The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-01-02

RETURNING HOMEWARD FROM FIRST
FOOTING"
ing all foreign bodies as carefully as
possible the pudding was duly mixed,
tied up in the cloth after the establish
ed manner and placed in the pot Many
q time was it taken out and its state
examined by the point OF tie fork be-
fore it was at last, after boiling all day,
pronounced thoroughly cooked. On the
return of the party dinner was ready.
which consisted of Scotch kali. n leg of
roast beef, spuds (potatoes), haggis
and green peas-and the pudding! No
one who has not been restricted entire
ly to one species Of food for Il long
time can form any idea of ON crushing
disappointment on tasting that pud-
ding! On digging Il knife into the heart
of it we discovered that it consisted Of
caps, buckshot and Jumps of suet. TO
spoil a plum pudding on New Years
day in Scotland is practically next door
to committing a crime. On this occa-
sion, however. the TASKS were produc-
ed, and the cook was soon forgotten in
song:
A. Plumbs the prophets despise
An a. sorrows be forgot;
Treasons in DOR December puddin
And death within the pot.
Aud year farewell thy days q fcar),
An merry days er dine,
But let not forget the day
The puddin' ow're brither fzzled.
Followed by the chorus:
Welcome be We that arnie here,
welcome a. an max gid cheer,
welcome a another yeer,
Welcome a..
A custom which is generally observ-
ed by the working classes Is what 10
called first footing" At all hours Of
the early morning Of the first day OF
the new year an effort is made to be
first to call on their friends at their
homes The one who is lucky enough
to be first to catch his friend in is i'll
vited to partake Of short bread cake
and nip O. whisky after the usual
handshake and q Draw New Year"
By the time he has made oil the calls
he can remember making, the first day
Of the new year Is dawning, and Scotty
can be seen sailing majestically home
ward his inner man filled with New
lear dOSG iiN ibS l.i
the country will walk many miles to
bid Draw New Year to their friends
| in the city. 1t is no uncommon thing
| to see family Of five or six leave their
bone about 10 o'clock at night and
| walk three or four miles in snow
storm in order to first FOOT their rela-
| tives or friends living in the city. Very
often they are disappointed In their
surprise visits in finding the object of
| tLcir journey was not at home.
= On returning homeward, however,
| they will sometimes meet their friends
whom they intended first footing and
to learn that they had gone to first foot
them, and vice versa.
| The birth of the new year Is an
nounced in the town and cities by the
| striking Of the local town hall clock on
the hour of II and followed by the
| ringing of the church bells. 1t is soon
| after this that first footing begins.
Long before the approach Of II great
! crowds of people surround the city hall
/ and eagerly watch the big hand Of the
| clock as 1t approaches the last hour OF
the old year. Every one in the big
| crowd has a bottle of some description
In his possession. Immediately the big
hand Of the clock marks the hrst
stroke Of IL every bottle Is thrown ST.
multaneously against the walls OF the
hall, followed by a tremendous crash.
| This is an ancient custom. but Is now
rapidly dying out. 1t is still practiced,
however, every New Years eve against
the old walls Of the Trou church in
Edinburgh. the capital.
In the highlands the new year Is
ushered I'm by the tolling Of the auld
kirk bell and the playing Of bagpipes.
In q clear. frosty night to hear this
much maligned instrument played by
thoroughbred highlander among the
hills and from a distance Of mile the
notes are stripped Of their harshness
and seem to be waited across to you
by the clear atmosphere In one harmo-
NOUS melody. II Is really beautiful
and inspiring.
New Years day Is observed as gen
eral holiday throughout the country.
The churches are open In the morning
only, and in the large cities the day
would seem like a Sunday were 1t not
for that disturbing element, the sa-
loon keeper, who always makes 1t
business point to keep open In Scot
land on all public holidays, much to
the annoyance Of law abiding citizens.
Winter Excursion Rates.