Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-06
JUST THE SAME AS IN TEXAS.
NEW ENGLAND POPPED FIRE
CRACKERS NEW YEARS.
II is Something of an Innovation I'm
the staid city of Doston, but
Colonial Chronicles Show II 20 lie
an Ancient Custom.

Colonial Chronicles show IL 10 lie
an Ancient Custom.
Boston, Jan. SAN interesting dis
cussion has been ushered in with these
first days of 1895 in regard TO what
seems to be a painful innovation to
New Englanders In the manner of cele-
bratIng the coming of the New Year.
A student OF American history has
made an investigation into the subject
with the result that he finds the noisy
demonstrations which were lately in
Obliged in here are entirely justified by
tradition in other parts of the country,
and were not regarded as a desecra-
tion OF the event hundred years ago,
though New England was then. as she
is now, somewhat different from the
rest OF the country in this respect
The firing Of guns, the ringing of
bells. the blowing of horns, and all Of
the other hundred and one methods
conducive TO noise. have been popular
modes of ushcrlng in the New Year in
all parts of this country except New
England, from time immemoral The
present age shows no material change
in this respect, although the horns may
be a little larger and their notes more
piercing and discordant, so that the
New Year. as he suddenly jumps into
being, is greeted with u greater va
riety of noises than the years which
have preceded him.
In the early colonial days, before
there was such thing as Fourth OF
July and when holidays were less nu-
mi NaF ~ nDIxF
than Christmas The sonorous fshhorn,
however, in its general adoption, Is
more Of a modern invention. The young
Americans, Of hundred years and
more ago. used guns, pistols and fire.
works. but between them all they man
aged to make ilrst-class racket which
greatly disturbed the more sedate por-
ton OF the community in their quiet
and prayerful watch meetings. So hi
larous did the celebration become, that
the older persons could stand II no
longer, and In several OF the colonies
the legislatures were invoked more than
once TO do something to abate the nui-
sance.
If the young enthusiasts had con-
tented themselves with firing Off their
guns and pistols without bullets, all
might have been well; but in the reck-
lessness of the New Year celebration.
bullets frequently found living targets.
So the colonial legislature of New York,
on March s. l773. passed an act forbid
ding the firing Of guns, but 1t probably
was not literally obeycd, for in 1856 the
enactment was revived, and this time
extended TO the firing OF pistols, rock
cts, squibs, and other fireworks"
1t was the custom of the young men
in the different towns and villages to
go about on New Years morning from
house to house, firing salutes before
each one, and afterwards partaking of
refreshments provided for them. At
eacn house additional recruits would
be gathered into the procession, and
after every house had been visited, the
young fellows would spend the remain
der Of the day in neighboring Held,
shooting at a mark for prizes, and in
various athletic sports A quaint no
tice in a New York newspaper OF 1745
shows how some of the gay young
bloods of the town gave vent to their
feelings on New Years Eve. The no.
tice reads as follows:
Those young Gentemen-R akes, who
broke so many Windows at Midnight
in this city, to show their unchrstian
Way OF rejoicing. may he assured IL
they don't make Satisfaction for the
wooden Shutters they broke in Beaver
Street, their Names will be publshed
in this Paper and they be proved
House breakers.
New Years Day was Joyous festival
in those times. Every house was open
and friends called upon all their friends
to offer congratulations ana best wish
rs for the ensuing year. Free lunches
and free drinks were generously pro-
vided. and the number OF which one
could partake was only limited by his
capacity. Although in many places this
visiting custom has ceased to be the
great feature of the day, 1t is sure to
come around again, as all old fashions
do sooner or later, only covered with
the cloak of seeming novelty. But,
however greatly the customs of cele-
bratlng the New Year may have al
tered from time to time. there is one
which has come down TO us through
a long period OF years practically I'M
changed. This Is the system adopted
by many newspapers of publishing on
the first day of the year n supplemental
sheet of news-carriers' verses. Every
one knows what these are. In the
morning, perhaps. while the New Year
Is being discussed over the breakfast
table. there has been ring at the
door-bell, and presently In comes the
little newsboy's congratulations, In the
shape Of several verses. which. II not
exactly poetical, are at least emln-
emily suited TO the occasion. Mean
while he stands awaiting a congratulate
tory message In return, but Of a slight
ly different and more substantial form.
Just when this singular custom origin
ated is probably not known. It is a
very old one. and to many It may be
a surprise to learn that 1t was in
vogue among the colonial newspapers
fully $50 years ago.
These news-carrlers' verses, then, as
now, were published on "a special sup
Elementary sheet. They ARE exceed
ingly rare very few being In existence.
Even In the three largest newspaper
collections In this country, those in the
Lenox library OF New York, the New
York Historical society and the Penn
sylvania Historical society, there are
barely a dozen OF these news-carrlers'
verses. Benjamin Franklin's famous
Pennsylvania Gazette published them,
and they are also found In some of the
early New York and Boston papers. For
quaintness and as curious specimens Of
the poetry OF those days, they are won-
derfully interesting. ana to their credit
1t must be said that they display con-
siderable humor. while containing brief
and very pointed illusions to the more
important historical events OF the year
Just closed.
Most interesting samples OF New
Years verses appear In a little supple