The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1908-12-26

of masquerading at New Years ap-
pears to have originated. The custom
still observed in Italy now is confined
to the celebrations at the Epiphany
and at the carnival time.
FESTIVAL IN CHINA.
New Years in China is equally an
important festival The celebration
usually lasts for three or four days,
the duration depending upon the
wealth of the individual. The streets
wear holiday air. Great red stream
ers, bearing in strange characters the
seasonable wishes, hang from shops
and houses. Roast pig is much in de-
mand on this occasion, and every per-
son who can afford the succulent lux
ury invests in a little sucking porker.
All debts must be cleared up, but the
Chinese have an enviable practice of
forgiving the insolvent at this time
of year. The insolvent appears before
his creditors, tells them his plight, and
they, by a solemn ceremony, declare
his debts discharged.
The charity practiced in Christian
countries at Christmas is relegated to
New Years day in China. The Civ
ing Of presents is general, and, as
is customary at most Chinese festivals,
there is an abundance of fireworks set
off, and numerous professions. 1t is
the holiday nearest the Chinaman's
heart, and no matter what part of the
world he may be in when New Years
comes, he does not fail to celebrate it
as well as his exchequer will permit
him to do.
JOY IN PHILADELPHIA.
No New Years celebration in any
part of the world to-day equals in BIZ
zarre conception the New Years
Shooters professions in Philadel-
phia. For the last 40 years there have
existed in Philadelphia New Years
clubs, organized solely for the pur.
pose of making an attractive dis
play on New Years day. Some of the
organizations begin the festivities
with a ball at midnight, and subse-
quently parade through some of the
principal streets.
Originally these clubs were confined
to the southern parts of the city, still
known to old PhiladeIphians as 1.-The
Neck" They were then purely local in
character. They were accustomed to go
from one big house in THE Neck to
another, at each stopping place being
Hospitality received with refreshments,
abundant and palatable AS years
rolled on, the peregrinations became
more extended, and various business
men in the lowest part of the city Of
fered prizes in order to induce the
shooters" to leave their locale and
show themselves. Becoming more nu-
merous, the city council finally Of
fered prizes, and organized the clubs
into more attractive continuous
procession. The New Years shooter,
who is so called because of the GUS
tom of welcoming in the new year
with a fusillade of shots from revol-
vers, guns and other firearms, has be-
come "a feature of the season in the
Quaker City.
OBSERVANCES IN JAPAN.
In 1872 the japanese officially dis
carded not only their picturesque and
ancient costume, but their calendar
which was similar to that of the Chi
nese, as we'll The old style was sup
planted by the Gregorian calendar, and
with it the Japanese New Year began
to fall on January 1. On that day the
emperor holds an official reception, to
which the diplomatic corps and Ger
tain officials are admitted to the i'm
perial presence and Happy New
Years" exchanged. On every warship
in the imperial navy there hangs in
the wardroom portraits Of the emperor
and empress, and on New Years day,
wherever the ship chances to be, the
officers assemble in the wardroom,
and, as a curtain is drawn aside I'M
| covering the imperial features, the
officers salute the portraits and wish
the emperor and empress a happy and
prosperous New Year
Among the common people in Japan
New Years festivities are of an i'm
portant character. The preparations
begin about the middle of December,
and two or three days before the
month is ended the fronts of houses
are covered with emblematic decora-
tions. At each door there are planted
in vases filed with earth great
branches of pine and of bamboo, and
from one end to another of the pro-
| jecting roof is stretched a garland of
| plated straw. This is a very antique
custom, and in the middle of the
twisted straw there is usually hung
as a trophy a citron, a lobster, some
seaweeds, ferns and green leaves from
the izourika tree, each of the objects
having an suspicious meaning for the
occupants of the house. The temples
are opened on New Years night, and
the faithful there seek the fire to cook
zoomi-a sort of rice cake, with a
sauce called misso, which is conn Fosed
of haricots of fermented oats, and of
salt This is the first repast of the
year, and is eaten before the sun
rises