The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-12-27
New Year Thoughts.

What The Day has Been and is Now
The supersos and The Calling PractceNy The Custom Of Making
Calls Has abaledA DAY Of Freshness and Recovered Hope
New Years Day, though not JAM always, has been
celebrated relgiousy socially from time immemoral
The ancient Romans consecrated it to Janus who it
thought controlled all beginnings and made sacrifices to
him. They exchanged gracious greetings and wishes and
gave presents to friends and kindred The church
demned its social observations and turned into reli
gous festival The Hebrews, the Chinese and other peo
pes pagans and nOnpagans regard 1t uperstlously at
Itachng the utmost import ance to its celebration
We Americans in the last quarter of the nineteenth
are supposed to be wholly free from superstuton But
we? Not few of still imagine that there is some
thing auspicicious in New Years day. that begin
the year close it. We soictous therefore
to resolve enqush them altogether In other words
we determine that day to turn Leaf we
have probably determined for many previous years. and
there determination and reformation end. This
acty the way the old Romans acted than 20 centur
les since, which proves that have ut advanced much
in leasonabeness, despite assum to the contrary
1T problem whether men who conue in mature life
to yield to their weaknesses fail to ectfy their faults
are capable of correcting themselves Whether capable
or incapable they rarely do So Their good resolutions
seldom bear fruit They terminate for the part in
words in promises themselves in mockeres of perform
ance. What man is at 40 he is apt TO remain: No
amount Of New Years resolves who not full of viruous
endeavor. JAM dawns brightly to the mind, but the
succeeding days conclude dismally to achievement.
Nevertheless its must ever be pleasant If it
does not bring accomplishment, 1t at least brings hope,
and hope us to bear sur burdens to discharge our
duties Then welcome New fears. We dearly love to
think that the and troubles of the old year. which
largely spring from temperament, will not invade the
new
Originally New Years was intended not for universal
miscellaneous calling day, without motive proprety in
Ito which it ultimately degenerated 1t intended for
day when who had been prevented during the year
by business any condition OF circumstances from keep
ing up their friendship acquaintance with women they
liked esteemed should make social aOnement for appar
en neglect and their pleasant relations The idea
was excellent and commendable, was the CUSTOM and
before this city grew to be such Babylon the calls were
agreeable often delightful to makers and receivers But
the city became too big and the community that assumed
esent society in some manner more or less remote
became too heterogeneous The custom was grossly
abused. Many and women thought only of the num-
Der OF calls ignoring quality for quantity and sometimes
the indoors outdoors waxed dsrputabe from over
indulgence.
The better sort of people, repeed by the license preva
lent refused to receive any longer The smart set who
had long believed calling ''too common hey declared
with their superiority that it had grown vugaret Them
selves and their influence firmly against It. They refused
to see visitors that day and after shut up their
houses and fled to the country thus setting the seal OF
fashion their last decision which speedily met with So
cal approval The fact that respectable folk had got
the coarse Objectionable class could not sustain it alone
So the whole thing fell to pieces here and there no pro-
liability oil its reconstruction in the immediate future
The custom extended long ago to other cities and is still
ton is doubtful New Yealss is yet holidayholidays
are always wholesome and business of all kinds is sqs
pended Sons husbands fathers, now stay at home, In
stead of racing about town. rng and boring themselves
families by the change New Years in its old guise has
passed away But New Years with its quiet domestic ac
Commandments come to remain The world moves. And
New Years still New Years with its of freshness
repose and recovered hope Charles Applebee, N. I.
1QOSl