The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-01-10
New Year's Day.

The Romans named tho opening
month OF the year from the god Janus.
whose two faces, tho one looking back
and the other forward, denoted men,
DRY and hope. The early Saxon names
WoEmOnai, (wolf-month) Is said to
have been suggested by the fact that
the wolves, deprived oil their customary
they, were won't to prowl round human
habtations in questo OF food; but itseems
quite as probable theory, that 1t was
suggested by the extcme severity Of the
reason when Nature, OF late so genial,
seems harsh and even cruel
Tie customary celebrating with re-
joicing the opening Of the new and I'M
known year seems common TO many
ages and nations, SO natural is II TO hope
that what is new may be good, and to
trust that however rough our paths may
have been. in the coming time we may
find the green pastures" and "thc w.
tiers OF comfort"
In the words Of the gentle Ella: "I'he
birth Of new year is OF an interest too
wide TO be pretermtted by king or
cobbler." No one ever regarded tho
First OF January with indifference.
1t Is an old custom 10 keep the day ms
a holiday. though u has been tho
practice OF superstiIIous persons 10 work
n little in the morning with the idea
that this course would insure them ros-
pelity and plenty Of profitable employ
ment through the year.
In England the celebration com
menced on New Years Eve, when tho
"WassaIl-cup" was carried from
house to house by n group Of youths
and maidens. A prettier custom, orig
inally Scottish, was for the whole fam
lily to 70 in procession to the outer
door, and opening II as the last stroke OF
midnight sounded, welcome in the New
Year with words OF greeting.
The presentation Of New Year gifts
was fashionable as far back as the early
days Of Rome, and was a custom also
Of the early Briions. In that day the
Druids presented to the people the So
cred mistlctoe previously cut with re-
ligious ceremonies, and friends ex-
changed presents. OF this custom an
old writer SAYS: "As prcsages are
drawn from tho first things which are
met on the beginning Of a day, week,
q year. none can DO more pleasing
than Of those things that are given u.s."
As far back rs the reign OF Henry tho
Third it was customary 10 present New
Year gifts 10 the reigning monarch,
and some soycreigns did not hesitate
to cxtort gifts when they were not
freely offered. II was BY the help 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 soycreigns and high dignila-
rics. Pins, once great luxury, were
acceptable gifts TO ladies. Instead OF
these presents, their value in money
was sometimes giyen-hence the
terms "glovc-money," and "pin-mon-
ey." The more rigid Puritans oh iccted
strongly to New Years presents, as be.
ing "a mecrc rclque Of paganisme and
idolatry."
The First Of January, being week
after Christmas, Is celebrated by tho
Churches Of England and Rome as the
Festival of the Circumcision.
The Christmas and New Year holl-
days close on the Feast of the Epipha-
ny, January sixth,-Twelfth Day as it
is called, being the twelfth from Christ
mas. Many old supcrsttious customs
arc associated with IL. The following
Monday, when the people returned to
tho sober realities of working-days, was
called in the rural districts Plough,
Monday.
Among the events Of historic intcres,
connected with New Years Day may
be mentioned tho league Of William
Tell and his brave compatriots. Q80S)
tho commencement OF three centuries
resistance Of foreign oppression the
coronation Of Charles the Second n.
King of Scotland (l6jD when the Scot
endeavored to atone by loyalty to til,
son for their ircachcry TO the father
and thus prepared the way for the res.
toration OF the Stuarts TO the throne
they were 80 soon TO forfcit-and IN
1868, tho abolition Of slavery in these
United States of America; the second
OF these events m era in English his
tory, the first and the last cr;,s in the
annals Of the human race. Golden
Rnlg