The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-03-08
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
q 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, and
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.
"I'll 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. 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 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.
'sAnd what can You tell me James?"
We will begin with the eldest.
I" did not find anything very inter-
esting about it, except that the Egyp-
tian year always consisted of 365 days
and took no account of the fraction,
hence was called the vague' gear be-
cause in the course of 400 years, it
wandered over all the seasons"
Every good. And you, Edward?"
AZ 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 1851 an
act of Parl ament altered the beginning
of the year to January !. 1t 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 iengthen 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, a modest little
blonde, who never ventured to vie with
the more brilliant Ulie, though two
years her senior.
81 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 rcnews its youth,
but did learn some interesting facts
about the customs Of the day, that will
repeat. Verstegan. in curious book
of antiquities, says that our ancestors
called this month sWolf-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 writer's, Tacitus and Suction
ius, both mention the custom. Ben
Jonson, in one of his books, introduces
New Years Gift, in blue coat, serving,
man-like, with an orange and sprig OF
rosemary on his head, his hat full OF
brooches. with q 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 q
cover of silver and gilt, having stone
therein enameled with the story Of Job,
and received pair of gilt silver pots,
weighing l433 ounces. The Queen
sister gave the fore part Of kirtle, with
q pair Of sleeves of cloth Of silver, richly
embroidered with Venetian silver, and
rayed with silver and black silk, and re-
ceived three gilt silver bowls, weighing
1872 ounces. During the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, the custom of presenting
New Year gifts was carried to . mosi
extravaganza height Her wardrobe
and jewelry were mostly supplied by
this means. The Earl of Leicester
gifts exceeded In beauty and value all
Others Some of these are described in
works upon antiquities and seem fabu-
1ous."
"Surely you have read to some pur.
pose, my daughter, I" said Mr.. Montgom.
cry. smiling. land in your choice ofmat-
ter show the peculiarities of your sex.
What have you for us, Ulie?"
81 found out the origin OF the term
'pin-money,' which / thought very in.
teresting. Pins were NOT as common
nor cheap ~ at present, and were made
OF norwood, bone and silver, even
wood for the poorer people. This was
In the beginning Of the sixteenth cent
uIy, and the fashion was introduced
ct giving on New Year day sum Of
money 70 buy this NV Injury with.
Hence il was called pin-money.' and