Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-01-05

In the evening poor children waa-
died in sheets so folded up in frrrR
as 70 form an inviting pocket went
from door to door after bread anss
small coin, announcing their arrival b~
some naive song. shrilly given In
childish treble and enthusiasm.
Rise up. gude-wlfe and shake your
feathers.
Dinna think that We are beggars:
We are hairns come 20 play,
And 70 seek our hogmany"
Much excitement was manifested uw..
er another Scottish custom The hrss
person who entered a house after the
clock struck midnight New Years eve
was called first footer," and often
parties of first footers went about
calling on friends and making merra
generally.
In striking cotrast TO this frivolixy
was the habit the next morning 81
opening the Scotch bible at random, n
verse In the chapter read to be made
good by fate during that New Year
7 vt AtA thu AobtA1 W HAtHthNHsA1
rope the New Year is celebrated with
great impresiveness, II being the se-
fetal feast, just as Christmas is a farm
lily one
In Belgium. on New Years eve. tfsc
children have a special frolic tingifng
with the thrill of suspense. Early Ira
the day, all the door keys In the housT
are spirited away from their hescs
into small boys pockets. A pet rcgEe
lative, called sugar aunt or -szs
gar uncle" is then beguiled. into a.
room, and while her or his attefnfen
is diverted, key is whisked out ffrxn
It's hiding place and clickity-click tsse
door is locked! OF course. the prisxw-
er confronted by hard-hearted gig
Cling iailer. is glad to negotiate fsEss-
dom at any price~-a ransom's pO@ss--
bilitIes no doubt ranging from a candy
cane TO a rocking horse, according ~
, auntie's induIgent humor or the sire
OF uncle's pocketbook- :
The Germans have very impress
! sive old custom. At Frankforton-the-
, Main In almost every house ks a. fsTn-
lily party, and at the first stroke u8
: midnight from the cathedral ain oyer
wide the windows, aud-nIfed glasses
. In their lifted hands--cry: "Prus#t
ujahri"--"Happy New Year
!, France practically makes a Christ
!, mas of New Years day. All PARIS IL
!, on fete and the Latin Quarter inhiis0stt
!, with song, Kidding and droIl fareeax.
!, while the poor, starved are studsEzF
: splurges in all the culinary extrasa-
ganees In fact. even the beggang are
merry, siging instead of whining sr-
: peals for charity, and dancing tiw
for SOU ?
The French children find thear
stockings filled by good st. Nicholas.
j., who In his Christmas rush must have
thanked his lucky star that tbea@
young clients would not expect asprcs
!, fessional call until after he had attersas
ed the impatient American youngsters
i, over the sea.
After midday dejunerfa Ia four'
a. tHtAAtt inc gpuhbNi AhNN'NA"
!, family call on the older. and in tire sss
:, ening there Is a grand reunion for din
=, ner
Amid all this French gayety there ~
. that one pathetic little touch that sE'
= often creeps into this rainbow w0rpr.
OF ours. where tears mingle with the
q sunhine of our smiles. IL memtsacr
!. of the family Mas died during the Iasa
= IL months. early on New Years mogrE,
. ing the near relatives meet az shs
+ grave and lay upon II their offerings Of
" love and remembrance
Il The Russians, following the JshEs
n calendar. do not celebrate their New
Years day until January IT,
p. In our own country we Americans.
v "half-pagan, halfPuritan." take cur
r New Year characteristically. wEsh
!. flashing eyes and smiling lips we gruss
its dawn; dancing. feastig. uproarinEs-
!. ~ blowing our little tin horns. Ana
at the same time In our secret hearts
!. the curtains OF pride and convention
4 atty closely drawn-we sadly SIT be.
side the dying embers OF the passf
/ years hopes and shiver at the knocks
| of the unknown future at the door
4