Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 300, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1915 — HUNTING MISTLETOE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HUNTING MISTLETOE

Christmas Greens Harvested With Aid of Guns. But It la Better to Climb for It as Seekers Have Learned —Open Season Begins Early in \ December. HE hunter took deliberate ?! aim and fired int ° t* l ® er branches of a swamp elm. Only a bunch of foliage, cut from its supporting bough by the charge of bird shot, fell a yard or so away. “Missed him?” was the half queried comment of a “tenderfoot” who had strained his eyes in vain to see the object of the shot. “Missed nothing,” came the rejoinder. “Shootin’ greens,” he added by way of explanation. . He picked up the clump of leaves flecked with waxen berries and threw into a gunny sack three or four pounds of mistletoe, the reward of his marksmanship. The open season for mistletoe begins early in December, according to the Kansas City Star, and continues until only a day or so before Christmas, or„ in the lean years, untit the crop is exhausted. The old method of "shooting” mistletoe has been in large part displaced, however, by agile boys who earn jnen’s wages by climbing for the crop and carrying it to the ground in sacks slung from their shoulders. That preserves the foliage beauty by' leaving the berries intact. When the boughs are “harvested” by the shotgun method the charge jars many of the globules from their tiny stems and the fall to earth but adds to the havoc. Mistletoe jobbers are growing more discriminating and pay .top prices for well-preserved greens only, the market varying day by day according to the quantity offered. The true mistletoe is a European evergreen, but its American cousin resembles It so closely as to baffle all but botanists. The leaves are of the same yellowish green and the blossoms, alike in color, give way in turn to the wax-like berries. Both are parasites, growing on the boughs of deciduous trees. Apple trees, poplars, maples and elms seem to bear support the vegetable barnacle. But it sometimes Is found growing in the oaks and other forest varieties. Along the Pacific coast it frequently is taken from oak trees, although the yield in that region is not prolific. The mistletoe played a conspicuous part in mythology. It is symbolical of the spear with which Hotherus took the life of Balder, the white sungod of summer, who shall be resurrected at Raganarok, twilight of the gods and doomsday of the world, so runs the old Norse legend.

Among the Druids and the Celts the mistletoe found growing upon an oak was believed to possess powers oi healing for many ills as well as being potent for the working of magic charms. Small bits of berries were brewed into love philters for prejudlo ing the passions. To the esteem in which the mistletoe was held is directly traceable a certain old English custom which survives today. At the Christmas tide every ardent swain who ’neath its shadow levies tribute of a kiss and eacli half-resisting maid who pays, may know their hearts only bow to rites centuries old and born when Yule logs flickered through candlelighted halls on wintry nights; when fairies ruled; when Imagery held sway; when mountain gods gave curse or blessing and tribute to the mistletoe was a sacrament.

They were married at the beginning of December, and the 25th was approaching. "You know, little wife,” he said one evening, "we mustn’t have any secrets from each other, must we, sweet one?” "No darling,” she whispered. "So,” he continued, "I want you to tell me how much you intend spending on a Christmas present for me, so that I can calculate how much money I shall have left to buy one for y ou -”

It is said that nobody loves a fat man, but children at this time ot the (fear are deeply in love with a stout, elderly person-with white whiskers and a pack'on bis back.

THOUGHTS OF CHRISTMAS.

One Popular Fat Man.