But
you don't hear much of that any more; for the priest said 'twas
superstition, and down from the heathenish times. So the old people
came to see 'twas wrong to use such charms, and the young people
laughed at the old women's tales. Now on May Day the shrines in the
churches are bright with flowers, of course. And as for the innocent
merrymakings, instead of a dance round the May or hawthorn bush, as in
the olden times, in some places there's just perhaps a frolic on the
village green, when the boys and girls come home from the hills and
dales with their garlands of spring blossoms--not paper flowers like
those," added Delia, with a contemptuous glance at Abby's wreath,
forgetting how much she had admired it only a few moments before.
Somehow it did not now seem so beautiful to Abby either. She took it
off, and gazed at it with a sigh.
"Here in New England the boys and girls go a-Maying," she said. "Last
year, when we were in the country, Larry and I went with our cousins.
We had such fun hanging May-baskets! I got nine. But," she went on,
regretfully, "I don't expect any this year; for city children do not
have those plays.
Pages:
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102