirty-fou- r Indians who have been living on the property for several years, according to Ell F. Taylor, register of the United States land office In Salt Lake for the e district of Utah. OGDEN Actual construction on the hangers at Holther field, Ogden's aviation depot, was begun under the direction of Ora Bundy, contractor. With the prospect of good weather, rapid progress on thla work la expected, and within a few days moat of the work will have been completed. DUCHESNE Several bridges were washed out, head gates and irrigation ditches damaged and a number, of ranches inundated when the new embankment of the Farnsworth Canal A Reservoir companys reservoir, seven miles below Moon lake, gave way wall of water down sending a Lake Fork river. LOGAN At the commencement of r the winter quarter a new course In forestry will be Introduced at the Utah Agricultural college. Through cooperation of the United States forestry office at Ogden the course waa made possible. OGDEN Ogden will hold a big celebration oa December 17 In observance of of its new white -- two-mll- e When It cornea to money, the meanest men seem to have the aame habits as capitalists and middle class people. When a pirate becomes powerful, be does not divide equally with bis associates; It was Captain Kidd's money that was hidden. Captain Kidd had the feme connected with hla forays; no one recalls any of the lesser rogues who pillaged with him.' Bad men seem to be as stingy aa the good. I lately picked up a book containing the history of a certain philosopher. Where did he get thla or that notion, doctrine, or belief! In following the Investigation, the writer of the book examined philosophy aa far back aa history goes, with the final conclusion that the famous man originated nothing at all ; he, Indeed, confessed hatred of a certain predecessor because he had written everything worth writing. And tha philosopher who had written everything worth writing probably gained hla wisdom, from old men and books, -- . If a man la out of a Job, It has always been hla business to get one. God Almighty made the rule, and that day a boat of symbols, tradltiona and customs, contributed bj the various countries, which have made It. more perhapa than any other red letter day on our calendars, an International holiday. We Americana are somewhat prone ti place Christmas In the same category with the distinctively American holidays of Fourth of July, Memorial day, and Thanksgiving day, without always realising that we are odly one of tb i many peoples who are celebrating It. It la a curious fact, too, that associated with this "Christian holiday" are many aymbola a,jd traditions of pagan origin. The date Itaelf. Lcrember 23 (which la now universally accepted aa the birthday of Christ, although there Is no enact historical record to establish that birthday), la derived from many sources, all antedating the Christian era by many centuries. In fact the historic background for that date la the earliest period In the history of mankind, dating as It does from the time when primitive mnn first began to recognise the phenomena of the changing seasons In relation to his own life. One of these waa the winter solstice on Decern-- a her 21 which was observed with festivity In Persia, China and Egypt li ancient times. In some parts of China they still hold a thanksgiving feast on December 21 without knowing the reason for It The ancient Egyptians ate goose (the historical precedent for the Christmas goose or turkey of the present day) for dinner In honor of the winter solstice. It Is v curious coincidence that the symbol for goose In the Egyptian hieroglyphics la he aame aa the symbol for child, so that there I something of an analogy In the Egyptian celebration of the wlntet solstice and the Christian celebration of Christmas In honor of the Christ child. , In ancient Rome the winter solstice was also celebrated, because when the shortest day of the year was over and the December sun began to climb Its upward course, the Romans thrilled to the promise of coming spring. The festival they held waa In honor of their god Saturn and at that time they prepared a feast which they called the Saturnalia. There were gifts and merrymaking and banquets of true Roman magnificence and their temples were decorated with flowers nnd green branches. Under the reign of the Caesars d were licensed to dine slaves were liberated with their masters; prisoners were not punished for their misdeeds and war never was declared.' Truly It was a time of "peace on earth, good will to men." When the Romans Invaded Britain they brought with them their customs and found that the celesimilar to bration of the Saturnalia a celebration held at approximately