The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-01-03
For Tn. BrrLEIIN.
THE FIRST DAY OF EVERY YEAR.
CUSTOM THAT - HOHORED ~ THE OBJ
sEnNANnN NlT In TYPE nnEECu

our little city, this year was, shall we keep
open house or shall we not, on New Years
day. Some few decided to do so. Did it
pay! TO be sure tie few gentlemen who
were out calling deserved to receive the
hearty, cordial welcome they did receive;
but the same welcome was ready for all the
gentlemen of the place, and would have
been as warmly extended 10 the many rs
to the few. Year after year the number
tAtcall grows beautifully less. Why is
tH,! 1t cannot in fairness be attrib-
uted to lack Of proper eXcrtion on
the part Of the ladies' TO render these calls
pleasant by presenting their homes, their
tables and Themselves ia manner both
gratifying 10 the eve and taste Of thosa
calling. Neither is it 4 custom that shonld
not be permitted TO die out, Many gentle
men have little time for conforming to the
demands Of society, and others have less
time and but little inclination. but both
classes can surely give one day out Of 3G5
to such purpose. Once it was pleasure
to all young ladies, and many ladies not 50
young. to decorate their parlOrs
and fill, to OVERLOOKING, their refresh
ment tables, for they were sure of a full APP
probation Of their desire to please. There
is a falling off in the expression of this en-
thusiasm now and the reason is plainly to
be seen in the meagcr turn out on New
Years dry for the past three years. 1t is
decidedly discouraging to prepare refresh
mcn!s sufficient in quantity for u hundred
men, and fine enough in quality for the
vericst Of epicurcs; and find. on looking
over your card baskc! that you have been
! hanored by dozen or fifteen, or may he,
/ twenty-five calls, (two-thirls Of the cards
bearing the names Of very young men, in
deed; scarcely solid, middic-agcd man'
name among them, and that your elaborate
arrangements and tempting eatables have
been left almost unapprcciatcd and un-
tasted. You have had long, anxious
unsatisfactory day OF it; you are
tired, and you ask yourself with renewed
emphasis, docs it pay And the answer
will be seen, next year, in an even shorter
list 0f names Of those who Will keep oper
house. Now, |. for one. want to enter 4
solemn protest against letting this really
pleasant custom die out in any such man
npr Ii u sham. We like to recei} he on
friends. 1t is II real pleasure, ON this onl
day IN the year, to met all our old fIirnG'
and our new "a downright enjoyment that
we have IL right and title to gwen lis by Il
tim -hunOrcd custom that is akin to birth
right to all womln kind: and one we have
not trotitcd, and are altogether unwilling t'
give up. But how are We to hold on to it
We offer all the Inducements we can. W.
really have no pow n to command ltisno
our 'F'eh" car" we WIS" '"'ecc'''' ""' "u
''''"' "''''Sy'' At i ''' '''o ""'''''' "
'''"S' ""' Tue h"'''''' " '0' sen''-"''i
ir''n"s VIII" SUI" us 'h'l' H""o WIN a"'
kindly courtesy by taking us 10y the hanc
for moment on each returning New Year
Gay lIlAt we iTN'' ine sn"p WIZ
SENDS MS cara !" our uoo'
= 10y ms servant h"IuS mn
sell IN much lllgIer esteem 'IIAh we I'"'o
him. And the exceedingly busy gentleman
wno Is 50 severely tax u tlln' ne can ON
find time to drop Us his card through UncI'
SANS ag'ncy,Is quite as '.i-h y"ppreciateo
rs the former; and each car, 81 he only
could he persuaded o. the tact assure nm
set that the ladies who are 50 honored tI
mc equally us well satisfied "iIh ms card
. MS they could reasonably hope to bt
by his call. The only remedy thn' sug
g,Sis its'it, for this Kind oI prigg shines
to my mind, is this L'i every youlg lady
who is thus favored on New Years day.
=