Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-12-27

reading OF the stars. It furnishes standard time
for half the world. and as 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 one is able to
rise above such mundane things finance. for
New Years in France means-billsl II 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 masse and greet the head of the
house on New Years morning. 1t is not dihicult
to obtain credit in France. provided one pos
sesses 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. 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 eve
until the morning of the second day of the new
year the streets of Paris are en- fete Beautifully
gowned women. in richly decorated carriages.
and groups OF berlbboned holidayseekers form
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 roisterng and revelry
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 1t is preeminently decorous one.
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 tidngs Of new year
born unto the centuries. There is German
custom that dates from the year 1s48 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 a high hat need
take umbrage If couple OF German students,
who may have endeavored trife too zealously
to find fha hOt pf fba anu ovyl eli mn
behind him and smash the aforesaid hat down
his eyes This is the penalty he pays for
wearing such hat at such a time and he has
no kick coming to him. even II his hat is knocked
hat.
The good folks in the Rhenish 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 a
friend as he is walking along the street and
whispering in his ear: "Prosit Neujahr." The
friend thus accosted straightway comes across
with little present. such as cigar. or drink
invitation to dinner. In Frankfort-on-th
Main the entire city rushes to its windows the
old year dies. filings them open and glasses in
hand drinks toast to Father Times latest
born. Then the windows slammed down. the
merrment ceases and all retire for a peaceful
nights slumber.
In England the New Year customs of very
ancient origin and even generally observed
than in this country. Every English family sits
up to the old year out and the new 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 Hae" meaning ito your health" Pres
emily. the toast bowl came to be known the
wassail, wassel bowl
In Scotland the wassel bowl is the center of