Thursday

Oct. 31, 1996

Cow Boy's Lament

by Anonymous

THURSDAY 10/31

Today's Reading:"Cow Boy's Lament" an anonymous poem, c. 1908.

Today is Halloween, a celebration dating back to around the 6th century when the Celtic New Year began on November first. It was thought that evil spirits roamed the earth on this night, so the Celts lit bonfires and dressed up like witches and ghosts to frighten the spirits away.

It was on this day in 1995 that Quebec voters narrowly defeated a proposal for the separation of the province from the rest of Canada.

The United States detonated the first hydrogen bomb on this day in 1952 at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

It's the birthday of blues singer and actress Ethel Waters, born in Chester, Pennsylvania, 1896.

It's the birthday of Icelandic poet Einar Benediktsson, 1864, who was involved in the Icelandic independence movement.

The founder of the Girl Scouts, Juliette Low, was born on this day in Savannah, Georgia, 1860.

English Romantic poet John Keats was born on this day in London in 1795. He died from tuberculosis at the age of 25.

The Protestant Reformation began in Germany on this day in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Palace Church, protesting the sale of papal indulgences.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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