Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-01

scrtoed. which was made onlv hetwe ar
Christmas and New Years Dsy, the sea
| son OF Oil others when men experienced
the most kindly feelings toward
their fellows, and heartily wished
them "waes hail." or GOOD
health, and al other blessings. /,
became customary to have bowl Of WAS.
SAIL at every New Years feast, and for
the master OF the house 70 take a long
olaugnt, ana then to pass it to the guest
sistins at bis right, who also drank from
the vessel and passed it TO his mex.
nelenoor, this being continued until the
Wassall BOWL had gone the table round.
and every one present had quaf1ed of its
contents. This custom continued in
England all through the middle ages. and
even centuries afterwatd, as did also that
oi young women going about in the
streets with wassail bowls and Offering
them to passers by, who were exoected
TO reward the fair Hebes for this hospi-
laiity with LIBERAL supply Of Christmas
spending money.
That rare old gossip, Mr.. Pepys. tells
US IN MS diary, how on New Years
osy, 1861, he was offered the
wassail bowl 5y one of these dsmsels,
VINO sang Tor him Every sweetly," it De
Ing often customary for these wassail
issses to sing appropriate songs while
tne WassalI was being qusfed. TIE WAS.
san poWls which these girls carried were
olten prettlly adorned with nbbons and
sariands. Warrior, the antiqusry, saws
tnat wassail towl was identical with the
gossip boWl mentioned by Shakespeare
III DIS midsummer Nights Dream"
Inough the customs of passing the
Wassall bowl around the table ct the New
iear's banquet, and thst OF having it car
iled about the streets by pretty girls,
nave long since fallen into disuse, vet
Wassall Is still made st New Years. in
many parts Of Great Britain. In certain
Counties OF Ireland, however, the name
Wassall has been discarded, snd the
drink which it formerly designated is
now known as lambs wool.
A once highly popular New Years cuE-
tom In various parts Of our own country,
out one which is annually falling more
and more into disuse except in remote
country districts, is that of young men
anu women, often disguised by grotssque
costumes and masks, going ebolf from
house to house on New Years Eve, firing
on guns, blowing horns, singing, dang
Ing and partaking OF any good cheer taat
may be offered them. This is uDdoao:-
edly modification OF the old Scotch
custom of "tirst footing" which was OBJ
served by large parties of mea and
women carrying great bowl or fsgon
OF the "lamb's wool" or wassan, slreedy
described, and plentiful supply Ct
cakes, bread and cheese. Thus equipped,
they went about from house TO house st
midnight on New Years Eve, and if, NAV
Oh the dwellings visited, they were the
4 rst to set foot after that hour, they were
jailed ethe "First Footing" and were
treated with the utmost consideration by !
'he people OF the house, who provided |
mem with good cheer and partook in re-
urn OF that which the "Flrst Footin9n |
oarty brought with them.
Among many other old superssitions !
associated with New YEARS., is q belief |
hat il lamp or candle be taken out of
louise on tnat day some member of the |
smily will die within tWelyemonSh,
1hile to throw cut dirty water, ashes, or
nythlUg whatever, no matter how
is regarded as certain 20
ring i'll luck..durlng theIwhole of thss year.
the first visitor to dwelling or New
ears Day is q female ard she is ad-
nltted, misfortune and misery are
aid TO be sure to follow that
ousehold for the next twelve months.
'hile 1t is also thought 10 bode serious
vii to lady if her first New Years caller
e dark coDplexiOued, dark haired man
1stead OF one whose hair and skin are
sir.
1t Is said, in Scotland, that these WHO
esire to lesrn what fate or fortune the
ew year has in store for them, may do so i
y consulting the Bible on New Years
corning before breakfast. The sacre1
ook must be laid uosn table, ard
hose Who wish to consult it must open
at random and place h1ger upon one
r other OF the chapters at which it is
pened. This chapter is read and is be-
eyed to describe, In some wsy, the hsp-
iDess or misery, during the ensuing year,
I the person making the trisl. Il
One Of the quaintest OF all New Years
ustoms, and one which is still observed
J some CT the northern counties Of En-
land, is called "Going about with
essel-cup." Poor women and girls, de-
rous of obtai ing charity, take two
oils, representing the Virgin NJ : her ard
Re iDfsnt Jesus, snd 60 about from house
, hOuse during the week before New :
ears, singing the following quaint old
srol, and at its conclusion presenting,
II the receipt Of slms, smsll cup which
known SIS "vessel-cup:"
he first good joy that Mary had, 1t was the JOY
OF one, /.
D rec nsr ownsssn Jesus to lie at her breast
bone. :
1t brings tic nzs of comfort and joy
ne keIt good JOY that Mary had. /. was the 8
j1y of two,
D see her own son Jesus TO make the lane to
1t brings tidings of comfort and joy!
ne next sood Joy that Mary hal. it was the ~
or three.
D see her own gen Jesus to maze the bird to
It brinss tidings of comfort and JOY r
ne next good Joy that Mary had, +; was thej'y :
, see her own son Jesu, to read the Bible
DER.
he mex. good JOY that Mary had, 1T was the Joy
eff Eve,
It brings tidings of comfort and Joy
le next good Joy that Mary had, 1T was the Joy :
OF ak,
see her own son Jesus to bear the clueihx &
It brings It'd ngs OF comfort and 1)y' j
- ne 1t good Joy that Mary had, twas the JOY !
of ee0en,
, see her own son Jesus to wear the crown of L
heavea.
Is brings sidings of comfort and joy:
To turn one of these vessel-cup singers
lrequited from your door is to forfeit sl !,
,od health and good fortune for the So
Coaching New Year. e. w. c.
Report frnza a Baltimore Druggist.