The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1885-01-03
NEW YEARS DAY.
Tho Custom OF Making Friendly
Calls on tho First Day of
tho Year.

world that we should stop IN tho whlrl
Of everyday life and business and mark
the point Of the beginning Of Now
Year, and mark H. when we can, with
the white stone Of cheerful holidays,
whose gifts and greetings are things
pleasant TO remember on days that have
no white stone or anything else to mark
them. People stop To take note Of few
holidays so universally as Of New.
Ycar's-pcoplc from one side Of tho
round globe TO the other, and Of all re-
ligions But among tho various man.
ncrs in which they make n circumstance
Of IL, we think there is no prcltier Gus
tom attached to its keeping than tho
almost lmmcmorial one with which in
many parts Of the country the day Is
honored by those gentlemen who pass
II In calling upon their friends.
II IS true that for the moment this
genial Knickerbocker custom Is under n
cloud In the land Of It's birth, being
banned by the exclusive five thousand
who are supposed 10 constitute tho
creme dc Ia creme Of New York society,
and who set the fashion Of Deglecting
the Dutch New Years for tho English
Christmas. But this tlmc-honorcd ies-
tiynl Is too deeply-rootod TO be thus
mmmarlly banishcd, and will continue
to be observed by many until sudden
revolution brings ID again ON the top
wave of fashion.
There Is surely something very human
and social in this payment Of the com
plimcnt which lies In showing that the
existence Of friends Is remembered. and
remembered nj the cost Of the exartlon
of personal visit. and In the answer
made by the decorated drawing-room,
beautiful toileltcs, glitterlng and boun-
tiful lunch-iablcs and cordial welcomes,
There Is certain mutual interest in the
affair which has something about II
more unseliish than Is usual with social
affairs, the one party glad 10 visit, the
other to receive, both making n Jesta Of
the thing. renewing old associations,
making new ones, and doing great
deal toward lifting stale customs into
the ideal.
The practice of general calling as II
pertains In society among women from
one days end 10 the other. year In nnd
year out. Is n very different matter In
lts spirit from this practice of the New
Years call Of gentlemen. made once q
twelyomonth. often the only sacrifice Ia
friendship. acquaintance and anld-lang-
syne that ID u In tho power Of a busy
man 10 make. The mere call Of society
made by ladies Of moro or less pretcn.
si0ns 10 fashion Is n concern often oi
routine aud etiquette only, q means Of
retaining ones place In the calling
throng, a following Of the manners ol
others, something that moro commonly
than not might be done by means ol
cards and the postal service, and 10 sui
the convenience 0f all parties beitoI
than Il Is now suited; for we NIL know
the burden that rests upon the mind
when there Is nm accumulation Of morn
Ing calls ~ DO made. till not one day
nor many days win suffice 10 clear Tho
list-a List that can only DO cleared BY
the use of the special days announced
by all receiving calls as those Of theii
receptions. since 10 call upon ans
other day would bc simply TO say
one did not care whether hostesse.
were nj home or not. And We are all
familiar. also. In country places, whcr'
calling Il on n less formal scale. and al
days are reception days, with the sens
Of relief that comes TO tho caller when
the word whose equivalent Is mot q
home" l. spoken, and the caller turn,
away. not glad because falling 20 80,
the person. but glad because time y
not long enough for all the people on'
ought 10 see. That sort of calling, In
deed, l. largely on the fictitious side o
the usnges Of society. the side which u
artificial. and IN whose hollow forms :,
little of the breath u life Is breaihet
that we are always expecting to see th'
whole fabric crimble and dissolve. ant
more sincere habit take lts place.
habit In which the immensely of tint
wasted for purposes In which there J
no heart and little pleasure shall b
turned to account. and used In infinite
~ more beneficial ways For In III
time thus wasted what books might no
be read. what work might not be done
what art might not be pursued. wha
charities might not be carried into 81
feet. what enjoyment Of pictures am
music and nature might no, be hadi
Still, we would mol be understood a
having no sympathy with or approva
of the practice Of general calling
There l. occasionally, II not always
considerable amount Of pleasure d.
rived from n. with its inconsenlence'
and one sees people by iia means, an
underxoes a rubbing up and polishin
Of the wits that Il Is possible might NJ
ba had otherwise. One has the plea
ur. too. on such events. Of wearin
ones best array. and although that ma
seem a trivial element Of pleasure. Il
oftsn very excellent tonic 10 n
housewife whose circumstances
whose many labors do not allow her
appear In her best array too frsluenfl
"a tonic 10 the nerves and an enlIsen'
n he spirits. which seem 10 depend
upon strung resistant nerves. nerv'
that need The msigprntion of The outin|