the same time by the pagan Briton a, especially those of the Druid priesthood. In these rites the mistletoe, which was held sacred oj the Druids was cut from the sacred oak with a golden sickle by the prince of the Drulda, Later when tha mistletoe was bung In the farmhouses the young men had the privilege of kissing the girls under It. plucking, at each klaa, a berry from the spray. When the berries were all plucked, kissing time was over. So it waa from these pegan Druids that we received the mistletoe aa a symbol of Christmas, as we did also the custom of burning the Tula log. The Scandinavians, from whom we get some of our Christmas customs, also bad the Tula log and burned Tula fires In the night In honor of Thor, the thunder god. The Yule log has survived as cne of the principal features of the modern English observance of Christinas and around It haa grown up a number of traditions or superstitions of Its own. In northern England It la believed that If a d parson comet squinting person or a into the bouse while the log Is burning. It la an omen of bad lock. They also put away this brand remaining from the Yule log very careful v Ire me bare-foote- in lighting the Tula log on next years Christmas fire. Just how all of these customs came to be associated with the Christian holiday, celebrated In honor of the birth of Christ, cannot be definitely determined, for the merging of customs of different races and nations la such a gradual one that It Is Impossible to assign definite dates for the origin of many traditional The early Christians frowned upon the pagan ceremonies held at the time of the winter solstice, yet they could not prevent their Invasion of their own holy days. In the earliest days of the Christian era Epiphany. January 6, the day Christ was supposed to have been baptised, waa observed by the follow era of the new religion and eventually the observance of Decern- ber 25 as Christmas grew out of a sort of compromise between Epiphany, January A and December 21, the day of the winter solstice and the high holiday of the pagans. Gradually the Christian Christmas began to replace the pagan festivals and the principal holiday of the wlntei aeaaon began to be observed on December 25. However, a part of the Greek church still observes January & Ignoring December 25, while the Russians, because of their adherence to the Julian calendar observe Christmas some 13 days later than do other peoplesi Although the first observance of December 23 as Christmas has been lost In obscurity. It Is said that Julian I. bishop of Rome from 837 to 832 A. Dm established the festival at Rome some time between those two dates and It Is probable that by the Fifth century the date was pretty well established throughout the Christian arid. King Arthur Is believed to have held the first Christmas day festival In Britain In the city of York In 521 A. D. This festival lasted for several days and so appealed to his people that It became an annual custom. It waa about thla time, too, that the association of the mixture of Drnld and Roman symbols and traditions began to appear In the Christmas celebrations. The Christians saw with alarm the association of what they considered heathenish rites with their own ceremonies, but they were powerless to check the growth of the alien Influences and the Importnnre of the festival gradually grew until there occurred an event which seemed to the Christiana a Just rebuke for the Increasing Importance of the pagan traditions. In 878 King Alfred was holding high revelry on Christmas day when he wns surprised by the Danes, hla army cut to pieces snd he himself became a fugitive. In 1223 there was an Important Christmas celebration staged by St. Francis of Assisi In a grotto near Grecrlo In the Ahnisxl mountains of Italy There was a pageant at midnight portraying the Nativity, and Thomas of Delano. who was among the worshippers, writes that they saw a smiling babe appear In the arms of St. Francis as he bent over the mnnger. The report of ibis miracle spread over the Innd and a convent was built there to commemorate It. Giotto painted a picture of the Incident and this celebration and this picIdeas ture did much to give us our present-daof the Nativity of Christ. By the early Middle ages. Christmas had become the greatest of the annual festivals and, although In some countries, notably. England, the pagan elements of the celebration still existed, for the most part the Christian aelement was emphasised. Churches were decorated and plays concerning the Nativity were given. Carols were, sung In the streets and Images of the Virgin and Christ were carried about from house to house. There was fensting and merrymaking, too, as well aa religious