OLD SAllXIA. 2^.)] 



go around, Christian wise, at a slow pace, while many a sly 

 bon mot or sober old adage compel it to loiter on its way. 

 The revolving chib no longer Avhizzes over our heads, nor, as 

 in the good old times, reminds the contem])lative drinker of 

 his tardiness by gently knocking him down, or visits his 

 awk^^■ardness d ]<i Lodbi'ooke with the dreadful ])enalty of 

 "ten liorns." The dimiiuitive cjike, la (/(ilctfc^ is not only 

 reduced to a fraction of its original diameter, but it has also 

 lost the stamp of ages — the wheel and the cross of solar revo- 

 lution. " And are these venerable relics empty trifles ? 

 Whoever shall answer in the affirmative," quoth good Nicolas, 

 taking up his favourite pipe, " that man is no friend of mine ; 

 there is neither music nor poetry in him. Nature and good 

 feeling renounce all communication with such an apostate." 



Last Eve of the Year. 



The last eve of the year was a memorable one in the 

 annals of our infancy. Our grandmothers tell us how the 

 narrow streets of St. Peter-Port Avere then crowded with 

 youngstei's of all sizes, rapping at every door, and howling 

 the following couplet — 



" Ognin-a-ni ! Oguin-a-no ! 

 Ouvi-e ta pouque, et pie I'a r'clio !" 

 (Open yoiu- i^ocket and then shut it again). 



Almost every dialect of Southern Europe uses an " ogui- 

 nane,' or the modification of that strange word, to express the 

 idea of good news or pleasing intelligence. It is likewise a 

 New-year's gift. " Ma eghinat ! ma eghinat !" is still, for 

 aught I know, the hoiit de Van cry of the little rag-a-muffins of 

 the Bay of Morbihan, and " bailie me m'n oguinane " — give 

 me my New Year's gift — was its literal version in Guernsey 

 less than a century ago. 



Men Oguinane. 



With regard to the cry of " Oguinane " this is what the 

 youngsters used to sing as they went from door to door on 

 New Year's Eve as well as on New Year's morning : — 



JVous souhaite nne bonne annaie, 



Men gran pere et ma gran mere, 

 Gn vous donne une bonne allaie, 



Un bouan long somme dans le cliimquere. 



Mes irvieres, mes irvieres (1). 



Men iDarrain et ma marrame, 



Men Oncle Jean et ma Tante Aurane. 

 Qu'vot maison seit ter jours plaine, 



Haleux (2), frumine (3), jut (4) et canne (5). 



M'n Oguinane, M'n Oguinane! 



