The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-01-01
HOME MATTERS.
NEW YEARS.
WELCOME "LRAP" YEAR.
Those who Receive

"A guide New Year to ye, and mony may yc
see."-,ScottiSh Toast.
New Years" is OF high antiquity-how hlgn
we cannot say certainly, but IT'S a nigh oiu u"y
anyway. Some learned ~ caller tries 10 ip"Ao
no he,ieve II ia somewhere near 100000 years
oigh lint ne seems to have had pretty large
account in the Bank of Eternity to draw ae"e'h
81 that size. II we could entice him 10 KNOCK
orr say 100000 years we might be WILING W en
dorsen However, what's 100000 years anyway!
It's customary to deal in big figures, (iooKs seen
life. YOU know and seeing this Is centennial
wear everything becomes antique,big magnihque.
Rnt II does seem strange that the first day OF
tho vcor should fall at this season when there
i no,hing to indicate change in the heavens
or nm mother earth Most oriental nations be-
,an the year with the autumnal or vernal equi-
rox: so, too, the Mexcans; the Greeks at the
summcr solstice; the Romans, in March, until
the year 1913 B. G., when the time was changed
to the present day, Jan. l. because Of the follow
ing circumstance: There was that year
serious revolt in Spain, so serious that they re-
solved to send consul thither and even went
so far as to decree that the consuls for that year
should enter upon their duties some two ronth'
before the legal time, G., on March 10. When
Julius Cnsor reformed the calendar he left the
beginning of the year unchanged, and as all
modern civilization has come from Rome, So TOO,
LAS the artificial beginning OF the year.
Most all people have had n genera! idea
that It is necessary to celebrate on this day,
and perhaps it is not bad one. The jews u'eo
to have land may have yeti notion that II was
Adams birthday, and thought it but right to re
member "the old man." though why his birthday
should be particularly celebrated we can't see
He wasn't very much OF fellow no how If he
hadn't been the first O. man he wouldn't nave
been heard of outside his own toWnShlp, except
az Il weak minded, through good natured, Ola lei
low whose wife "wore the breechaloons."
The Romans Zone never can get up very
learned. hirh toned article without telling VIVA
the Romans did, you know)-the Romans, also,
nothing small about them, used to celebrate
by having grand barbecue in honor OF their
BIG war gun, Janus, and sending around git
SOS and dates and "sich," which the mammas
would gohble up on January and put away IN
a stocking ''for next year, you know Then the
Emperors came, and the big fish OF the empire
used to send in presents on New Years OF house
IN Galena, or a little farm around st Louis, or a
pany, as a token OF their appreciation OF the
Emperor's mighty services to Tie Federal cause
I'll finally the old Turks established third term
precedent and made the giving OF New lesrs
presents compulsory, and the custom con-
tinued until the Democrats began to think II
"too thin and Matched resolution, which
soue!ched the business, we haven't seen an
imperial New Years box for 10! these many
years-until lately.
During the middle ages-oh, well, we let that
20; too much lore in lump "wearisome to
the aesh'
The first New Years call we ever heard OF was
when Eve received, in full (un)dress, MILFORD Der
zebub in the Garden Of Eden. 1t was rustic
affair,-rural ideas were very high toned in those
days-and created tremendous sensaton,-sc
treat, in fact, that no lady who wants to figure
n "our set, can resist the temptation to receive
even TO this day. In those days unfortunately
His Satanic Majesty furnished the refreshments
they were very plain, to be sure, nothing but ap
pies; but refreshments Immediately became
fashionable, and gradually became more elabor
ate: when Noah celebrated New Years, only a
few hundred years afterwards he had big time
and got Jolly full of old Bourbon, sherry an1
all the best imported wet groceries the marke
could afford, and SO lasting was his glorious ex
ample that a large number of Las descendant
even to this day tread in his illustrious tracks
"(hicrrah for sol man."
It's pleasant custom, this receiving calls OF
New Years. In these days, when wines ant
LIQUORS are banished from all respectable houses
there is no excuse for the indecent iutoXicatioI
that formerly characterized the day, and 1t be
comes day of pure social enjoyment, when OLE
acouaintances are renewed and new ones formed
and the heartstirrng memories of youth anc
the DAYS gone by revived. To-day, we predict
will be one of those that we will long remember
70. everything promises to make 1t Interesting
and enjoyable.
IN conclusion, we can only say that we mos
cordially wish the ladies may receive many calls
the gentleman have delightful time, AND ever
one most Happy New Year"-not hspp
January l, but happy year, and many years.
Following is the list of ladies who will receiv
calls to-day:
WEST SIDE.
The Misses Johns, Deer Park; the Mise
Mitchell, Miss Prichard and Miss stillwagon,
Pittsburg, at Mrs. Bradford's on Illinois avenu
Mrs. Rising, the Misses Hayward and Mis-
Kibby, with Mrs. George Hayward, at the res
dence Of r. Strickland, on Illinois Avenue.
Mrs. J. +. Nash, at the residence OF j. T. Nas'
ottawa Avenue.
Mrs. W. B. Titus, Mrs. W. =. Linton, Miss Ma
tie Buell. and Miss Ella Freeman, with Mrs. WI
T. Phipps, IL Webster street
Mrs H. L. Hossack, Mrs. Mary Baldwin, Mi:
annie Baldwin, and Miss Fannie Richardson
hrs. Vim. II. Phillips, Miss Lucy Evans, Bud
H., at the residence of II. L. Hossark, Webstt
street
Mrs. J. Megaffin, Miss Hattie Pratt, Miss Far
ME Church and Miss MAZE Church, with Mrs.
T. Church, at the residence Of j. T. Church, co
her Of Douglas and Buchanan streets.
Mrs. II. c. Strawn and Mrs Elite Altman, wi;
Mrs. Sherman Leland and Mrs. FOote, st the re