Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-01-02
CRAWFORD BROTHERS, PRINTERS

and sane 1t lasts for several days
and is full of color, noise and action
from start to finish. Firecrackers.
Chinese lanterns. tea. feasting and
carnival all play their part, and the
new year is initiated in Il way to put
ginger into his young life. The popu
lar greeting is "Kunghi," which is to
say, Il humby wish you JOY" or Sin
h" MAY Joy be yours" From this
1t will be seen that the Chinese have
a ''hi' old time. Not only do lanterns
abound, but artificial flowers and red
notices ornament the houses. Even in
the United States the laundries are
abandoned while the Celestials pay
ceremonial calls and decorate every
thing in sight with red paper. Euro
peans also paint the town red on New
Years, only they do 1t in a different
way.
New Years is celebrated for thir-
teen days in Persia and Is the most
important festival of the year. 1t fur
nishes precious opportunity for the
beggars who camp on mans door
step and blow horns until he gives u
present. The festival is called mo
ROOF" and combine our Christmas
and Easter Sweets are prepared long
in advance. and eggs are boiled and
colored. The observance begins on
March 25. and for thirteen days there
after business is suspended. Presents
are given, among them being coat of
honor for important persons. for which
a price Is often exacted, much in ex-
cess of the value Of the garment. An
other mo RooZ" custom Is for dele
cations of Persians to visit the tombs
of the departed and send up walls
both loud and long.
New Years is a great day for the
children in the country towns of Rus
STA. The boys carry peas and wheat,
showering those they like with wheat
and those they dislike with peas, Vari
Gus domestic animals are gayly deco
rated and led about the streets. There
is also n ceremony of changing water
into wine. which Is harmless enough
since it does not increase the wine
supply.
The great feature of the German
New Years is sylvester Abend." CORE
spending in some measure to our watch
parties. except that more liquid re
freshment is absorbed The punch
bowl is the center of attraction. but
the punch is usually made of n mild
Rhine wine and does little If any
harm. Ill fares it wish the man wear
ing a high hat OF this hight, for 1t Is
smashed with graHI enthusiasm In
Frankfort on the AIain II pretty custom
is observed Promptly on the first
stroke of II every shutter in town flies
open and head appears with the
shout. 'Prosit Nerjahr'" Ii is rs quick
ly withdrawn. and the shutters are re-
closed before the clocks have finished
booming the hour.
The French give Christmas reli
giouS observance so that New Years
is the great popular holiday. Gifts are
exchanged and calls are made on Jan.
| and all through the month
The English observance Of Now
Years is not largely different from
ours. except that the old year is swept
out by men and boys dressed as Chin
ney sweeps and i rung out with muf
fed bells. which change To clear and
joyous note mt tie stroke Of II. II
is to this custom that 1'cnnyson re
fers IN his I'm Mcmorian." so often
quoted Ring out the OLD, ring in the
new"
The crowds before 81 Paul's in Lon
don on New Years eve are even
greater and NOR, noisy than those be
fore Trinity. Nc.s lork though people
who have ouiy heard the Gotham din
may deem nm. {gguoSSfbtp