The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-01-02
THE FESTIVAL OF JANUS.
ITS CELEBRATION AMONG DIFFER
ENT NATIONS.

The Hlndoo and Chinese way Of observ-
ing the New Tear--Gins Among the
Japanese--Druid Customs-The nIistle-
toe Dough.
Among the Romans the deity Of the
new year was Janus, the president of
doors, gates and all new enterprises
Commonly represented with two faces,
he was supposed to look both into the
past and into the future. He was the
father Of the new year, and on his statue
was inscribed the famous enigma,
"There is one father, who has twelve
sons; each Of these has sixty daughters,
Of whom thirty are white and thirty
black all are immortal and yet all must
die" In Rome March 1, formerly the
opening day Of the year, was signalized
by sacrifices; white steers were offered
that the year might be fortunate
for the state, the consul5 made oblations
and libations, at the same time assum-
ing the duties Of their offices; offerings
We're presented at the shrine of Juno,
and friends made each other gifts at
first of republican simplicity, such as
baskets Of dates or figs, pots of honey or
clusters of grapes, but with increasing
wealth the gifts became moro and more
costly, until complaints were made that
young men were sometimes beggared by
the necessity Of satisfying the demands
Of their female acquaintance.
The custom Of celebrating the new
year in some especial way probably had
it's origin In the cradleof the human race
The Hindoo religion being among the
Oldest forms Of established worship, it is
somewhat remarkable to find among the
people of India the same reverence at
tached to the day as exists among our
selves. All stores and offices are closed
and the day-indeed most of the month
lis given up to religious observances
and social festivities.
Bands Of singers, from two to six in
number, make the rounds Of the houses
in their districts and are received with
consideration, invariably obtaining aims,
large or small, for on this day to refuse
TO give is accounted a sin. They do not
ask for charity as on other days, for it is
taken for granted that on this "day Of
days the hearts and purse strings of all
will be open. So everybody gives, but
whether to crafty a charitable impulse
OF to get rid Of the noise is a conundrum.
The latter motive is not impossible, for
the music of the wandering bands Of
beggsr5 consists of drums, rattles and
small oymbals, these instruments being
accompanied by ear splitting screeches,
which in any other country would en-
title the singer to immediate incarcera-
ton. But the Hindoo ear can stand a
good deal Of noise, and as the words Of
the hymn sung by the mendicants are
purely devotional every Hindoo lays up
for himself treasure in heaven by open
ing his pooketbook.
But the observance of the day does not
begin and end with slnsgiving. The
idols are to be washed, pitchers and other
vessels and food are to be offered at the
sacred shrines; every family must feed at
least one Brahman, and every woman
invites TO her house at least one personal
female friend, whose hair she dresses and
adorns. During the day there is there
fore, much running to and fro, for the
woman who has just received and enter
tanned guest goes herself to be enter
tanned elsewhere, and thus the social
balance is kept even.
No nation on earth welcomes the new
year with more elaborate ceremonies
than the Chinese. On the last day of the
old year all accounts must be closed, all
debts paid, for he who allows an indebt-
edness to 90 over the New Years day
must seek for his debtor with a lighted
lantern, an indispensable accompani-
thriftlessness, and without which the
debtor is justified in refusing to pay any
thing.
The last day of the old year is by the
Chinese reckoned peculiarly unlucky, for
during its hours the goddess of smallpox
wanders about seeking whom she may
infect with the dire disease, and it is
highly important that she should be con-
ciliated, or at least deferred from infict-
ing injury on persons against whom she
may cherish grudge. There are several
ways Of comprising this end.
Some persons deem it wise to gain her
good will by leaving presents of food
and dainties outside their doors for her
\ use, and as these articles are always
gone in the morning, Of course the deity
must have taken them and passed by the
house where she was so well treated
But as 1t has sometimes been noticed
that she returned and brought the dis
ease even where she was well fed, it Il
considered the safer plan to frighten hel
away. Her only object in causing infec
tion is to make handsome children ugly
and if she can be deceived into believing
them already so, the end Is gained. So
on the last day Of the old year all hand
some children are fitted out with gro
tesque masks to delude the malevolen
deity into the belief that they are home
ly, while at the same time great quaint
ties Of fireworks are discharged ant
crackers lighted, it being well know
that all evil spirits despise the sight ant
smell of all kinds of pyrotechnics. WheI
the children are sent to bed a gourd i
placed over the head of each, that thl
goddess may pour into it the seeds Of th,
distemper, and in case all these precau
tions fail, large package Of vile smell
ing herbs and charms is placed in thO
bedroom in the hope that the deity's nos
her away.
Before dawn on the first day of thu
new year every Chinese family of mean
makes its offerings to the deities, Fivl
OF ten little bowls of vegetables, rice
wine, oil and meats are placed in the cor
ridor Of the dwelling, and over the con
tents Of the bowls incense and salt ar,
sprinkled Large packages Of paper O.
''mock money are prepared, as also gar
ments, houses, boats, animals and do
nestle utensils, all Of paper, The heal
Of the household comes out sets fire :
large packs Of crackers, without whicl
any ceremony is incomplete in China
lights the sticks Of incense and burns the
paper money and other articles duly pro
vided The theory of this Performance
is that by burning the mock currenc,
and other articles Of paper their realit
will be transmitted 90 the friends in tn
other world for whom they are designed
and as most Of these goods are procurabl
only from the priests, the reason for tn
perpetuation of the fiction is quite al
parent. Worship of the household god
is next performed with somewhat simila
genuAsctions and bowingz, after whic
comes the alteration Of the ancestral tai
lets.
Duty having been done TO the dead
for all Chinese doitie5 are but dead me
reverence to the living follows; a
children are brought in to adore the
parents. all servants to do obeisance
lheir masters. Presents are made bot
10 children and to servants, all none
given at this season being strung on
red cord for good luck, while the pre-