The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1888-12-28

iI'i iiiII- dihu iiidht oiitI!lSS 10 the
household gods of rice, vegetables. ten
and wine. with incense and candles.
Alter the god" have consumed the
spiritual essence Of the food. rs they
imagine, the family are at liberty TO
r1t the merely earthly and gross re-
mains
This ceremony over. the day is Civ
IN to up feasting and letting of fire
works. Children and servants receive
presents !isCm the heads of the family,
generally OF money. which, If it con-
slsts Of copper cash, must be strung
on red string, red being symbol of
JOY. Among the better classes festivi-
ties are kept up for fifteen days, and
end with the Feast Of Lanterns =
whencvery variety of shape and style
that the fertile Imagination Of the Chi
neSe can conceive, and paper and bam-
boo forced into, is presented in Ian
terns-round, square, fiat, men, ami.
mails and monsters. Some roll over
and over on the ground others shap-
ed like horses and coach, trundle about
on wheels. Every house is brilliantly
lighteq, ana every body in the street
with lanterns And We may Well i'm
aglne that a Chinese city is gay
sight at the end of the New Years eel
ebration.
At New Years loyal subjects of En-
gland present their sovereign with
gifts according to their means: mas
tiers to the servants, and friends and
relatives TO one another. In Paris,
gentlemen frequently on calling New
Near Day present little gifts OF choice
Jewelry, or gloves done up and hidden
IN pretty boxes of bonbons. It was
quite customary, and less than cen
ttlry ago, even in this country. for gen.
tlemen when calling on New Year
Day to have their pockets filled with
little cornu-cppias, or New Year box
es OF confections in which. to the LADY
they WOULD especially honor, some
choice gift was hidden. And ring
has been delicatclv rendered in this
way by those too shy to speak their
mind.
As society IN New Amsterdam in
creased, and the social circle grew lar
ger, this mode of making New Years
calls had to be abolished, or else every
gentleman would have to have turned
himself into yeritable Santa Claus,
overloaded with cornu-copias and va
rious boxes of bonbons. not to show
undue. partiality. TO say nothing of the
oherous exense.
/ Among old superStitions of the day
it was considered rather unluckv 10
leave any thing unfinished, for it was
thought that Lady Berchtc' a mys-
teal spiritual being who has the over
sight OF spinners angered by
this. The last day of the year is sa-
cred to her, and if she finds any flax
left on the distatf that day she spoil:
i'd.
1t is said that when the Roman:
conquered Britain some who came tc
tight remained 10 help civilize the bar
bariars and to teach them. among 9th.
er things, the Roman way of celebra.
ting New Years Day. But as the
reople grew less savage, they invented
additions of their own, of which there
are many traces still to be found.
. But in all countries and at all times
the principal way of celebrating this
d.ly seems to have been in feasting
calling and gift making. And it Ger.
tainly is beautiful custom. this ex-
change Of calls and souvenirs, for they
help strengthen the ties of kindred
aud friends and social intercourse
/ The making long-neglected calls, too
renews estranged hearts, and causes
them to glow with kindly feelings a:
the cordial wish for "A Happy New
Year is uttered.
Therefore, We would long have this
day observed among us, and not
q through Incidence and apathy become
IN observance of the past. One evil
feature of this day, however, We would
have abolished rs not only useless but
decidedly injurious, that is, of both
freely offering and urging callers tc
partake Of wine to drink health to the
New Year, etc. \ gentleman can not
easily refuse lady's request. And,
when this is repeated from house to
house. need we wonder at the result ::
-. 4. B,oomfcId. IN Y. i. O6serscr.