Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-01-08
New Years Day Ways.

New Years Day Ways.
There was a time within the
memory of Americans now living, and
not so very long ago. either, when men
got up on New Years Day with the
somewhat solemn conviction that they
had big days work before them.
Not, indeed, in the counting room
battling in the pits eff grain and
stock exchanges, selling goods behind
the counter. toiling over lawyers
Briefs or compoundlng drugs and all
that sort of thing, but they beheld be.
fore them q day of exacting effort to
take on their best manners and most
alluring and effective phrasing, as they
went the rounds and paid the compli-
ments Of the season to groups Of wom-
en-; gowned and adorned in all the fab.
RIGS and fashions which can make even
the plainest woman attractive,
Womanly beauty was at It's best on
New Years Day. The occasion was .
test Of physic endurance for men and
women. In large cities, from 10 .. m.
until 10 midnight the carriages rolled
about the streets from house to house
bearing their twos and threes and
fours Of men, the old hands at the
business having a grim business look,
entering houses mechanically, ex.
changing greetings and seasonal Jokes.
The younger men were Jolly
enough until the shades of evening
gathered and the daft hours drew on.
The old hands were prudent in the use
Of alcoholic beverages and par,ook Of
solid refreshments at or 2 o'clock.
The young men, not so proof against
the alcoholic allurement, not infre.
quently INDUCED too freely. The men
who could boast of eighty to one hun.
dred calls upon the fair divinities Of
the open houses, were classed among
the heroes 1t was very hard work,
despite the atmosphere of feminine
beauty.
The old wav has passed out Of sight.
The formal reception IS quite out of
fashion. The devotees of the chic will
have none Of them. Possibly the
growth of the Temperance movement
had something to do with the change.
Exclusive coffee and chocolats could
cot prolong the custom. It had
ceased to be simple family reception
of friends. 1t became the custom for
the ladies OF several households to as
semble at one residence. and make
very fashionable function of it, And
1t was very wesrying function for the
ladies'
Perhaps it is just as we'll that the
function has lspsed. People get tired
Of doing the same thing to be in fash.
ion, year after year That is the
reason the fashions in clothes are con-.
stantly changing and going back to the
old and forgotten types. There is no
originality in male or female cos.
TUNES. The mind of man or woman
cannot invent any new form of clothes.
The .'dandiscsl body" as Carlyle calls
it, is incased. generation after genera.
tion, with some garments fashioned
closely after the ssrtorial fancy and
Ingenuity of generations previous.
So social customs change. New
Years Day observances, change. Per.
haps we shall, are long, behold the in.
PRODUCTION Of the old Scottish Higland
custom Of Nollaig, which imposes upon
the master Of the household the duty
OF rising early, kindling q fire, sprink.
ling the family profusely, while yet in
bed, with cold water; then almost suf'
locating them with the smoke of juni-
per bushes, topping off with the admin.
istration of a stiff glass Of whiskey.
Not so very brutal is this, after all
Not 80 severe. indeed, as q day occu.
pied in compulsory visitation. 49,
Pliny tells that in old Rome on New
Years Day friends sent presents to
each other and wished each other
health and prosperity. An interesting
sight it must have been to see the suave
Roman citizen. after spending an hour
or go adjusting the complicated folds Of
his toga so as to be precisely in fashion.
starting out with great dignity to pay
his seasonal compliments to his neigh
bore. We are today, doubtless, return
ing to the dignified simplicity Of the
old Roman gentleman.