The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1906-1908, 1907-01-11


cover, it's 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-up
Penelope to new thought, new pur-
pose, new endeavor, by again and
again placing a bran new year in her
eager hands.
The new-year idea is almost as cid
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 %, the Greeks of Solon's time
on December 81, and the Greeks of the
Pericles period on June Fl.
From julius Caesar on, the Roman
civil year commenced January /, 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 observation-disclosures 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
it 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
1 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 professions
made to the capitol, offerings laid OF
the affairs, the emperor surprised By
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 Per
slams always exchanged New Year
eggs, and it was the pretty custom O
the Druids to give sacred sprig O
mistletoe to the faithful on their New
Years morning, while the bestowin
of presents upon the monarch becam
an absolute obligation.
Queen Elizabeth, the peoples favor
tie, was simply showered with Ne1
Years contributions-"go for he
purse, chains, necklaces, bracelets
rings, embroidered gowns and mar
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
well it died natural death-neve
bobbing up again to make populs
bow, as sometimes happens to dea
stage hero recalled to life by the aud
ence's applause.
! Closely associated with the ne
wear season is the wassail bowl i
name derived from the old Sake
, phrase: Wass Hael-"To yol
, health!"
Until Queen Elizabeth's reign, OF
wassail love-cup was handed abo
; the charmed circle gathered round Il
: great bowl, but afterward the heal
4 was more hygienically, if less pi
4 turesquely, drunk in individual cups
. The poor carried an immense woo
en- bowl, decorated with gay ribbon
i. around the neighborhood, beggil
small coin to pay for the precious
gradients that made up the festi
concoction.
"wassaill wassai! over the town,
O,,r toast II is white, our ale IL is brow
our bowl it is made OF the maplin tre'
We be good fellows all; ] drink TO tnee
In Scotland. on New Years eve
for some unknown reason called NJ
MANY day-the doors of the hous
were thrown open at midnight to
the old year out, and the new year
while in some Of the towns, early
the evening poor children-"sw'
d,,d" in sheets so folded up In fro
as TO form an inviting pocket-we
from door to door after bread a
small coin, announcing their arr
Nv some naive song, shrilly given
childish treble and enthusiasm.