Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-12-24

into the realm of antiquity,
far back of Christmas, as
y all peoples, however they
may have differed as to the
years length or the date upon which
the new year should begin, have uni
ted in this, that it should be properly
celebrated. From time immemorial
as we'll artists, sculptors, poets and
especially those versatile fellows, the
almanac makers, have with one ac-
cord personitied the outgoing year as
gray bearded veteran quite ready
to be gathered to his fathers, while
the New Year, robustious, curly
pated cherub, advances gayly to take
his place. Notwithstanding the great
English poet laureate sings:
Toll We the church bell sad and slow,
And tread softly and speak low,
For the old year lies a-dying,
the "tolling" is quickly drowned in
the merry chimes that welcome the
new incumbent. LIE roi est mort!
Vive lie roi!
The advent of the new year has al
ways been a time of rejoicing, not
alone with the Greeks and Romans,
but with the nations still older. Va
ried were the ways in which the festi-
val was kept, but in this they were all
agreed, that a time of new life had
come, that old quarrels must be for
given, old debts cancelled and every
thing possible should be done to
create feeling of good will toward
men,"
AS New Years is celebrated its i'm
portation has reached us through
France, which was in turn indebted
to the Latins. In France 1t is still
the most important day of the year in
the way of friendly meetings and ap-
pointments and social and family re-
unions. The typical Frenchman on
this day always dimes at home with
his parents, if he has any, and no out
side attraction is sufficient to lure him
away from the performance of this
fllial duty.
Among the Chinese their New
Years is the great day of the year.
when all business Is suspended, and
the most lavish hospitality prevails.
On New Years Day the children of
the Wallachs and the trans-D -Danubian
Rumanians take olive branches and
go from house to house to compi-
ment the neighbors with their good
wishes, which are not altogether dis
Interested, as they expect to receive in
return some little present. On the
second day of the year every stranger
entering a house Is required to throw
on the fire small quantities of salt,
which are placed in cups on the table
for that purpose. He must then go
to the henhouse and place an egg In
the nest for the hen to sit upon. IL
the hen consents to perform her duty
the guest Is considered a fortunate
person, and is feted in that house un-
til evening. This custom is called "the
lucky foot"
Like all other Eastern Christians,
the Greeks adhere to the old or Gre
gorian calendar, and their year be-
gins twelve days later than ours.
January 1 Is dedicated to st. Basil,
who appears to have been native of
Caesarea, in Cappadocia. In Asia Mi
nor, and also in Epirus, children go
from house to house singing odes in
honor of the saint, which, however,
are generally extended to cover some
finely turned compliments to the occu-
pants, wishing them "a good year"
and requesting largesse. st. Basil is
always represented in these songs as
a schoolboy, whose touch quickens in
animate objects with new life.