The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-01-05
KEW 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,
l propose that we lay the subject on
the table till New Years night, anu
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.
In allow YOU 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
withstandng visions of future skating
and coasting, every one of the Mont
gomerys thought first of their father
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 find anything very inter-
esting about it, except that the Egyp-
tan year always consisted OF 800 days
| and took no account of the fraction,
| hence was called the Uogue gear be-
cause in the course of l 400 years, it
wandered over all the seasons"
Very good. And you, Edward?'
| II learned that the civil year of old
England began on the 18th 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
wear, as the days of the former year
have grown shorter and shorter, until
now they begin to lengthen as ii a 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, a modest little
blonde, who never ventured to vie with
the more brilliant Ulie, though two
years her senior. ... ...... .....
IL 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. Verstegan, in a curious book
OF antiquities, says that our ancestors
called this month 'Wolf-monat,' or
wolf-month, because people were in
danger of being devoured 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 Years Gift, in a blue coat, serving,
man-like, with an orange and a sprig OF
rosemary on his head, his hat full OF
brooches, with collar of gingerbread,
his torch-bearer carrying march-pane,
with bottle of wine on either arm.
The custom of presenting New Year s
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 g
cover of silver and gilt, having stone
therein enameled with the story of job
and received pair of gilt silver pots
weighing 1433 ounces. The Queens
sister gave the fore part of kirtle, with
pair of sleeves OF cloth of silver, richly
embroidered with Venetian silver, anC
, rayed with silver and black silk, and re-
, ceived three gilt Silver bowls, weighing
1872 ounces. During the reign of Queer
Elizabeth, the custom of presenting
} New Year gifts was carried to mos
extravaganza height. Her wardrobe
, and jewelry were mostly supplied by
this means, The Earl of Leicester
gifts exceeded in beauty and value al
others. Some of these are described il
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?"
, 81 found out the origin of the tern
! 'pin-money,' which l thought very in
teresting. Pins were not as common
; nor cheap as present, and were mad
of lockwood, bone and silver, evel
wood for the poorer people. This wa
in the beginning OF the sixteenth cent
ury, and the fashion was introduce,
q OF giving on New Year day a sum Q
/, money TO buy this new luxury with
Hence it was called 'pinmoney,' an