The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-01
THE NEW YEAR.

Asgh-. Ike al orr faEEcIs A1T4Efl2u D14-
idays il is Of Pagan origin, saneslfled 4
spirit and purified Of It's old-time vulgar
ity and barbsric boistsrousness. Il France
New Years and not Christmas IS the fam
Ty fete, bat IN France IS n Germany View
Years day, as vel a. Christmas, =
day Of gift-g.ving rather than Of
fessting. Tie Dickens" Christmas Of
liberal feasting broad fun and noisy MIR
riment vas refined picture Of social En-
toyment compared with the brutal ho-ss
play o. the Old English Christmas unGs-
''G0od Queen Bees" and yet even the
Dickens Christmas, as VS. fnd = II
'P.ckwick Papers" has gwen way 70 the
more refined and spiritual celebration
Of the day, as seen II France and
Germany. while Il IS iess day CT general
banquet and more day Of charity and
giftgiying.
This is well, for spirituality . not II
line with repetition, and the Cd English
Christmas with its ro-ging Of beef and
pl1H1 pudding and lis sWiliing o. ale was
not 50 blissful : sight as the more delicate
eenial.ty Of the German and Frenchuza,
who make i day o. charity, mixed with
uir:h, = DAP Of stimulated affection, res
urrected love and forgiveness Of oEtwo-n
eamities, rather than 2 day Of heavy feed
Ing. In the sane spirit New Year. IS
treated; 3 day OF gif;-giving and Of kindly
sanitation, when the sorroEs OF the Old
year are sent, Ike Satan, 70 the rear, and
ssnguine hope rather than bro0dIng. pen
sive memory rules the hour. Our modern
holiday stu reflects something OF the high
color with which il vas imbaed By our
Saxon ancestors. though happily the ex-
cessiye conviyiality that 81 no very remote
date marked IT'S celebration Is fas. passing
away, even in orr great cities, where il
was once the psrilous fashion Of the time
The Dutch founders Of Manhattan made
much OF the festival Of the New Year, and
II has naturally come TO be the important.
holiday Of New York, Philadelphia, Balti.
more and Washington. The custom of
New Years calls, once universally OBJ
served in the East, has fallen into cisre-
pute with people Of refinement. because
;he hospitality that was intended for and
belonged only 20 friends and neighbors,
was abused by persons who claimed and
asserted a right On New Years day they
did not claim and assert on any other day
Of the year. There was good deal Of
tipping from house to house, and SO the
generous hospitality 20 which friends
were gladly welcomed was gradually aban-
doned when il became converted into
public and indiscrininate entertainment
OF q crowd Of booxy callers, who ate and
drank themselves into 8 state Of stupidity
by nightial and thought they were very
funny when they we're only very full.
When hospitality IS abused il is time 10
shut the door. and New Years DAY is dead
IN many places at the East as matter Of
general observance because its sober friends
were oatnunlbered by its drunken cele-
brants. 1t is natural 70 moraiize on New
Years day about the light Of time and pa
theticsliy remind each other that 10 the
churehyard we are creeping year by year,
but there Is better philosophy than this
Of longing for length Of days and bewaiI-
Ing the digit Of tine. The philosophy
need not lie the epieuresn idea Of q short
life and q merry one. but let it be 8 useful.
vigorous life, full Of moral purpose and
A-sh-AAa VAL g. = ++NsA&IA - A1a-ss
New Years % the boy Is 3 Joyous sea-
son, because aelox with astounding health
he longs for manhood and what he fondly
thinks Is the desirable felicity Of its en-
larged personal freedom and social priyi-
legcs, while New Years makes the old
man. il he bas led kindly, decent life,
recall with tender melancholy fbe sweet
visions Of his innocent and joyous child
hood. whose couch vas
1t Up by fkys from serGuh eyes
Aud gNlpsss O. rele11bered Asavsa.
BIZ u lie Old man has led 3 mean, low,
selfish. hard. sensual lie. New Years IS 70
him only ti-8e 20 u1uttsF curses over the
early Gecav and death q no5.s powers Of
body and mind. Than such mean and
miserable old age better the short
and splendid steps Of a noble life that
never reaches - the appointed age OF man.
The brief life OF Inc nature may lie
worth more in beauty and confer: 10 his
day and - az time than = century q the
sleepy grossness and thickheaded AMI
mAlisgn that often marches with tie rpdest
health. The short lives, If they be full Of
distinct and soulful purpose, have this
compensation; we can always I'll the
shadowy years 10 &c With what had been
thelr sure destiny.
We think Of such true natures 10; as
bhshted. no; - early dead. but as still
alive - Is through the atmosphere left
behind always BY al aspiring and inspir-
ing life; they round OF. year after year IN
our Imagination tie ane promise Of their
farewell days, and We are grateful because
they came and went. II tie problem Of
life frGition 30 character, le; no one dep-e-
cate the value Of saca short lives because
Of their brief career. Il IS no: worth much
30 Live al oSk hundred year. 70 fau a
log ct last dry. bad aud sere." as %
wieksd old men
No thoughtful man Of imagination and
humane aspiration ever sees little child =,
play without wishing that is ingenious
ness, its frAnkness, its parity OF thought
end speech. and It's perfec. happiness with
out EFFORT might continue from the cradle
10 the grave. !: seems as Il human lie
began without guie. and il IS 3 pathetic
reelection 10 remember that Il seldom If
ever ends without l. Mothers invariably
mourn over dead babies. and vet when we
remember how few lovely and innocent
children ever pass nom the cradle 70 old
age with their souls urtainted by selfish
ain OF al sorts. ne are nos quite certain
that the death q beautiful, gaile.ess child