Evening star., 1896-12-26

Observance, here and there. always CXcites
surprise and the use of the words odd
fashioned" by those who hear about it.
Although New Year calling has often
been termed "a good Did Knickerbo cker
custom" it did not really originate on Man.
haitian Island. 1t has been in vogue for
centuries among the Chinese, but in a
somewhat different form from that which
was popular in the United States So n1Gny
years The men of the howery kingdom
not only call upon one another on their
New Year day. but they pay their debts
then, too. In fact, to square himself with
his creditors is the Chinaman's chief IL not
his only object in making New Year calls
and Joaquin Miller once wrote a most pa
tnetlc yarn about '-Clink' of his ac-
qUaintance who stuck himself to death with
lackknlfe. because he co I'D not meet his
Obligations at the beginning of the year.
No such overwhelming desire 10 nav
debts at this period Is known to coexist
with any OF the western civilizations nor Is
IL Characteristic of any orientals save those
VINO dwell in far Cathay-not even the Jap
aFese, many OF whose customs are SO SINH
lar TO those Of the Chinese, and whose race
undoubtedly sprang from the same original
stem In fact, the Japs, as the occidental
world Is beginning to find out. do not like
10 pay al all unless they have to- and IL the
chrysanthemun conquest of China shall in
toduce into the celestial empire the prin-
cipie of paying only compulsion, it viii
AA- 'e az AcoSl OAS ucpiOEdDie result.
An Ancient Origin.
As a matter of fact, the paying of New
Year calls probably originated independ-
ehtIy In almost every CLINE. Feasting and
drinking on the first day Of the year have
been customary ever since there have been
records Old-time European chieftains used
10 set New Year apart as a day on which
they would condescend TO receive substan-
tial tributes from their underings. Queen
Elizabeth received New Year calls every
year. ana there was always much rivalry
tet"een her ambitious courters as to the
quantity and value of the gifts they should
beStow upon the virgin sovereign Ii was
on New Year day that a somewhat famous
Mr. Raleigh-Sir Waller Raleigh he was
cailed-gladdened the queens heart with a
memorable pair of silk stockings-the first
ever made and worn in England.
In Holland the custom of making New
Year calls had been general long before
the settlement OF New Ans terdam and the
natives of the Netherlands who came to
live In the new world brought the practice
Win them. And. Of course. they had
plenty 10 eat and drink at every house
where New Year calls were recefved-for
whoever heard of Dutchmen who did not
take good care of their stomachs?
Then the town was only a huddle of
houses in the point of the island, and every
one knew every one else; and, while visit
ing was general, II was between friends
and neighbors only. and not at all like the
proper In the delightful and primitive days
OF the Dutch In New Amsterdam for every
one 10 call on the governor first; after that
me general rounds were made and 1t was
q hilarious lot OF Dutchmen who finally
went 10 rest at about 10 o'clock In the
In those days the nearby colonies of New
England were too Puritanical and the Penn
sylvanians were too Quakerish for New
year calling. As to New Jersey the pres
ent writer has found no record whatever
but IL appears in a general way that the
custom did not become widespread over the
country until after the civil war.
One of Fashion
The English who settled In and about
New Amsterdam. however, were as much
devoted to the custom as the Dutch, for
* had grown to almost as great propor-
ticns in England as in Holland. But II
was not until about the beginning of the
present century that the change from a
neiShborly observance Of pure fashion had
been well begun. The younger women Of
such households as had daughters were
the hostesses. and great was their rivalry.
one with another. in respect OF richly load
ed refreshment tables and elegance CT
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