ceremonies. In the England of Shakespeare's time, the Christmas festivities were very elaborate, lasting until Twelfth day, t.1 Epiphany and during this time there was no work of any kind. So (he "Merrle Christmas" of Old England became estab llshed. Then came the period of the Puritan Ideas gave them a keen dls whose straight-lacetaste Sir Christmas festivities, esiwrially those in whlrh the pagan elements were most evident. So they prevailed upon parliament to prohlhlt such celebrations and Christmas was made a day of fasting and prayer Instead of a day or feasting and fun. But after the Restoration the old cele weak own cannot change It Tb Lord also says that If a man cant get four dollars a day, be should work for three until he la able to demonstrate that be Is worth four, five, ten or fifty. We hear much of the economic question In England. The trouble there la men refuse to accept work at Gods scale. good Aa a race becomes more practical with age, the credits and deblta of love are gone over with more candor and wisdom. . 8ome of the debits are very hard on both aides; some say worse with women than with Still, love sometimes slaps a pretty bard, too. y d . brations came back, somewhat subdued for awMI but eventually rather similar to what they had been before. If the Merrle Christmas" of Old Etagland with Its Yule Ion mistletoe, holly, cheery Christmas carols, Christmas cards, plum puddings and mince plea and all of tb other elements which combine to make It a season of gayety, have served to change the original character of the ho'lday. It la equally true that other countries have contributed other traditions which help make It a Joyous season. Germany has contributed the Christmas tree and Martin Luther la aald to have been the first to set up a Christmas tree In that country. Holland has contributed the Jolly old Santa Claus aa the symbol of cheerful giving and the custom of hanging op Christmas stockings In which he la to put hla gifts. The latter la an outgrowth of the custom of the Dutch children of placing their wooden shoes In the chimney corner on St. Nicholas eve (December 6) when the spirit of the good SL Nicholas (they called him Slnterklaaa. which later became Banta Claus) made hla rounds and left 1 Is gifts for them. Thla custom of hanging up stock Ings la also aald to have originated In Russia from two customs. In east Russia, among the peasantry, there was a custom whereby a young girl discovered through divination whom she would have for her husband and the traditional formula In this custom was "Come and take my stockings off. Among the professional classes parents placed money In the stocking of their children rt marriage as a gift for the otLei partner. Although Holland la usually credited with being he contributor of .S.inta Claus, as a matter of feet, this symbol of Christmas Is a composite :liaracter and under a variety of names he la a legacy from a number of nations. In Holland he Is Blnterklaasi or San Nlcolaas; In Germany he Is Krias Kringle, a derivation from Kriat Klndtl the Christ Child: and In France he Is Bonhomme Noel or Per Noel. Father Christmas. And In Italy, the children believe that he has a companion on hla annual trip, a sort tb Mis. Santa (Tans whom they know aa La Befena. probably a modification "f the Italian word for Epiphany. But It must not he supposed that any one of the Christmas customs haa been contributed by any one country exclusively. In nearly all of the Christmas tradltiona there are contributions from several nntlona and every country claims a share In most of them. America, the youngest of all nations, has Inherited Its Christmas customs from all of them, but It haa. so we believe, Improved upon many and contributed one or two of Its own. The principal one, of course, la the Christmas tur But aa evikey. for the turkey la dence of the fact that Christmas Is truly an 'International holiday, consider these words of ona writer on the history of Christmas: "We eat the Egyptian's goose It tny have changed to a turkey In America aa a sacrifice to the sun, they tell ua Wa hang the mistletoe of the Drulda burn the Yule log of the Nordic pagans Holly, some authorities say, la our own. symhollxlng the crown of thorns the Christ wore to Golgmlta. The red berries are drops of blood. We drink the wassail bowl, some of ua. handed to our lips by the Vikings. We decorate the sacred oak which, by the grace of 8L Boniface, Is an evergreen. Ws await the coming of the Germanic Hunts Claus for our gifts. And we chant pence on earth good will to all men,' which, after all, la tb moa Important. ten-fo- four-yea- way. The celebration Is being spon- sored by the chamber of commerce. I recently beard a young man aay