Sharp County record., 1906-12-28

When pigtails and school were hel
fashion, Penelope was always awak
ened from Incidence by the possession
of a new textbook, its resplendent
cover, its crisp, clean pages the in
centives to an ambition that the dis
carded old volume could never have
called forth.
In Just such manner the -Great
Teacher stimulates the grown-uT
Penelope to new thought, new pur
pose, new endeavor, by again ant
again placing a bran new year in hel
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, PhoenicianS
and Persians began their year on Sep
tember %, the Greeks of Solon's time
on December q, and the Greeks of the
Pericles period on June 21.
From julius Caesar on, the Roman
civil year commenced January l, but
the Jewish ecclesiastical year had al
ways begun at the vernal equinox
March 25, and this spring opening
day-of bud and blossom and uni
versal hopefulness-became the hon
ored one with Christian nations gen
orally throughout the medieval
period.
In the latter end of the eleventh
century, England, which had strange
ly enough been starting its annual
records on December %, 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 Normag ,gu.. w
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, thai
soon the inhabitants of England fell
into the more general habit of indulg
ing in new-year festivities upon the
25th of March.
The Gregorian calendar, formulated
III 1882, restored January l as New
Years day. The Catholic countries
enthusiastically accepted it, but the
Protestant ones adopted it slowly, anC
it was not until 1852 that conservative
England fell into line.
The ancient Romans honored The
whole OF January by Offering sacri
fees on 12 affairs to the god with two
faces, whose namesake the montl
was.
Janus am I; oldest Of potentates;
Forward l look, and backward. and be
low
I count as god of avenues and gates,
The years that through my portals
come and 60"
While the whole month was kept
the first day was the gala occasion
Litigation was suspended, reconcilia
tions effected, impressive procession
made to the capitol, offerings laid OF
the affairs, the emperor surprised b,
magnificent gifts, visits exchanged
everywhere, feasts spread in hospit
able houses, streets ringing Will
laughter and music of masqueraders
The giving of New Years gifts wa
not confined to old Rome. The PEI
slams always exchanged New Year
eggs, and it was the pretty custom O
the Druids to give a sacred sprig 0
mistletoe to the faithful on their New
Years morning, while the bestowih,
of presents upon the monarch becam
an absolute obligation.
Queen Elizabeth, the peoples favor
ite, was simply showered with Ney
Years contributions-"gold for he
purse, chains, necklaces, bracelet:
rings, embroidered gowns and man
! ties, petticoats, smocks, stockings an
garters; and for the royal larder ia
oxen, sheep, geese, turkeys, swans
capons, fruit, preserves, marchpane
and sweetmeats,"
But soon this custom was regarde
as a tax rather than a privilege, an
during the rule Of the austere Cron
we'll it died a natural death-neve
bobbing up again to make a popula
bow, as sometimes happens to a dea
stage hero recalled to life by the aud
ences applause,
Closely associated with the ne,
year season is the wassail bowl, it
name derived from the old Saxo
phrase: Wass Hael-"To you
health!"
Until Queen Elizabeth's reign, on
wassail love-cup was handed abou
the charmed circle gathered round tn
great bowl, but afterward the healt
was more hygienically, If less pit
turesQuely, drunk in individual cups.
The .Hoor carried an immense WOO
en- bowl, decorated with gay ribbons
around the neighborhood, begin
small coin to pay for the precious IL
gredieats that made VI the festiv
concoction-