The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-12-29
ABOUT NEW YEARS DAY.

"Has New Years Day always been
the same" asked Mabel Montgomery
of her father, who was an editor, and
supposed to know everything.
The Montgomerys were going to re-
ceive, and amid the preparations such
question, though very natural, was
dismissed for the present, with:
Instead of answering you at length,
] propose that we lay the subject on
the table till New Years night, ana
then the one who can tell me the most
interesting facts about it shall have a
handsome reward
"And who will be judges?" asked all
the family at once, James and Edward,
Nettie, Ulie and Mabel.
"Tll allow you to select your own
judges from among the callers of the
evening, for | shall be home early. You
know there are always few who spend
the evening with me-
New Year morning dawned bright
and cold. Slegh-bells were heard be-
fore the family were stirring, and, not
withstanding visions of future skating
and coasting, every one of the Mont
gomerys thought first of their fathers
promise, and then began to dress for
the day. The hours passed quickly till
evening, and at eight o clock the chill
dren ushered into the library Judge
Van Worst, Mr.. Ludlow and Solomon
Smith, whom they announced to be
their judges.
''And what can you tell me james,"
We will begin with the eldest.
g. did not find anything very inter-
esting about it, except that the Egyp-
| tan year always consisted OF 365 days
and took no account of the fraction,
hence was called the Ua9ue gear be-
cause in the course of 1,460 years, it
wandered over all the seasons"
VERY good. And you, Edward?"
Il learned that the civil year of old
England began on the 25th of March,
and in referring to old books it is neces-
sary to keep this in mind. In 1751 an
act of Parl ament altered the beginning
of the year to January !. 1t seems
very proper that this should begin the
yea, as the days of the former year
have grown shorter and shorter, until
now they begin to lengthen as if new
life were beginning. Janus, the Roman
deity from whom this month is named,
is represented as man with two faces,
one looking back toward the old. the
other looking forward to the new"
"Well done. Now, girls
Nettie came first, modest little
blonde, who never ventured to vie with
the more brilliant Ulie, though two
years her senior.
- found but little about the origin
OF the day, or why it had been placed
in the cold months of winter, instead OF
with the beginning of life in the spring
time, when everything renews its youth
but | did learn some interesting facts
about the customs OF the day, that will
repeat. Nerstegan, in a curious book
of antiquities, says that our ancestor:
called this month Wolf-monat,' OF
wolf-month, because people were il
danger of being devoured by wolves. Il
may have been due to this that the Gus
tom of wishing ones friends Il happy
year arose, meaning that they nigh
escape such q fate. Gifts might easily
have followed, on the same principle
The Latin writers, Tacitus and Suction
ius, both mention the custom. Bel
Jonson, in one of his books, introduces
New Year Gift, in blue coat, serving
man-like, with an orange and sprig o
rosemary on his head, his hat full o
brooches, with a collar of gingerbread
his torch-bearer carrying march-pane
with bottle of wine on either arm
The custom of presenting New Year
gifts to the sovereigns OF England wa
in vogue in the time of Henry vi
Some of these gifts were very odd. Tn
Lord Cardinal Pole gave a salute with
cover of silver and gilt, having a ston
therein enameled with the story of Job
and received pair of gilt silver pots
weighing l434 ounces. The Queen
sister gave the fore part of a kirtle, wit
a pair of sleeves of cloth of silver, richl
embroidered with Venetian silver, an,
rayed with silver and black silk, and re
ceived three gilt silver bowls, weighing
1872 ounces. During the reign of Queel
Elizabeth, the custom of presenting
New Year gifts was carried TO a mos
extravagant height. Her wardrob
and jewelry were mostly supplied b.
this means. The Earl of Leicester
gifts exceeded in beauty and value al
| 80 A. L.. Ill