, 1900-01-18

ers prepared for the New Years trade
and it was estimated hat on the two
days before New Years of 1922 a thou
sand tons of candies were sold in the
confectioners' street in Paris.
The ancient Jewish year began or
March Is, and owing to the fact that
many if not most of the early Christ,
ians were of Jewish origin, and thu
gave tone to early Christianity, the
Jewish year was long retained among
Christian converts and many of the
writings of the early fathers were
dated according to the Jewish division
of time.
The Roman year originally began
with March, and September, October
November and December were the pro
per names for the last four months, as
the year had but ten. When January
and February were added, however
the names became entirely %inappropri-
ate, but nevertheless have by general
| CuSlOll DttH ltlIIl'u III opIl' VI lllH
error implied.
Janus. the Roman deity, whose name
was given to the first month, was the
god of all gates, doors and, entrances.
He presided owe the beginning of new
enterprises. His image was placed
above doors and gates, and he was al
ways represented with two faces, one
looking outward, the other inward.
Special sacrifices were offered to Janus
on the first day of the year and a feast
was held in his honor during the
month.
In Scotland there is a superstition
that the complexion of the first caller
on New Years Day indicates the good
or ill-fortune to befall the house dur
ing the following year. If the caller
is a blonde, the indication is favorable
for good luck; if a brunette, the con-
trary. SO much confidence is placed
in this indication by some persons. that
families have been known to have a
blonde ready at the door to walk in
the moment after the clock strikes IL.
The Caliph Abdulrahman, who reign
long and prosperous career, made an
entry in his diary one New Years day:
Il have reigned fifty years, beloved by
my friends, feared by my enemies, sus-
pected by my allies; my reign has been
one of peace and prosperity; | have
had riches and fame and power; I have
counted the happy days experienced in
all this time, and they number just
fourteen"
The French revolutionary calendar,
founded. as its authors proudly boast
ed, upon natural divisions of time, was
adopted in 1898. 1t divided the year
into four seasons, beginning with the
autumn. The three fall months were
Vendemiaire. the vintage: Brumaire,
the foggy; Trimaire. the frosty. The
three winter months were Nivose. the
snowy; Pluviose, the rainy; Ventose.
the windy. The three spring months
were Germinal, the budding; Floreal
the towering; Prairial, the harvest.
the orr harvest: Thermidor, the hot:
Fructidor, the fruit.
Henry III. of France delighted in
New Year presents. On II occasion
he issued an edict about the list of De-
cember that every city and town in
the realm should send him a New
Years present, and was kind enough to
intimate that cash was preferable to
n other form of gift, and even went
so far as to indicate the amount that he
would be pleased to receive from each
city. The presents were promptly
forthcoming, every leading city in
France sending a delegation with a
speech signifying the pleasure of the
citizens at being permitted to testify
their love and reverence for their SOW
ereign.
The Temple of Janus at Rome was
completed by Numa Pompilius. Its
gate was, by royal edict, to be left open
whenever the Romans were at war, in
order that the god might go forth and
assist them, and when the Roman State
was at peace with all its neighbors the
gate was closed. This gate was open
almost continuously during the whole
history of Rome. According to the
most authentic records, it was shus
once in B. C. 235, after the Punic war;
again B. c.. 30, then again in b. C. %,
and once more. by Augustus, B. C. 5.
Then it remained open until closed by
Vespasian, A. D. II, after the Jewish
war had ended. 1t was reopened a few
weeks later, and was never again clos
ed in the history of Rome.
The wassail bowl was an invariable
accompaniment of the New Year among
the Saxons and ancient Germans. The
name is derived from Saxon wasshael,
an expression equivalent to ito your
health" The drinking of pledges on
New Years day was general. and
pledging ones health is an expression
significant of the treachery and blood
thirsty character of the times. When
one rose to drink from the ceremonial,
cup used at a feast, he was Obliged to
hold it with both hands, on account of
its size, and while he drank, his next
friapd stood with him a droun sword