Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-12-26
NEW YEARS NOTES.
Some Things to Ponder and to Be
Thankful For.

The best time to rejoice, to feel
great satisfaction, is not so much at
the opening Of the new year as at the
close of the old, when we know what
we have gained, what we have
achieved and what we have reason to
be thankful for.
The exercise of memory, however
gratifying the things we remember,
never affords such pleasure as the ex-
ercise of hope, which pictures every
thing that might be, but has not BEEN
The new year, therefore, always ap-
peals to us as promising the realiza-
ton of the dearest wishes of our heart
and is in consequence exuDerantly
welcome.
The profuse distribution Of gifts on
new years day was still the custom in
England during Elizabeth's reign, and
nearly her entire wardrobe as we'll as
her jewelry was supplied in the form
of presents. If the women of today
were as bountifully furnished as was
the vastly overrated queen, Jan. 1
would be more precious in their eyes
than all the holidays together, but the
present makers would be irretrievably
bankrupt.
In medieval times women enjoyed
being kissed on new years day under
the mistletoe. The modern, the con-
temporaneous woman, is not particu-
lar about the mistletoe or the day
either. Time, place and the man be-
ing given, she relishes kissing gener-
ally.
Till within a few years the women
OF New York were in the habit of re-
ceiVing their friends in town Oh new
years day in grand style. Now
those claiming to be fashionable fly
on that day to the country, presum-
ably to avoid their foes-in other
words, to get rid of bores, who are So
cially the most formidable of enemies.
The Chinese at home gamble on new
years night to a prodigious extent.
In Wall street New Workers gamble
enormously on most of the other days
of the year
The good resolutions made on Jan.
L have generally proved to be bad per-
formances before the end of February.
The men who are continually turn
ing over a new leaf on new years
day are apt to forget the leaf soon
after, or that they have turned the
leaf over at all.
The headaches that are felt the
next morning after new years may
usually be attributed to treating" the
good resolutions they have made on
that day.
Many Americans outside of New
York so detest the fulfillment of what
be delighted to see widely extended
French custom, which releases Paris
ians from the obligation of making
new years calls in consideration of
their sending small presents instead.
They would give literally to be en-
tirely exempt from the whole business
of visiting" be the date Jan. or any
other. They would much rather pay
out than go out.
Expectancy is so strong III the hui
man breast that it amounts almost to
superstition, as new years day illus
trates. No matter how i'll success a
man may have had in all the years
that have past, he is pretty sure to be-
lieve that the new year will bring him
a change Of fortune. And happily his
belief will help him to bear his bur-
dens if it does not make them lighter
What We believe may not happen,
but it makes the present brighter.
1t is great pity that every day OF
the year does not inspire and cheer
as Jan. l is apt TO do. Then We
should always carry light heart and
possess a cheerful mind.
In the cities of China the people on
new years day offer up paper prayers
IN the temples. To use a commercial
phrase, do they meet their paper when
it falls due?