Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-01-18
NEW YEARS DAY.

Has New Years Day always bees
the same9' asked Mabel Montgomer,
of her father. who was an editor. anJ
supposed to know everything.
The Montgomerys were going to re
eeive, and amid the preparations such
q question, though very natural, was
dismissed for the present, with:
4 instead of answering You at length,
| propose that we lay the subject on
the table till New Years night, an6
then the one who can tell me the most
interesting facts about it shall have 3
handsome reward
And who viii be Judges" asked all
the family at once, James and Edward,
| Nettie, lie and Mabel
| III allow Won TO select your own
| judges from among the callers Of the
evening, for shall be home early. You
know there are always a few who spend
the evening with me
New Year morning dawned bright
and cold. Sleigh-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 % their father 5
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
Il did not iinl anything very inter-
esting ABOUT t, except that the Egyp-
tan year always consisted OF 800 days
and took no account of the fraction,
hence was called the ragHG g6Qr be-
cause in the course of 400 years. ii
wandered over all the seasons"
Very good, And you, Edward?"
Il learned that the civil wear of old
England began on the 18th of March,
and in referring to old books it is neccs-
sary to keep this in mind. In 1751 an
act of Parl ament altered the beginning
of the year to January /. Ii seems
very proper that this should begin the
year, as the days of the former year
| have grown shorter and shorter, until
now they begin to lengthen rs If new
life were beginning. Janus, the Roman
deity from whom this month is named,
is represented as a 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 vcntured to vie with
the more brilliant Tile. though two
| Years her senior.
u found but little about the origin
of tho day, or why it had been placed
in tho cold months of winter, instead OF
with the beginning of life in the spring
time, when everything rencws its youth.
but did learn some interesting facts
about the customs OF the day, that | will
repeat. Nerstegan, in Il curious book
of antiquities. says that our ancestors
called this month Wolf monat.' or
wolf-month, because people We're in
danger of being deyourod BY wolves. 1t
may have been due to this that the Gus
tom of wishing ones friends happy
year arose, meaning that they might
escape such fate. Gifts might easily
| have followed, on the same principle.
| The Latin writers, Tacitus and Suction
ius, both mention the custom. Ben
Jonson, in one of his books, introduces
| New Year Gift, in a blue coat, serving,
man-like, with an orange and sprig OF
rosemary on his head, his bat full of
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 was
in vogue in the time of Henry VI
Some of these gifts were very odd The
Lord Cardinal Pole gave salute with a
cover of silver and gilt, having a stone
therein enameled with the story Of Job.
and received pair of gilt silver pots,
weighing 1882 ounces. The Queen 8
sister gave the fore part of a kirtle, with
pair of sleeves of cloth of silver, richly
rayed with silver and black silk, and re-
ceiyed three gilt silver bowls, weighing
1872 ounces. During the reign Of Queen
Elizabeth, the custom of presenting
New Year gifts was carried to most
extravaganza height. Her wardrobe
and jewelry were mostly supplied by
this means The Earl of Leicester 5
gifts exceeded in beauty and value all
others. Some of these are described in
works upon antiquities and seem fabu-
lous."
"Surely you have read to some pur-
pose, my daughter" said Mr. Montgom-
cry, smiling, land in your choice of mat
ter show the peculiarities of your sex.
What have you for US, Ulie?n
Il found out the origin of the term
'p;n-money,' which thought very in
teresting. Pins were not as common
nor cheap as at present, and were made
of lockwood, bone and silver, even
wood for the poorer people. This was
in the beginning of the sixteenth cent
ury. and the fashion was introduced
of giving on New Year day sum of
money to buy this new luxury with,
Hence it was called 'pin-money.' and
the expression was afterward used 20
represent the money settled on wife
for her own use. ! have often won
dered where this expression arose, and
was glad to find it out.
Il am afraid nothing is left for Ma
bel-the sub. ect seems to be exhaust
ed
u did not go to books at all, for
knew all the rest were cribbing from
them-and l wonder Tile did not tell us
about gloye-money as well as pin-mon-
ey; but talked with mother about the
custom of receiving calls, and she told
me about the Mohawk Valley inhabit-
ants and their way Of keeping the day,
which / thought would interest you.
She said when she was bride. she
came for the first time among these
descendants of the old Hollanders,
and was surprised to see the extensive
preparations made to celebrate New
Years day. Every one was making
cake of all kinds. and particularly the
kind they called New Years cake.
This was made of butter, eggs and
sugar, with caraway seeds stirred in,
and after rolling it very thin. it was cut
out by stamp into the size required.
The richer the family, the larger the
cake. When the day came. instead Of
dressing to receive calls, she was told TO
bundle herself for sleigh-ride, and
giving her basket TO hang upon her
arm, she was led TO large sleigh at
the door, wherein was q dozen others,
gentlemen and ladies. all equipped like
herself with baskets. They went from
house to house through the entire val
ley. wishing Happy New Year. and
receiving hot drinks and refreshments