, 1875-01-01

Years Day as n festival from the ltnrunns, ono
Of nl1onn HOLIDAYS waa tito caendo Of tho first
month nf the ynat, but even the bacchhnalla Of
that Lation, riotona 81 they were. sce.ned taino
in comra,iaou with the leselinga of our luety
Anglo.:sa1on ancestors, They loved tho flowing
bowl. thcno fearless SaxonB, beyond all other do
lights nf earth or oven Of lcaycn for tiicr lliGh-
eat conception OF b1ita to con1e wAs 10 drink hot
naaAail forever from cups ,nado Of the skulls Ut
their efhin et,esn1cn. We learn from all ancieut
volume (di Ia Mooro'h J.iFs of Edward H. that
"Was-l'ailo a'M 'tDrlnc-hci we're the uHual
ancient phrases of quatt!ng among tho sa1ons,
aud II pledge sou" Of a much later day.
THE "WAHsA1L BOWL
iB SIakhrcnruB Gossip 1Iowl, spoken Of in tho
midsummer Nights dream" 1twaSof ale, ,sriced
with cloves and llltmeg, RWEetenctl with hn3aF,
and IN it. wero put roasted apple" ard toastcd
bread. It whs also called " Lambs Wool No
satisfactory explanation Of this attor name t''s
ever been given. According IL ~ o!tl CUSTOM
which has not yet passed away, bowl Of liquor
prepared in this way Nas carried about by young
people on Nav Years Eve, aAo sanE appropriate
veTaea a. they PASSED from door to door. III
Scotland this method Of uHhcrinE tn tho New
Year was carried to Buc1 m cItent, that whole
families would tu1n ont TO entry tile Waaaasl Bowl
through tho streets, aniu Edinburg. it oiibiy
told Tho principal streets OF the city we're more
thronged at midnight OF the last night Of the
year than during tho day, while n majority of
the houtes wero quite deserted. VI course, this
circumstance uas soun tnkoM Advantage OF BY
tile lawleHB portion OF the community. whose
raids upon nngusrded bouaes wcre not long In
bringing the custom Of waHsailing on tho streets
into such dsfayor that it VAS virtually abolished.
TIE INTRODUCTION OF ClfniBTIANiTY
among our ancestors did not at all tend to Abol-
iHh the practice of wassalng. On the contrary,
tho custom coon began to wear religious gulHe.
and tho Wassail Bowl itself ms I)accd at tho
right hand of the Abbot in the refcctoriee OF
the uonasteros. This bowl was thus named Po-
cuttn. CAaritatis, freely translated, "a loving
1thrt In fj,n&
tllo poot Longfnllow draws Of the waHea OF tho
Monks in Ills poem OF !" King Wlllcp's Drinking
Horn"
EXCHANGING G1F1s
on the frat day Of tho now year, which, in our
tin1es, has quits fallcu into 3isuBe. because of
Tho general practice OF ChriEtmaB- giving, is Of
very ancient origin. 1s was generally observed
by the Romans, oven before the Change in the
calendar giving tho year twelve months instead
OF ton. Tactuh mentions MI order Of Ttberius,
which forbade the giving or demanding OF New
Years gifts, excepting on tito calondo Of Jnn1l-
exchanged between families, but Senators and
knights brought valuable offerings to the En-
pofor. Special obations were made to tho i iH-
mortal gods on that day, and among the favor
ite tokons OF friendship recorded vera fruits
covered with gold-leaf.
In England, gifts were very common como
timo ago between different clagses. Tie
gentry made valuable gifts 10 tho no
blisy, and tho mobility ehowoted bcne!its, ptill
moro valuable, upon tho Royal famly. The
Elizabeth furms very long 1iet, and includes
eyory article, useful or otherwise Of lady's
wardrobe, jewels, and purses Of gold. III Char les
time tho Court etn nc on oG Occasion
There WAS often an object in thcse giftp, wo may
well suppose. An ancclote Is told Of Sir Thomas
More, il this wise. a lady, mlo greatly de-
eG1d n1t tue cant aid him Of on hH s,I,9 influence .
a,:pair Of gloves quite flied with gold plcces.
