The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-12-21

him cake of sifted meal with incense, salt
and wine. The Hindus call the first day of
the year 1.-THE day Of the Lord of Creation"
It Is sacred to the God of Wisdom, to whom
they sacrifice male kids and wild deer, while
they also celebrate the festival with illumi-
nations and general rejoicings.
The Chinese began the New Year about
the vernal equinox, and the festival OBJ
served on the occasion is one Of the most
splendid Of their religious festivities. All
the people, including the Emperor, mingle
in free and unconstrained intercourse, and
unite in thanksgiving for mercies received,
as well as in prayer for genial season and
an abundant crop In Japan the day is
spent In feasting and visiting.
A curious custom among the Chinese on
New Years Day is to write riddles on slips
Of paper, paste them on the sides Of Ian
tern and hang them before the doors; often
offering rewards for their solution of pack
ages of tea, bundles of fre-crackers, fans or
pencils. People gather around them and
try to solve them for sport. On that day,
too, all The shops are closed and no bust
ness is done for several days. except the
selling Of candies, sweetmeats and nuts.
The families collect in their houses on New
Years morning and make offerings to the
household gods OF rice, vegetables, tea and
wine, with incense and candles. After the
"gods" have consumed the spiritual es-
sence Of the food, as they imagine, the
family are at liberty to cat the merely earth
ly and gross remains.
This ceremony: over, the day Il given up
to feasting and letting of fireworks Chill
dren and servants receive presents from
the heads Of the family, generally of money,
which, if it consists of copper cash, must
be strung on red string, red being SYM
Dol Of Joy. Among tho better classes fes-
Invites are kept up for fifteen days, and
end with the "Fcass Of Lanterns" when
every variety of shape and style that the
fertile imagination Of tho Chinese can con-
ceive, and paper and bamboo forced into, is
presented in lanterns-round, square, fiat,
men, animals and monsters. Some roll over
and over on the ground; others shaped like
horses and coach, trundle about on wheels.
Every house is brilliantly lighted, and every
body in the street with lanterns. And we
may well imagine that o Chinese city is a
gay sight at the end of the New Years cele-
bration.
At New Years loyal subjects of England
present their sovereign with gifts accord
ing to their means; masters to the serv-
ants, and friends and relatives to ono
another. In Paris, gentlemen frequently
on calling New Years Day present little
gifts Of choice jewelry, or gloves done up
and hidden in pretty boxes of bonbons. 1t
was quite customary, and less than cent
ury ago, even in this country, for gentle
men when calling on New Years Day to
have their pockets filled with little cornu-
copias, or New Years boxes Of confections
in which, to the lady they would especially
honor, some choice gift was hidden. And
ring has been delicately rendered in this
way by those too shy to speak their mind.
As society in New Amsterdam increased,
and the social circle grew larger, this mode
of making New Years calls had to be abol.
ished, or else every gentleman would have
to have turned himself into a veritable
Santa Claus, overloaded with cornucopias
and various boxes of bonbons, not to show
undue Partially, to say nothing of the oner-
Gus expense.
Among old superstitions of the day it was
considered rather unlucl1y to leave any
thing unfinished, for it was thought that
Lady Berchte'-a mystical spiritual being
who has the oversight Of spinners-was
angered by this. The last day of the year
is sacred to her, and if she finds any fax
left on the distaff that day she spoils it.
1t is said that when the Romans conquered
Britain some who came to fight remained to
help civilize the barbarians and to teach
them, among other things, the Roman way