Threads of Grey and Gold

by Myrtle Reed, C M (Clara Miller) Burd

The proverbial "good resolutions" of the first of January which are usually forgotten thenext day, the watch services in the churches, and the tin horns in the city streets, are aboutthe only formalities connected with the American New Year. The Pilgrim fathers took nonote of the day, save in this prosaic record: "We went to work betimes"; but one JudgeSewall writes with no small pride of the blast of trumpets which was sounded under hiswindow, on the morning of January 1st, 1697.He celebrated the opening of the eighteenth century with a very bad poem which he wrotehimself, and he hired the bellman to recite the poem loudly through the streets of the townof Boston; but happily for a public, even now too much wearied with minor poets, thecustom did not become general.In Scotland and the North of England the New Year festivities are of great importance.Weeks before hand, the village boys, with great secrecy, meet in out of the way places andrehearse their favourite songs and ballads. As the time draws near, they don improvisedmasks and go about from door to door, singing and cutting many quaint capers. The thirtyfirst of December is called "Hogmanay," and the children are told that if they go to thecorner, they will see a man with as many eyes as the year has days. The children of thepoorer classes go from house to house in the better districts, with a large pocket fastenedto their dresses, or a large shawl with a fold in front.Each one receives an oaten cake, a piece of cheese, or sometimes a sweet cake, and goeshome at night heavily laden with a good supply of homely New Year cheer for the rest ofthe family.The Scottish elders celebrate the day with a supper party, and as the clock strikes twelve, friend greets friend and wishes him "a gude New Year and mony o' them."Then with great formality the door is unbarred to let the Old Year out and the New Year in, while all the guests sally forth into the streets to "first foot" their acquaintances.The "first foot" is the first person to enter a house after midnight of December 31st. If he isa dark man, it is considered an omen of good fortune. Women generally are thought tobring ill luck, and in some parts of England a light-haired man, or a light-haired, flat-footedman is preferred. In Durham, this person must bring a piece of coal, a piece of iron, and abottle of whiskey. He gives a glass of whiskey to each man and kisses each woma

200 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

Myrtle Reed/Mrs McCullough (1874-1911) was an American author, the daughter of Elizabeth Armstrong Reed and the preacher Hiram von Reed. She sometimes wrote under the pseudonym of Olive Green. She was born in Chicago, where she graduated from the West Division High School. In 1906 she was married to James Sydney McCullough.

She wrote under her own name, but also published a series of cook books under the pseudonym of Olive Green, including What to Have for Breakfast (1905), One Thousand Simple Soups (1907) and How to Cook Fish (1908).

Myrtle was a diagnosed insomniac with prescribed sleeping drafts. She died August 17, 1911 of an overdose of sleeping powder taken with suicidal intent in her flat, called "Paradise Flat" at 5120 Kenmore Ave., Chicago, Illinois. The following day, her suicide letter, written to her maid, Annie Larsen, was published.

Reviews

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖍️ From the frontspiece: “This volume, which presents some of the writer’s most typical utterances—utterances characterised by the combination of wisdom, humour, and sentiment that belongs to all the writings of the gifted author—”

Delightful collection of Myrtle Reed’s works, both in prose and poetry.

📕 Published in 1902.

જ⁀➴🟢The e-book version can be found on Project Gutenberg.
🟣 Kindle.
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🖋️ About Myrtle Reed: Born in Norwood Park, Illinois September 27, 1874. She passed away at her apartment 5120 N. Kenmore, Chicago (suicide) August 17, 1911 and was buried at Graceland Cemetery. 🪦Some more information about can Myrtle Reed be found on this link at Find a Grave.


✧⋆˚₊˚⋆✧Excerpts of note:
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🔺The fin-de-siècle woman is literary in one sense, if not in another, for if she may not wield her pen, she can keep in touch with the leading thinkers of the day, and she will prove as pleasant a companion during the long winter evenings as the woman whose husband chose her for beauty and taste in dress.

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🔻Marriage gives her [a wife] no right to criticize any member of her husband’s family; their faults are out of her reach except by the force of tactful example. Her concern is with herself and him, not his family, and a wise girl, at the beginning of her married life, will draw a sharp line between her affairs and those of others, and will stay on her own side of the line.

[Roenn Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myrtle Reed has a beautiful style and the poem were gorgeous! So surprised this isn't a known classic!