The new triple lighting system exbe never had a chance. I tending from Twenty-seconstreet to have known him all bis life; he has Twsnty-alxtstreet on Washington never had anything else; chances have avenue will be turned on with approcome In hla way every day, and been priate ceremony at that time. SALT LAKE! Wednesday mornings neglected by him. fall of snow In Salt Lake and vicinity Parents In a little Western town brought the total depth for the two lately held a meeting, and passed resodays of storm condition to 8.2 Inches. lutions declaring children have too The storm,' which broke In the early many amusements. "We have no conmorning hours, was strictly local In trol of our children," the resolutions character, according to the United stated. "Welfare workers are bringStates weather bureau In Salt Lake, with only a trace of snow reported ing them up, and we can do nothing with them." I'm glad parents are besouth of Salt Lake and on Provo Inch at Pocatello. ginning to revolt; they should have bench, and done so long ago. Instead of beneDUCHESNE Federal aid In the fiting homes, welfare workers are construction of highways In the state, ruining them. amounting to $27,797.49, was received by the ptate treasurer Tuesday from In a certain town a certain man la the bureau of public roads. Of this president of a certain club which amount $17,053.41 Is to be applied on meets weekly for luncheon, and to the highway from Frultland to Dulisten to a prominent speaker. The chesne and tha remainder for bridges ' In Grand County. John Walker also president conceived the notion of hava club behind the certain Iron from received get ing county the sum of benefit ball. Every member was giv$50,000 taxes for the currant year, and en a certain number of tickets to sell, also $11J532.S2 from the county of Miland no excuses accepted. The papers lard for taxes for thla year. were full of the affair for day SALT LAKE Plana for the thirty-nintand weeks. "Let every man do annual Utah poultry show of Ids duty; the good name of the town Utah State Poultry association, to 'bo It at stake" that sort of thing. Merheld In Salt Lake- from January 16 to chants were boycotted unless they 21, were formulated at the monthly took advertising In a benefit ball promeeting f the association, held gram: none of the old tricks were In the city and county building. It neglected. A parade waa held to boom was decided that during tha last two the sale of tickets, and everyone In days of ths ahow an auction will be It felt and looked ridiculous. Finally held similar to those which conclude the bail waa given and the expenses 'the various stock shows. were so great that the total Income OGDEN With the Issuance of the did not equal them. most complete premium list In ths history of the association, the Weber I have been Indignant for weeks be- Poultry association announced comcause a cheap writer referred to manplete plana for the seventeenth annual ufacturing, commerce and agriculture exhibit to be held January 7 to 12, Inclusive, In the huge coliseum in conas "the lower activities." nection with the ninth annual Ogden livestock show. I read because I occasionally en- ... d h one-ha- lf h - counter a good thing. Recently 1 encountered a sentence which made reference to "the Indestructible sanIt la a good ity. of the line. Another man writing of a dull day. referred to "the gaunt dock gnawing at the long afternoon." Roth these authors were dull In spots. self-taught- ." In everything excess la on of our must cruet enemies. W overdo every good thing we discover. Our modern discoveries would he much more uaeful than they are did we not always overdo them. A Spaniard says one result of "suffrage" Is that men who formerly lw came bankrupt, by spending their money on actresKPr. go broke by attending their money now ou their wives and 00 The more women admire a man, the more they peck at and advise him. LOGAN Approximately 19,804 acrea of winter wheat were harvested In Cache county In 1927, according to tha bureau of agricultural report of-teconomic! of the U. 8. department of agriculture. .Of that acreage 18,198 acres were not Irrigated and 1611 were rrlgated. Tha county also had 8474 acres of sprlnk wheat. UTAH Construction will start within the next month on a $30,000 plant for the Pacific Coast Products company In which ljlll be manufactured a medicinal oil, developed by J. B. Jenson,' mining engineer of Salt Lake, during hla research and experimental work in the production of amokless fuel Mr. Jenson has sold hla patents to the product to the Faclfiq Coast Products company, which la financed by Los Angles capital, but will supervise both the construction of the building and the operation of ths plant. |