The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-01-11
New Years Day.

II Id"
Ihe Romans named the opening
month OF the year from the god Janus,
whose two faces the one looking back
ana the other forward, denoted mem
ory and hope. Tho early Saxon names
Vol t-.tonaS, (wolf-month) is said to
have been suggested by the fact that
the wolves, deprived of their customary
they were won't to prowl round human
habitations in questo of food; but it tseems
quite as probable theory, that it was
suggested by the exteme severity of the
reason when Nature, of late SO genial,
seems harsh and even cruel
The customary celebrating with re.
(olcin& the opening of the new and un-
known year seems common to many
ages and nations, so natural is ito hope
that what is new may be good, and to
trust that however rough our paths may
have been. in the coming time we NAV
find the "green pastures" and "the wa
ters of comfort"
In the words Of the gentle Ella: '.The
birth of new year Is of an interest too
wide to be pretermitted by king or
cobbler." No ono over regarded the
First OF January with indifference"
1t is an old custom to keep the day as
holiday. though it has been the
practice of superstitious persons to work
q little in the morning with the idea
that this course would insure them pros
pority and plenty Of profitable employ
mont through tho year.
In England the celebration COM
menccd on New Years Eve, when tho
"Wassail-cup" was carried from
house to house by group of youths
and maidens. A prettier custom, orig
inally Scottish, was for tho whole fam
ily to go In procession to the outer
door, and opening it as the last stroke Of
midnight sounded, welcome in the New
Year with words of greeting.
The presentation of New Years gifts
was fashionable as for back as the early
days Of Rome, and was custom also
OF the early Britons. In that day the
| Druids presented to the people the sa-
cred mistletoe previously cut with re-
hgious ceremonies, and friends ex-
changed presents. Or this custom IN
old writer says: "As presages are
drawn from the first things which are
met on the beginning Of day, week,
year, none can bo more pleasing
than of those things that arc given us"
AS far back rs tho roign of Henry tho
Third it was customary to present New
Years gifts to tho reigning monarch,
and somo sovcreigns did not hesitate
to eXtort gifts when they were not
freely offered. 1t was by the holp of
these annual contributions that Queen
Elizabeth kept her magnificent ward
robe well replenishcd. Gloves, in for
mer times very costly, were frequently
offered to sovereigns and high dignita-
RES. Pins, once great luxury, were
acceptable gifts to ladies. Instead of
these presents, their value in money
was sometimes given-hence the
terms "glovc-money," and "pin-mon-
ey." The moro rigid Puritans objected
strongly to New Year presents, as be-
idolatry."
The First Of January, being week
after Christmas, is celebrated by tho
Churches of England and Rome as tho
| Festival of the Circumcision.
| The Christmas and New Year hol-
days close on the Feast Of the Epipha-
ny, January xth,-Twelfth Day rs it
Is called, being the twelfth from Christ
mas. Many old superstitious customs
are associated with it. The following
| Monday, when the people returned to
the sober realities Of working-days, was
called in tho rural districts Plough,
| Monday.
Among the events of historic interest
connected with New Years Day may
be mentioned the league Of William
Tell and his brave compatriots, Q3O8)
| the commencement of three centuries
resistance of foreign oppression-tho
coronation OF Charles the Second as
hin1g OF Scotland (165D whom the Scots
endeaVored to atone by loyalty to the
son for their treachcry 20 tho father,
and thus prepared the way for the res
toration of the Stuarts to the throno
they were 80 soon to forfeit-and in
1868, the abolition of slavery in these
United States Of America; the second
of these events an era in English his
tory. tho first and tho last oras in the
annals of the human race. Golden
Rntc.