The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1906-1908, 1906-12-21

When pigtails and school were her
fashion, Penelope was always Awak-
ened from Incidence by the possession
Of a new textbook, its resplendent
cover, its crisp, clean pages the in
centiyes to an ambition that the dis.
carded old volume could never have
called forth.
In Just such manner the Great
Teacher stimulates the grown-up
Penelope to new thought, new pur-
pose, new endeavor, by again and
again placing bran new year in her
eager hands.
The new-year idea is almost as cid
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
TENDER 22, the Greeks of Solons time
on December 81, and the Greeks of the
Pericles period on June 81.
From Julius Caesar on, the Roman
civil year commenced January /, but
the Jewish ecclesiastical year had al
ways begun at the vernal equinox,
March rs, and this spring opening
day-of bud and blossom and uni.
versal opefulness-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 it's annual
records on December 25, 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 well.
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.
The Gregorian calendar. formulated
In 1882, restored January l as New
Years day. The Catholic countries
enthusiastically accepted it, but the
Protestant ones adopted it slowly, and
1t was not until 1852 that conservative
England fell into line
The ancient Romans honored the
whole of January by offering sacri-
fees on IL affairs to the god with two
faces, whose namesake the month
was.
Janus am 1; oldest of potentates:
Forward look and backward. and be-
low
l count as god OF avenues and gates,
The years that through my portals
come and go"
While the whole month was kept,
the first day was the gala occasion.
Litigation was suspended, reconcilia-
tons 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 1t was the pretty custom of
the Druids to give 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-"gol for her
purse, chains, necklaces, bracelets.
rings, embroidered gowns and man.
ties, petticoats, smocks, stockings and
garters; and for the royal larder fat |
oxen, sheep, geese, turkeys, swans.
capons, fruit, preserves, marchpanes
and sweetmeats."
But soon this custom was regarded |
as tax rather than privilege, and
during the rule of the austere Crom. |
well 1t died natural death-neyer |
up again to make a popular
bow, as sometimes happens to a dead
stage hero recalled to life by the audi.
ence's applause.
Closely associated with the new
year season is the wassail bowl, it's
name derived from the old Saxon
phrase: Wass Hael-"To your
health"
Until Queen Elizabeth's reign, one
Uassail love-cup was handed about
The charmed circle gathered round the |
great bowl, but afterward the health i
was more hygienically, If less pic
drunk In individual cups.
The poor carried an immense wood |
en- bowl. decorated with gay ribbons,
around the neighborhood, begging
small coin to pay for the precious in
gradients that made up the festive
'Wassall wassail over the town,
Dur toast 1t is white, our ale IT is brown, /
0ur bowl 1t is made of the maplin tree;
We be good fellows ALL / drink to thee"
In Scotland, on New Years eve
Tor some unknown reason called hog
many day-the doors of the houses
we're thrown open at midnight to let |
he old year out. and the new year in,
while in some of the towns, early in
he evening poor children-"swad-
lied" In sheets so folded up in front