The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-01-03
THE NEW YEAR.

- - ANA w. ~ y
Centuries By the English and Romans.
Sketches" says: Next to Christ
mas day the most pleasant annual
epoch in existence Is the advent OF the
New Year There must have
been some few occurrences In the past
year 10 which we can lcok back with .
smile Of cheerful recollection, II not
with q feeling Of heartfelt thankful
ness. k=d We are bound by every Esle
Of justice and equity TO give the New
Year credit for Icing 6 good one, until
he proves himself unworthy the conf.
dence we -repose in him.. A very
wholesome reminder this, that IL Is
well 10 cherish with genuine gratitude
the mercies and cheerful experiences Of
the year that hss flown. Hope IL
naturally 50 strong that any coming
time iA, y the great writer has said II
should be. generally connded In until
It proves itself unworthy tho expeets.
lions inspired at Its approach. A little
research reveals the fact that the cello
bration Of New Years day and eve dates
back for centuries, and the custom Of
n~erry-making and exchanging gifts at
that time Is a very old one. In En-
gland, o great many years ago, young
people used to carry around on New
Years eve what was called the Wsssail
Bowl. the word "wassail" being de-
rived from the Anglo-Ssxon, and mean.
ing ''be'fn health" The c~oncoction in
tho bowl was made up Of ale,
nutmeg. sugar, and roasted
crabs or apples A briefer de.
scription Of its contents IL spiced
ale, and . dra Jght from the Wassail
Bowl was the same rs drinking q health.
And In this connection we read: ia
the Monthly Miscellany for December.
1921. there IL an essay on New Years
Gifts, which says thai ths Romaps werG
great observers Of the cuAteprff con.
Years gift~, ever .AnH<. Of tbirtv-sfy
sisted onlz2s6 began in March; also,
-e4ehf January and February were added
by Numa TO the ten Others. the calends,
or 6rst Of January, was the time whep
they made p~resents." Even Romuius
and Tiberius ordered certain offerings
TO be made on New Years DAY ',ss
tokens Of good fortune for the coming
year" And 'Tscitus makes mention
Of an order Of Tiberius. forbidding the
giving or demanding New Years gifts
unless tt we're on the calends 1.-THE first
day Of each month smong the Romans1
Of January, 1t which time 40 we'll the
Senators - the Knights aBd other
great men, brought gifts 70 the En-
perof, and, In his absence. 70 the Capt.
toll The farther back we 60 IN bic
tory the more superstition we find mixed
Up with various fired o~bservance& II
10 IN reality trying 70 read many rec
ords Of old-time customs. Q continually
must n u against omenA signs, ,n,
dicatlons Of good luck or bad luck. III
fortune ca good fortune. Bot trscing
many modern cust0ma sports and
o~bseFvsnces back, they sre found TO
be very ancient ores, and 70 have
in what would seen an
honest desire TO produce happiness and
10 eeure good fortune. II possible. for
coming time. As the world becomes
more enlightened and the bigotry and
superstition Of past ages melt away In
the light Of advanced knowledge and
higher convictions. 10 Il Q blessed thiae
that We retain many Of the cheering.
pleasant featares OF the customs OF
osden times Tho Wassail Bowl. With 4
Its too highlysessoned contents, 10 .
thing Of the past bat the feeiisg1sfi
goo4-fellowshlp it engendered stu fr
msin& Gifts are no longer required at
an exact time o relied upon 10 bring
good fortune in their train, nsvertbs-
less . dispositi6n 70 give freely and
generously 1t our wistsr holidays IL
one Of the strong impulses Of both Old
and young ct The present dag. And
many . simple gift whose intrinsic
value 70 almost worth nothing q Ehsens
most highly priced because OF he gen
affection ard thoughtfulness Which
prompted the Offering. IN Wishing
sseh other "A Happy New Year there
e not always 6 ~realizstion Of hoE much
On ourselves IN The nstser Of
ancthefs happinesk Tho wish mar
be genuine encsrh, Bat SCI ne1ksF
81 the hone circle should strives aet
IN suoh . way - TO promote h9fuony
md hsppinsss throughout the sonss-
hoId, Abd in view Of The teachings Of
hgpeet and shs light ard confoFt o.
.bs ps5ssuk tsw hrsys1s 90 @raetlngIy
Ihelld tsa Sow yseF 2 ostAees