Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-12-26
! When pigtails and school were ysr, her

I "ueu p16tdI1S anu bCuOOl were ,ne1
fashion, Penelope was always aWak
ened from Incidence BY the possession
Of new textbook, Its resplendeni
cover, its crisp, clean pages the IN
centives. to an ambitions that the dis
carded old volume could never have
| called forth.
In Just such manner the Great
! Teacher stimulates the grown-u1
Penelope to new thought, new pur
pose, new endeavor,= by again and
again placing bran new year in he,
eager hands. ~
The new-year idea IS almost as old
and universal as the instinct of i'm:
| mortality, but the first of January has
not always been the starting point
for the procession of months, and
even now by no means the whole
world follws the Gregorian calendar
The ancient Egyptians, Phoeniciana
, and Persians began their year on Sep
TENDER 20, the Greeks of Solon's time
on December 81, and the Greeks of the
Pericles period on June 81. - /
From julius Caesar on, the Roman
civil year commenced January 1, but
| the Jewish ecclesiastical year had ali
ways begun at the vernal equinox,
March Is. and this spring opening
day-of bud and blossom and uni.
versal observation-disclosures the hon.
ored one with Christian nations gen
orally throughout the medieval
period. -. 49,, ,.t
In the latter end Of the. eleventh
century, England, which had strange.
~: enough been starting !: its annual
records on December rs, began quite
accidentally to pay homage to the old
Roman divinity Janus, for by chance
William, the Conqueror's coronation
took place on the first Of January, and
the birthday of the Norman rule be,
came the birthday Of the year as we'll,
Remembering the loyal old Saxon spir:
it-conquered but not tamed-we are
not surprised to learn, however, that
soon the inhabitants of England fell
into the more general habit of indulg-
ing in new-year festivities upon the
25th Of March. y
/ The Gregorian calendar, formulated
In 1882, restored January 1 AS New
Years day. The Catholic countries
enthusiastically accepted it, but the
Protestant ones adopted it slowly, and
it was not until 1852 that conservative
England fell into line. -
The ancient Romans honored the
whole of January by offering sacri:
fees on II affairs to the god with two
faces, whose namesake the month
was. s.. =:
Janus am I: oldest of potentates; ~
Forward I look, and backward. and be-
low
I count, as god Of avenues and gates,
The years that through my portals
come and co.
the first day was the gala occasion.
Litigation was suspended, reconcilia.
tions effected, impressive professions
made to the capitol, offerings laid on
the affairs, the emperor surprised by
magnificent gifts, visits exchanged
everywhere, feasts spread in hospit,
able houses, streets ringing with
laughter and music of masqueraders.
The giving of New Years gifts was
not confined to old Rome. The Per
SLAMS always exchanged New Years
eggs. and it was the pretty. custom Of
the Druids to give a sacred sprig< OF
mistletoe to the faithful, on their New
Years morning, while the bestowing
of presents upon the monarch became
an absolute obligation. : ~ -.
Queen Elizabeth, the peoples favor
lite, was simply showered with. New
Years contributions-:=.tSgold for. her,
purse, chains, necklaces, bracelets.
rings, embroidered gowns and man.
ties, petticoats, smocks, stockings and
garters; and for the royal larder tat
oxen,. sheep geese turkeys, swans,
capons, fruit, preserves. marchpanes
and Psweetmeats."".. = ~, :, :
But soon this custom was regarded
as a tax rather than a privilege a and
during the rule Of the austere *Crom;
we'll IT. died q : natural death-neeayerr
bobbing up again to make q popular
bow, as sometimes happens to 4 dead
stage hero: recalled to life by: the audi!
ence's applause. =, r. .s !: =: 800: ~
Closely assoc lated with the new new
year: season is the wassail bowl, i'll
name derived ! from the old !. saxonl,
phrase: Wass1 *Hael-"To = YOU
health y = :szs ... !,
E Until Queen Elzabeth's reign, one
wassail love:cup was handed about
the charmed circle gathered round the
great bowl; but :afterward#*.thee health
was more. hygtenic ally, less plo
turesquely drunk; in individual cups:
Z The poor carried an immense wood
en- bowl, dec rated with gay ri bons
around the neighbo rhood, = begging
small coin Il. ] pay for the precioIs IL
redients that ma de the festive
aconc0ct ion Coo Szz5.
:.":Wassail! wassai1! over the town, COZ
Our toast It is Will te, our ale sc iss brown
We be- good fellows al drink Co theel'
q Scotland, =on New Year'si eve
for some .unkno own reason called hog
many day IA oors of= the houses
were thrown open zat5 midnight {. ia
the old year out and the new yearin
while sin some 1of the towns, early 81
the eYeninng oor CT ldren '.sswad
died. inS sheets 10 folded up zln= front
form an inviting ppcket-Went
from door door fterzsbrea az and
SINAI ann ollnc riva
s.by some naiYezBo sithrilly given
g cfif1dt8hS treble m thnsf Il iii.