The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1906-12-27

When pigtails and school were her
fashion, Penelope was always awak-
med from Incidence by the possession
~ new textbook, its respondent
cover, Its crisp, clean pages the In
cehtives to an ambition that the dis
carded old volume could never have
called forth.
! lin Ju|st such manner the Great
Teacher stimulates the. grown-up
Penelope to new thought, new pur.
pofse, new endeavor, by again and
again placing bran new year In her
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
a not always been the starting point
for tho procession Of months, and
even now by no means the whole
world follws the Gregorian calendar.
The ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians
sand 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
I civil year commenced January /, but
the Jewish ecclesiastical year had al.
ways begun at the vernal equinox,
March rs. and this spring opening
hay-of bud and blossom and uni
versal hopefulness--became the hon.
bred one with Christian nations gen.
orally throughout the medieval
period.
In the latter end Of the eleventh
/4entury, 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 well.
Remembering the loyal old Saxon spir-
it--conquered but not tamed-we are
mot 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 1852. restored January as New
Wears day. The Catholic countries
Enthusiastically accepted 1t, but the
protestant ones adopted 1t slowly, and
Twas not until 1852 that conservative
hgland fell into line.
THE ancient Romans honored the
of January by offering sacri-
v IL affairs to the god with two
- whose namesake the month
Jam I; oldest OF potentates;
&ard l look, and backward. and be-
"a count. as god of avenues and gates,
The years that through my portals
come and CO."
While the whole month was kept,
the first day was the gala occasion.
Litigation was suspended, reconcilia.
lions 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 Drulds 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.
y Queen Elizabeth, the peoples favor
tie, was simply showered with New
Years cpntributions--"gold for her
\ purse. chains, necklaces, bracelets,
1ings, embroidered gowns and man.
Yes. spettjcoatss smocks, stockings and
hers; and for the royal larder fat
sheep. geese, turkeys, swans,
fruit, preserves, marchpanes
Weetmeats.1 Z sAs ~
but sbon this custom was regarded
as q tax rather than privilege, and
during the rule of the austere Crom-
\ well 1t died a natural death--never
bobbing up again to make a popular
bow. as sometimes happens to dead
stage hero recalled to life by the audi
ence's applause.
Closely associated with the new
year season is the wassail bowl, its
name derived from the old Saxon
phrase: Wass Hael-"To your
health"
Until Queen Elizabeth's reign, one
tassail love-eup was handed about
/. he charmed circle gathered round the
reat bowl, but afterward the health
Us more hyglenically, II less pic
esquely. drunk In Individual cups
he poor carried an immense wood
fbowl, decorated with gay ribbons.
: Iund the neIghborhood, begging
Hll coin to pay for the precious In.
iients that made up the festive
poction. !