The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-12-29
$ H ERE'S MONY J
I AND MONY-" )
|:1e.Jira~ss-Js ,~~-es-tls ~s-s~AJa>sE'
Weel may we a b..
Ill may We lirErr see,
Here's to III" King
And the guide CUWpanie

was the hearty toast which every
good Scotsman and ScOtSWoman used
in past centuries to drink from the
waSSail-bOWl as the stroke OF mid
night ushered in another year, while
the younger folk would dance around
the table singing the words OF the
toast to the tune OF Hey, futile tut
tie" When this pleasing ceremony
was at an end the elders would sally
forth into the streets carrying with
them the stCaming kettle with its ST.
ductiye contents OF hot spiced ale. 10
exchange drinks and New Years
greetings with their neighbOrS or any
acquaintance they might encounter
! on the way.
! From midnight to / o'clock on New
! Years morning the streets Of Edin-
burgh were crowded with citizens
! drinking healths, shaking hands, sing.
! ing, dancing, and INDUCING in every
form OF riot0us, though innocent,
! mirth.
The jovial days of the wassail bowl
have passed away with 50 many other
good OLD customs, but HOgmanay still
remains the great day CT the year TO-,
! Scotsmen all the world over, and there
is no domicle inhabited by a Scots,
man which does not fling open its
! door to Lat in the New Year and 10
greet the first fittin' with its con-
comitant whisky. bannOckS. red.her'
rings, and new si1Dences.
Woe to the house which the first
visitor of the year enters with empty
hands; and happy the household TO
| which the first fit comes with 4 bot.
tie and glass and a bundle OF ban
nocks, or even with the odorous and
humble "Glaisca magistrate" in his
pocket; for it will be assured for
twelve months Of al least Burnss
ideal of modest content. hale breeEs,
saXpence, and hammock.
But much depends on the color and
sex of the first visitor. The most vel
| CUIHt vi oil - q NGll N 100 "SA'''
able is the man who is fair. and least
wanted of all is a woman. be she
blonde or brunette The darker the
man and the more literally he IS sup
piled with refreshments, liquid and
solid, the greater the luck he brings.
Meanwhile the lassies are busy with
. their observauces, cr0wdins WIN
their buckets round the springs: for
she who draws the "eream OF the,
{ well''-the first draught OF the New
, YEARS. assured of twelve months oil
. good fortune and a desirable husband
to boot.
, In certain parts OF the Highlands
{ Hogmanay witnesses some yer!
strange rites. The day is observed
+ as general holiday, and the men OF
, the villages repair to the woods ana
p cut down juniper bushes, carrying
1 them home in bundles; pitchers are
4 also filed with water from stream
+ which funeral has crossed, and the
water too is conveyed home. On the
:. following morning the father OF lIe
y house sprinkles his family with the
!. water, pours some OF it over silver
. coins, and gives the remainder 10 Ills
!. beasts to drink. All windows ahc
= doors are then shut, the juniper
bushes are set on fire. and in an at
mosphere Of smoke the New Year II
- toasted in whisky, and good wishes ID
- voked on friends present and absent
=, After these ceremonies have been du's
= observed the rest of the day IS speh
in sports and reyelry.
Nor do the children lack their HOG
II manay festival. In the morning OF TN
IA last day of the year, lads and iasse
~ sally forth in bands, each carrying
capacious pocket, and pass from nous
to house, claiming their dole OF oa'
10 cake, cheese, or baw5@eF AT the CT
of "Hogmanay" each hos pitable 900
70 is opened, and the GID Tite bids ID
in Youngsters "come Ia by and seha
~ them away happy with az increase
VI burden of oaten bread, or few extr
bawbees in their pocket The chi
,s dren's demands are r"n1 eXpresse
IN in some time-honored /, lcal 1ori
10 such as
Rise up, guild wife. lk yol
feathers,
ed Dinna think that We are 10 =
-. We are only bairnieS con a!'
UT Get up and gie's your Hog
Or in these rather grucs lnes'-
w Get up, guild wife. and biz .elr.
ha And deal your bread to theH nel
We For the time will come Ell
o. dead.
And then ye'll neither nee2 prea
These are few obs@.Y no
ored of the true ScotsmaG rev
Fate may have placed him, Hhie
Gu link him with his brithnr a
l's wide world over. as he wis
he A happy New Year, A hap. - = le
al To the friend and the foe. t. - 80 d
-, the near: -,
'f' Here's wishing them health. r'".I' VI
dom and wealth
.ro rronv and rnonv hanpj