Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-01-01
THE DAYS NEW YEAR PARTY
His Coming Of Age Marked by Din
ner1 to Which All of the Fes-
tlvals Are Invited.

The Old Year being dead, and the
New Year coming Of age, which he
does by calendar law as soon as the
breath Is out of the old gentleman's
body, nothing would serve the young
spark, but he must give dinner upon
the occasion, to which all the Days
in the year were invited. The Festi-
walls, whom he deputed as his stew
ards, were nightly taken with the
notion. They had been engaged time
out of mind, they said, in providing
good cheer for mortals below, and it
was time they should have a taste OF
their own bounty.
1t was stiffly debated among them
whether the Fasts should be admitted.
Some said the appearance of such
lean, starved guests, with their morti-
fed faces, would pervert the ends of
the meeting. But the objection was
overruled by Christmas Day, who had
a design uron Ash Wednesday (as
you shall hear), and a mighty desire
to see how the old Dominic would be-
have himself in his cups. Only the
Vigils were requested to come with
their lanterns to light the gentlefolk
home at night
All the days came. Covers were
provided for 365 guests at the prin-
cipal table, with an occasional knife
and fork at the sideboard for the
Twenty-ninth of February.
Cards of invitation had been issued.
The carriers were the Hours, twelve
little merry, whirling footpages that
went all round and found out the
persons invited, with the exception
of Easter Day, Shrove Tuesday, and
a few other movables, who had late
ly shifted their quarters.
well. they all met at last, foul
Days, fine Days, all sorts of Days, and
a rare din they made Of it. There
was nothing but Hail, fellow Day!
we'll met!" only Lady Day seemed a
bit scornful. Yet some said Twelfth
Day cut her out, for she came all
royal and glttering and Epiphenous.
The rest came In green, some in
white, but old Lent and his family
were not yet out of mourning. Rainy
Days came in dripping, and the Sun
shinny Days laughing. Wedding Day
was there in marriage fnery. Pay
Day came late, and Doomsday sent
word he might be expected.
April Fool took upon himself to mar
shal the guests, and May Day, with
that sweetness peculiar to her, pro-
posed the health of the host. This
being done, the lordly New Year from
the upper end of the table returned
thanks. Ash Wednesday, being now
called upon for a song, struck up
carol which Christmas Day had
taught him. Shrovetide, Lord Mayors
Day and April Fool next joined in a
glee, in which all the Days, Ginning
in, made merry burden.
All this while Valentines Day kept
courting pretty May, who sat next
him, slipping amorous billet-doux un-
der the table till the Dog Days began
to be jealous and to bark and rage
exceedingly.
At last the Days called for their
clOakS anu gTedtcOatS anu toOk tHeiT
leaves. Short Day went off in a deep
black fog that wrapped the little gen.
tleman all round. The Vigils-so
watchmen are called in Heaven-saw
Christmas Day safe home; they had
been used to the business before. An
other Vigil-a stout, sturdy patrol,
called the Eve of St. Christopher
seeing Ash Wednesday In condition
little better than he should be cen
whipped him over his shoulders pick
a-back fashion, and he went floating
home singing:
"On the Bats Back Do / Fly"
and number of old snatches besides.
Longest Day set off westward in beau
tfful crimson and gold; the rest, some
In one fashion, some in another; but
Valentine and pretty May took their
departure together in one of the pref
tiest silvery twilights Lovers Day
IL