The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-12-30
NewYear's Day in
d. BY
AIllIld Rev. Frederick Poole.

The Chinese boys and girls-especial-
Is ne bOys-got lots OF fun out OF their
yearly festivals. and the little urchins
look forward TO their holiday times with
as much elee and happiness as does
l4ung America 20 the Fourth OF July,
Decoration day. Washington's Birthday
Christmas and New Years
There is the Lantern Festival, when
Ar turn out 70 witness the brilliant dis
tarthe whole country is ablaze with
t rht ~ thousands Of paper lanterns
mltel ali sorts Of fancy shapes. Then
there Is TIE Moon Festival. when they
Worship thn moon. and the little pig
tailed toy and his chubby. smali-footed
sister .o. up and see. not man. but a
toal the moon: for there is a story
of hcaatlu Chinese lady who drank
some ma.icire which would keep her
fire. from death. and then went TO the
moon where she was turned into toad.
and ever nee the Chinese have seen 3
"told 10 the moon"
But perhaps the chief reason why the
i.ttle folks in China look forward to the
Moon Festival Is because they get all
hey want OF those little moon-shaped
cakes which are made only for this oc-
casion. They are very prettily deco
rated but OH so awfully indigestible
that the next day the little fellows who
are suffering from stomach ache are apt
70 think that there was a toad in the
cake instead OF the moon.
The Chinese boys and Girls may never
have heard OF George Washington and
the holiday We keep in memory Of the
Father OF his Country. but they know
all about the wise and good Chinese Of
fetal who lived about 450 years before
our first Christmas, and who was scolGed
ard degraded by an ungrateful emperor.
20 that IN sorrow and disgrace he
drowned himself Well. his body was
never found: and so. to keep his mer>
DRY. the Chinese. once year. ever since.
have had a Dragon Boat Festival. and
the children 20 out in swarms TO sec tho
'ong boat professions on the rivers and
% watch the offerings OF rice and other
foods as they are placed on the waters
FOR the benefit Of the spirit Of the Loaf
minister OF state.
But the great day OF all days for the
children In China is New Years Day.
think. If you were 10 ask a little Chi
nese boy what he meant by New
Years." he would say: Noise. and
plenty o; H." For weeks the Chinese are
preparing for THIS erea, event Houses
are cleaned. and the shopkeeper looks
forward to Il with great satisfaction, be-
cause he knows riat his customers. n
they have any self-respect. will be sure
20 pay their debts before the new year:
for II IS considered a great disgrace 90
start the new year In debt.
The Chinese know nothing about
Christmas. because. you know. that
beautiful holiday belongs only to Chris
Ian countries.
BY the way. boys. ask your father
which comes first Christmas or New
Years. He Is sure TO say Christmas"
ard then you can laugh and tell him that
he Is wrong.
Well. New Years ever comes first IN
China, and. dear me. what a time OF
irolic and nervous expectancy Il Is for
M little slant-eyed boys and girls,
Lots OF frecrackers are laid by in read
iness. but none must be let of before the
proper time
Nobody goes TO bed that night. but
all sit M waiting for the first hour OF
ne new day. when the father. and HIS
"iie and little ones, all worship before
the spirit tables OF their ancestors. and
then at the shrine OF the household gods
Then the dosr is opened. and the whole
family and servants 70 out outside and
DOW down TO certain part in the heav-
ems which has been indicated in the Chi
nese calendar, and so worship heaven
and earth md receive the spirit OF glad
ness and good fortune. which. they say.
comes from that quarter OF the heav-
ems
Then the noise begins. and when was
10 Chins often used to think that IL was