The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-01-05
WE WRITE 1T 80.
The inaugural bay OF The New Year wa
Refreshing. Facts and Fancie~ OF 80.

The New Year awoke OH Tuesday morn
ing with the sun in it, off eye II was a
brilliant sun, and the New Year, having
been incon,inenty fred from ,h- ethereal
nursery, by Old Father Time Ct is n rational
sspposition that Old Father Time was the
agent, yet the usual phrase " ushsred In by
Old Father Time"is becoming a little warm
and tagged al the bottom of the unmeniion-
ables; and as there has been no real call for
the term upon any other of the 36i days Of
the year, il is a little late 10 become a res
. urrecioni,t) Older ouesIhen he,-fOr it is
he since eap year, with her lively maideu
ladies, has passed, have shed tears upon
meeting the eye of Ola SOL and being but
baby, he naturally protested in tie manner
common - youth, especially extreme you'll
But after his first tip with his new found
toy, he behaved in a most exemplary mao-
ner. Indeed, "a prettier New Years Day
could scarce be conjured up, unless IT be IN
the minds eye of the fellow who owns new
cutter and several wolf robes, in whose
mental picture ola ne Plus ultra, New Years
Nnew would perhaps figure as ve'y promi'
nent object. To those who had not the
luxury, and had dropped their stuff" on
election, the day was superb one-warm
enough for summer suits and spring over
coats. One gentleman, who seemed to en-
Joy the sunlight TO the fullest extent, was
-, ,h; Eth, ~, nj thin ar
trousers blue vest, (spring PATTERN six
yards of shirt front and "A light tie
The streets were almost deserted duriag
the day, and the few business houses that
opened in the morning, dill but trihiug
business All but one or two were closed in
the afternoon, AMI business slumbered, as it
were, until Wednesday morning.
THE ECLIPSE.
Those who had given themselves tine to
glance over the new almanacs had pre-
moni,ion Of the afternoon eclipse Those
who didn't. heard of it next day. The sun,
having shown brilliantly until a quarter af
ter three O'clock, was rebuked for his good
nature by bis rival in the street lighting
bu sness, the moon. The lunar body open
ed operations on time, as advertised in the
almanac. She got up steam and bore down
upon Old Sol at u good rate Of speed, but her
cog wheels became clogged with sand from
the box, when she was about half way across
and che slowly reversed and backed off AT
th;a J., hoY bn L..
ly surveyed the phenomenon through a
smoked window pane put it, and he was
not far from the point.
The eclipse did not approach near enough
totally to cause any perceptible diminua'
ton Of the sun power, but was readily per
ceptible to the naked eye. Dozens of citizens
held smoked glass at various points on the
streets, and this diversion appeared to be
The sole break in the monotony Of solitude
Hpon the business streets. !
OPEN HoUsEs.
Ye olden custom has fallen into disuse in
he past few years, and it has been rare that
more than one or two houses have opened
heir doors. Perhaps this has been the nat
lral result of too much freedom, for TOO
much of good thing often ends in nothing
Mayor Allen and one or two others have
kept alive che last spark Of tie custom aud
reserved it from utter dieintegration. The |
Mayors beautiful house was thrown open in !
he afternoon, and the city council, police /
orce, fire department, and numerous friends
nd admirers. improved the opportunity to
,ish MIR. Allen a &" Happy New Year" The .
Iayor and Mrs. Allen, assisted by Mes,
ames, f. c Allen, jr A. W Hard, Viii
aukee; Mrs Nellie Nash, Miss Lucy Allen,
Highland Park and Miss 10 Stout re.
eived.
Miss Sadie Hathaway, assisted by Misses
abel Hoffman, Nellie Widmer, Birdie
apeman, and Eva Hathaway kept open
puse between the hours Of two and i've, and
Iceived large number ofgentleman friends
no had been advised by card.
ADJUSTMENTS.
A club dance was given at Willis hall, on
ew Years Eve, A large number of young
ople assembled early, aud the watching
the Old Year out and the New Year in,
much more realistic when accompanied by
Y toot OF a horn and the seraping Of horse
ir over the bowels of cat. The club ball,
a ball, was great success.
The armory rink opened on the evening
the first day of the year, and secured
ger patronage than has been bestowed
many weeks. Gazing from the wire
Feened windows of the private rooms of
d, out upon the animated scene below,
was almost persuaded that the skating
re had been resurreoted. A couple of
ndred skaters filled the floor, and as the
|sh of gymbals smote upon the ear the
cies were carried back to those good old
|es, when a skating rink was mighter
~ block of street car stock and the q