The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-01-03
rAe Nsw vEAR,s cAll
Custom "a. Fallen into Osus. Hers.

Custom hds dilen INTO - tus@ F'eI7'
The Ney Yeats of today seems het
an aaair OF the almanac. a. leas in
thss country for the old customs re-
gariipg the days observance seem nc
longer 70 he in vogue. Tncre are few
men and women ~ow Who troIhle
themselves to watch the cii year on
and the new sear in aud the New
Years bali is no. rs popular as II was
ia the deys Of our grandmc hers. Sad
aest nf ali IS the giving m Of tingius
tho New Years tells J.ven the Gus
ton, OF malfinl and recei,ina calls oc
that day seems fast disap Dearing- This
Is perhaps to BE- regretted as the Gus
toni IS one OF tie most ancient II
ancient Romans made much of the'
New Years calis as meny Of thei'
Is true thar it had its ocrein IN hcain-
On times and c''mes. but It was none
the less delebtful for all that The
writer's attest. aud excpanged presents
Of ciIded fruits while the Greeks in
Quoted iheI newly elected magistrates
into ofice. The Druids. too held the
firss day of the New Year I'm particular
honor anu weneratlon aui the sur
vivai OF many cf their pagan rics ann
superstiti1ns Is sgl t' To- found d
Wales. Brittany and tho souihwes, s,eri.
portion Of England
Bur today IN america ii is unde.
niabls that even he relics CT these oil
customs are diving ont The stretching
VI village boundaries and the transit
ton Of colonial TO cosmopolitan ways
has wrcneht a mighty cnanre. Ia
town fe~ OF nc youne women and
matrcns viii get together and receiyc
and there VIII be bowls Of rerflnctory
egSnog at the Clubs while the hote's
viii set out mncheons with che hra,
spring lama Of the season gracing she
board 'fhe old spirit, however IL
gosa from the hrst day or the year
which was onse the mf~t delightful
OF all for young men women. and the
day viii simply be one " quiet ami
rest Tor the majority.
A Gay Of Debsushery
fhls custom Of hit lr miss calling
received its quictus IN the late '7os.
IN tie early Drch DAYS every door
was throva oper and i. wss deemed a
breach Of ctialatte To omit any ac
gunintance in these annual calls, hut
gradually he custom degcuerated
until t wes iotldrp aots thaa dis
orderly rout. when drunken men 10
open Darauclcs d'awn ty steamiGg
horses wrrld havei frcm hause 3,
house until ualimite1 pntatinns at the
punch bowls sent all hpne oIi unsteady
legs TO repent of their roIiy with ach.
ing heads the next moraing Then
It was that tie ablse g nosDitalitg
brought about a reaction and though
the beribbonsd askets aang from the
doorknot to receive the callers cards
tempered the winds of custom for q
year or two. the delay was brief and
social function that had held It's Owl
for over two centuries went OUT llI'S
snured candlc. Today II Is the srir
it Of fncr hospitality that t7SIsts u
The many homes that are orened auC
there Is hut little abuse or the years
hospitality
Edgar Fawcett tells or New Year:
day calls made by him wnen boy
At that time he had hareiy emerged
from his teens and had been ont OF tn'
''bashiul reriei" Just fong enough e
allow his nekine calls ',los
New Years aay dawneu clear aaf
crisp and a. 10 o'clock IN the morn
ing l started out in new boots am
high collar to eall at all the houses
{ knew rhe Joots were tight, tn'
pound cake was rich and ihe VINE wa
very weak and sweet by night |.
poor New Years knight. was limpln'
hosoe. sick. sore and disappointed.
rhe etiquette for New Years calling
mas been ycrv strict At ,imes. c'ao'
il was deep bow. 4 reverent:al smile
three graceful steps. an oneisance.
drinking Of health with glass odtheIc
another ohe:sance and backing oul
SO much and no more
Concerned by the Pulpit
Speaking OF wine ITS plaee on th
New Years day menu has caused enc
less discussion. The pulpit genera
~ speaks agairst wine the sunda
before New Years day, and wives te
each other of the harm OF 30 muc
rich cake aud 1f such a collection
miscellaneous eatables.
There - another custom, 700 tina