Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1906-12-28

WaSSa1l! waSSall! over the town,
Our toast 1t is white, our ale 1t is brown,
Our bowl it is made of the maplin tree;
We be good fellows all; 1 drink to thee"
In Scotland, on New Years eve
for some unknown reason called hog
many day-the doors of the houses
were thrown open at midnight to let
the old year out, and the new year in,
while in some of the towns, early in
the evening poor children-"swad-
died" in sheets so folded up in front
as to form an inviting pocket-went
from door to door after bread and
small coin. announcing their arrival
by some naive song. shrilly given in
childish treble and enthusiasm.
Rise up. gude-wife, and shake your
feathers:
Dinna think that we are beggars;
We are BARNS come to play,
And to seek our hogmany."
Much excitement was manifested
over another Scottish custom. The
first person who entered house after
the clock struck midnight New Years
eve was called a first footer," and
often parties of first footers went
about calling on friends and making
merry generally.
In striking contrast to this frivolity
was the habit the next morning Of
opening the Scotch Bible at random,
verse in the chapter read containing
prophecy to be made good by fate
during that New Year.
At all the courts of present-day Eu-
rope the New Year is celebrated with
great impressiveness, It being the of
fetal feast. just as Christmas is a
family one.
In Belgium, on New Years eve, the
children have special frolic tingling
with the thrill of suspense. Early in
the day, all the door keys in the house
are spirited away frcm their locks
into small boys pockets. A pet rela
tive, called sugar aunt" or sugar
uncle" is then beguiled into room
and while her or his attention is di
verted, key is whisked out from its
hiding place and click-a-ty-click the
door is locked! OF course the pris
oner, confronted by a hard-hearted
giggling jailer, is glad to negotiate
freedom at any price-a ransom's pos
sibilities no doubt ranging from q
candy cane to rocking horse, accord
ing to auntie's indulgent humor oil
the size of uncle's pocketbook.
The Germans have very impres
sive old custom. At Frankfort-on-the
Main in almost every house is fam
lily party, and at the first strike ol
midnight from the cathedral all oper
wide the windows, and-filled glasses
lifted in their hands-cry: "Prosi
eujahr!"-"Happy New Year"
France practically makes Christ
mas of New Years day. All Paris Il
en- fete, and the Latin Quarter jubilan
with song, fiddling. and droll farces
while the poor, starved art student
splurges in all sorts of culinary ex
travagances. In fact, even the beg
gars are merry, singing instead O.
whining their appeals for charity. ant
dancing jig for SOU"
The French children find theil
stockings filled by good st. Nicholas
who in his Christmas rush must have
thanked his lucky star that these
young clients would not expect a pro
fessional call until seven days aftel
he had attended to the impatien
American youngsters over the sea.
After midday dejeuner a la four
chette, the younger members of the
family call on the older, and in the
evening there is a grand reunion fol
dinner.
Amid all this French gayety there 1,
f, that one pathetic little touch that 81
often creeps into this rainbow worlC
of ours, where tears mingle with tn,
sunshine of our smiles. If a membe
OF the family has died during the pas
IL months, early on New Years morn
ing the near relatives meet at til,
grave and lay upon it their Offering
of love and remembrance.
The Russians, following the Julian
calendar. do not celebrate their New
Years day until January 13.
The grown-up, not to be outdone b.
the small fry, now form a gorgeou
procession to pass under the critica
nose of the nobleman's upper window
Oxen, cows, goats and hogs, adorne
with evergreens and red berries. ar
driven past, while old women brin
up the rear bearing gayly decorate
barnyard fowls as presents.
In our own country we Americans
"half-pagan, half-Puritan." take on
New Year enthusiastically Wit
flashing eyes and smiling lips W
greet its dawn; dancing, feasting, VI
roariously blowing our little tin horn.
And at the same time in our secre
hearts-the curtains Of pride and cor
ventionality closely drawn-we sadl
sit beside the dying embers of tn
past years hopes and shiver at tn
knocks of the unknown future at tn
door.