Tho worthy knight, who might be eaid, like the
ChevAlier Dayasd, to be sans pear ct sans tc-
proche, returned tho money with thiH message:
aa for the lining, Will have nouo Of It," Thls
gift-giying quito fell out of fashion during the
Commons eaIth, but ut the Restoration was re-
sumcd With more yigor thnn ever,
on to IN astonishing extent by the Frenrt. IN
Patia, tho exchanging OF fcw-fear's calls, i,
conjunction With g1ft-giving, is universal. This
is an especial hsryest-tlmo for tho merchants,
and every shop is set out with tho greatest care,
tastoiully displaying all ths articles that bo
suitably usod aa giftr,-stawls. jewelry, fans.
etc. Tho confectionery shops are especially
beautiful at this .iuo. Tho custom Of giving
Now-Yenr's giftn ia not by any means hollo"
tho nane Of Fashion, with the pariBinnn. Ali,
high and low, rich aud poor, exchange gifts. with
relatives particularly; and noar personal friends
arc gladdoncd by tokens that they arc never for
gotten by thoes y Hhom they love. A practice,
whct, must tend 30 largely to the keening alivo
Of family affection, ca.lnok bo too highly valued.
Among tho uneducatcd,
MANY HCpEEHr1T1oSs
Of various kinds hnvo ALWAYS grouped then-
year,. The idea that it is unlucky on New-Year's
morning to take anything out of tho house bo-
fore you have taken something in is very COM
mon. A gentleman had an English servant,
I31nHA all tf3ohf fxa kE,ht njt
failed in her custom OF bringing = lump OF coal,
stick OF wood. or something OF tho kind, into
the house before any member Of tho family had
taken anything out, slo WAS Horely troubled With
fear nf coming misfortune.
1n Northern England and Scotland, the quhrtcr
from whltA tho wind blows on New-Year'B Eve
ia noted with much anxiety, aH it in l,olleycd to
have much influence OIL tho weather during the
coming year. This influence is detailed iu tho
following lines:
II Ecw-Ycar's Eyo uight-wfud blow south,
i betokensth warmth aud growth:
sss vet us much i I'LL ,na ,nS s,a.: s ~ 4s
II east, the trees Will benr much fruit
II northaast nee 1t, man anll brute
The writer las seen q dormnn woman carefully
set out upon her kitelleu-tabIe, on Naw-fear's
Eve. twolve large peeled onions each OF which,
having given thcm the uameH OF the months III
order. sho prlckcd several times with pin. On
tho following morning each wAg examined with
equal care, and for those that Wero moist with
were duly recorded upon the tablets OF her mcu,-
cry aa wet months. Tho Euglisll have GUS
tom, which mny' or may not be borrowed from
Continental countries, Of baking an immense
number Of little pies or turnoyers, which are
aot upon the table at supper on New-Year'a Eve.
These aro called ''happy mouths" and the num-
her which any person presens can cat betokenB
the number Of happy months he OF Bhe shall
have during the year. The writer has seen tho
custom used many times,, but never yet has
eeen any one who succeeded in thus securing
twelve happy months, which, proyea that unal.
loyed lapplueea u not to be looked for In this
Eorld.
Thst vory suspicious cra,
THE JANUARY THAN,
WAS looked upon with much doubt by our anccs-
tors who Ind saying that:
III grass grows In Janoyeer,
II grows the worse for = I'll tbs ysaF,
which IL rory likely.
Two or thEoo other notions may be recorded
for tue information aud Warning Of tic uuiui-
tiated in old auperattionB.
II you al!ow,a light to be taken from your
house on New Years Day. 4oms great misfor-
tuno-death Of friends OF Ions of p1operty-will
be sure to overtake you.