Western Kansas world., 1912-12-28

reading of the stars. 1t furnishes standard time
for half the world. and the new year is born
will send its message clear up to Alaska to
South America, to China and to London
Over in France New Years day is not entirely
of rejoicing; that is unless is able to
rise above such mundane things as finance for
New Years in France means-bills! 1t is the
universal paying-up day of, the year. All the
dear, familiar old bills that have been jogging
along and accumulating during the year sud
denly pile in masse and greet the head of the
house New Years morning. 1t is not difficult
to obtain credit in France, provided one pos
secses the externals of comfortable compe
tence, and the tradesmen and landlords and
shopkepers content to wait-until January
first. Then they drop their gentle little remin-
ders in the mails or, frequently present
them through representatives. The butcher the
baker, the candlestick maker-and all the gal
axy of their sisters and their cousins and their
aunts"-are to be reckoned with
Festival. banqueting and merrymaking like
wise hold high carnival. From New Year'F eve
until the morning of the second day of the new
year the streets of Paris fete. Beautifully
gowned women, in richly decorated carriages,
and groups of beribboned holfday-seekers form
boulevards. Cafe life then is wild and brilliant
surging, happy pageant that throngs the spacious
and the students from the Latin quarter
tribute their full quota of rostering and revelry
the RESTAURANTS and along the streets
The German celebration of the New Year is
lacking in wholesome good cheer and festive
pranks but it is pre-eminently decorous
In Berlin elaborate musical programs
dered and everywhere anthems and festival
songs chanted. beginning at twilight of the
last day or the old year ana continuing until the
bells peal forth the glad tidngs of a new year
born unto the centuries. There is German
custom that dates from the year 1848 that has
little of the spirit of the typical bad boy"
in It.
On New Years eve anyone walking along the
streets of Berlin and wearing high hat need
take umbrage If couple OF German students.
who may have endeavored a trife too zealously
to find the bottom of the flowing bowl, slip up
behind him and smash the aforesaid hat down
over his eyes. This is the penalty he pays for
wearing such hat at such time and he has
no kick coming to him. even IL his hat is knocked
OF his head and kicked until it ceases to be
hat
The good folks in the Rhenfsh provinces have
an adaptation of this custom that is more gentle
and-yes-less expensive. considering the dam
age done. This consists of stealing up upon
friend as he is walking along the street end
whispering In his "Prosit Neujahr" The
friend thus accosted straightway across
with little present, such a cigar, a drink
or an invitation dinner. In Frankfort-onthe-
Main the entire city rushes to it's windows as the
old year dies, filings them open and, glasses in
hand, drinks a toast to Father Times latest
born Then the windows slammed down. the
merriment ceases and all retire for a peaceful
nights slumber.
In England the New Year customs of very
ancient origin and even more generally observed
than IN this country Every English family sits
up the old year out and the year in.
and always there is bowl of hot punch, etc.
with which to drink the toasts to the New Year
The custom is a survival OF the time when the
head of the house assembled his family around
a bowl of spiced ale from which he and they
drank each others health and the health of the
New Year. The words used In the toast were:
..Wass Hael,. meaning s-to your health Pres
emily the toast bowl to be known the
wassai1, wasse1 bowl
In Scotland the wassel bowl fs the center af