Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-12-25

prosperous age plant, a miniature pine uee'
some bamboo, and some plum twigs, to win for
her home by ornaments like these the 1aVor OF the
Jealous deties that guard the future
The city streets resound with the mallet ploWs
of the dough Founders making "mochi," the Jap
anese equivalent of plum pudding. All oeDts are
paid New clothes are bought There are toys
for the children and picture cards that bring good
fortune and are good to dream On When TIED Sc
cureIy to the wooden pillow
O. happy New Year Day will hardly dawn be-
fore each town and village will be stirring. There
Is so much to do in celebration. First there will
come the ceremonial breakfast, when the health
of all the family must be drunk in that rice wine
called "zoni" Then visits must be paid to all
acquaintance Father will wear no more the ira
ditional costume, fantastic and peculiar For him
the frock coat now, of European manufacture. But
mother, in her quaint kimono and elaborate head
dress, will look just as she has looked on New
Years day since time immemorial
The children will be decked out in gorgeous
colors: they will throng the streets, Gathering
along on their wooden clogs in pigeon toed but
Joyful haste, and shouting "Banza1! to friends
and foreigners. In the streets clowns will per-
form strange antics, exclaiming loudly mean
while
Hail hail. We gods of heaven and earth Sig
nificapt onens are in the air. and the universe is
full of lucky signs.
To accompaniment of flute and drum, two
legged lions will give the lions dance" in
masoue Strange masqueraders will dart hithef
and thither through streets and temple gardens
II will be a happy time for Japanese children.
For three glad days every little girl will expect
to play her favorite game of shuttlecock and bat
tledore The boys will fly their brand new Kites
The children will play games with brightly col
ored balls chanting countless rhymes. Grown
people will play New Years card games. The
firemen will give acrobatic exhibitions on their
ladders Every nook and corner of Japan will be
I'm gala dress and gala mood.
&c mt "a
nreciation of the significance Of the New Year.
Tbere Christmas SO important on calendar, is
scarcely celebrated except by attendance at mid
night mass and by festal supper. But the last
night of the year. the Vigil Of St Silvestre, calls
for observance, and the first day OF the new year.
''le Jour de lan" lie jour detrene, is dedicated
TO the renewal of friendship and to general gift
giving
So universal in fact has the custom become OF
giving presents and pretty little souvenirs that the
expression "bonne etrene" means good fortune
and NAL etrenne' misfortune. Candy and How
ers are acceptable gifts in France, but there Is
only one real rule in the matter-a New fears
gift must not be useful.
In most Scotch households. as In France, New
Years day takes the place of Christmas, an evil
dence OF ancient sympathy when both countries
regarded England as mutual enemy. On the last
night Of the year. in rural district, groups of men
and boys 60 disguished from house to house sing
ing curious songs, such as this:
Rise up good wife, and shak yer feathers.
Dinna think that we are beggars;
! We are bairnies come to play.
Rise up and give us hogmanay
when they have received the cakes and coins
they expect they go on to the next place, nrst
however, having chaked the house In token OF
good luck Next morning all the children get MP
early and view with wide and interested eyes the