The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-12-27

reading of the stars. 1t furnishes standard tine
for half the world, and the year is born
will send it's message clear up to Alaska, to
South America, to China and to London
Over in France New Years day is not entirely
one of rejoicing that u.s. unless one is able to
rise above such mundane things finance for
New Years in France means-bs! 1t Is the
universal paying-up day Of the year. All the
DEAR familiar old bills that have been jogging
along and accommodating during the year sud
denly pile in en- masse and greet the head Of the
house New Years morning. It is not difficult
to obtain credit in France, provided one pos
the eXteTnals Of comfortable compe-
tence, and the tradesmen and landlords and
shopkepers are content to Wait-until January
first. Then they drop their gentle little remin-
ders in the malls or, more frequently, present
them through representatives. The butcher the
baker, the candestick 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 Years
until the morning of the second day of the new
year the streets of Paris en- fete. Beautifully
gowned women in richly decorated carriages,
and groups of beribboned holiday-seekers form a
boulevards. Cafe life then is wild and brilliant
surging, happy pageant that throngs the spacious
and the students from the Latin quarter con-
tribute their full quota of roistering and revery
in the restaurants and along the streets.
The German celebration of the New Year is
not 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 of the old year and continuing until the
bells peal forth the glad tdings of new year
born unto the centuries. There is German
custom that dates from the year 1S4S that has
little of the spirit of the typical bad boy
in it.
On New Years eve anyone walking along the
Ctr nf Ppr1ip and apir1 hiohh hat
take no 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
his eyes, This is the penalty he pays for
wearing such hat at such time and he has
no kick coming to him, even if his hat is knocked
off his head and kicked until it ceases to be
hat.
The good folks in the Rhenish provinces have
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 and
whispering in his ear: "Prosit Neujahr.' The
friend thus accosted straightway comes
with little present, such a cigar, drink
an invitation to dinner. In Frankfort-on-the
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 more generally observed
than in this country. Every English family sits
up to see the old year out and the year in.
and always there is bowl Of hot punch. etc.,
with which to drink the tCasts to the New Year
The custom is survival OF the time when the
head of the house assembled his family around
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 ito your health Pres
entity, the toast bowl came to be known as the
wassail, wassel bowl
In Scotland the wassel bowl is the center of