Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-01-10
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New YORK, Jan. 2, 1850.
Nlw Years Day in the Metropolis-1hesr Gus
tom of Calling-7he Ner Year Greeted Wtth
Hearty Welcome-The Weather-Irving
Memorial, dc.
This has been the great holiday OF
the Empire City," The pulse of COM
merce has to-day ceased its beating,
our eide walks have been cleared and
the hustle of business paused in its Ca
rcer, that the citizens of the CONNER
cial Metropolis may exchange the good
wishes and the joyous greetings of .
"happy New Year" Although the
wheels OF commerce have been stopped,
yet the upper portion of the city was
never more lively. The time-honored
custom peculiar to this city has been
we'll observed, and old and young have
been travelling from house to house, ex-
changing those friendly greetings which
they never have time to give on any
other day. The inhabitants of New
York do business upon the wholesale
plan, and do their visiting upon the same
principle. New Years day is set apart
az the time to renew old acquaintance
and form new ones. Thousands to-day
have shaken hands and exchanged
friendly greetings, that will not speak to
each other again for whole year, or
hardly give to each other q passing
thought in their business life. From
morning until night the different streets
have been alive with callers, all present
ing a light heart and free from that bust
ness expression so characteristic with
New Workers. For once, crinoline
has not made its appearance upon our
streets. Corduroys have had full pos
session of the side walks for one day. In
every direction these bipeds in male at
tire could be seen rushing to and fro as
if searching for that crinoline that but
Yesterday swept our streets. 1t has been
joyous day to the sex. Notwithstand-
ing they have not been permitted to
make their appearance upon the streets,
they have generally passed one Of the
happiest days in the year. New Years
day is always looked and prepared for
with as much attention as is usually the
case in the country in anticipation Of a
wedding. New dresses are made, the
material selected with as much care as
for the bridal ceremony, and every mode
Of art known in arranging the velvets
and silks about their person, is brought
into requisition to make them appear
charming. In fact no season of the
year causes greater t1uttering in the
household, than does the approach Of
New Years.
Whilst the ladies are prohibited from
showing themselves upon the streets,
under tho penalty Of being pronounced
vulgar, and out of fashion,-the gentle
man on the other hand, from the boy of
ten winters to those of three score and
ten, take view Of these flowers, paint
cd and perfumed, in their own homes.
The gentlemen usually go by twos or
more, and will make, in the course Of
the day, from twenty to one hundred
calls, according to the extent of their
acquaintance. These calls are all made
with great precision. Those who in
tend to 60 in company get together 10
the morning and prepare list of the
names and residences of their friends.
and take them in rotation. The list
prepared, they sally forth, taking a
piece Of cake in this place, little vine
in the next, coffee in the third, and 30
on throug hout the day, many finding
themselves decidedly jovial before
night.
The ladies pride themselves in the
number of calls they receive. Those
that receive large number arc sure to
boast of it for the next month. They
are often heard expressing their aston
ishment that their friend Miss did
not have but fifty calls, whilst they had
seventy-6ve-a very convenient way of
telling the number. Should one Of
these fair ones only receive small mum.
Der of visitors, they are sure to look ND
on it as low to talk about the number Of
callers upon New Years day. A list is
always kept by the ladies in some con-
venient corner of the room, where il
will be hid from the gaze of the gentle
men, and the moment the room ia
cl.ared, the names of those that have
maui 49, appearance is written down.
.hu :. n "son. ~. "mber counted, their
standing in society put dow. nelr
doubtful. A failure to call upon lady
friend upon New Years day, is look sd
upon by the lady ~ an objectionable Of
fence-which will not be overlooked
without the best excuse. 1t is not ne