Putnam patriot., 1914-01-02
THE DAYS NEW YEAR
His Coming of Age Marked ! ner to Which All of the
 tfvaIs 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 a dinner upon inc occasion. to which all the Days in the year were invited. The Festi- rals. whom he deputed as his stew ards. were nightly taken with the notion. They had been engaged time ont of mind. they said, in providing good cheer for mortals below, and it was time they should have taste of their own bounty.
 It was stifhy 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 design upon Ash Wednesday Gas 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 2 few other movables, who had late ty 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 Dayl well meti" only Lady Day seemed a bit scornful. Yet some said Twelfth Day cut her out, for she came all royal and glittering and Epiphenous. The rest came in green, some in white, but old Lent and his family were not yet out of mourning. Rainy
 
 shinny Days laughing Wedding Day was there in marriage finery. 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 bni hn the upper end of the table returned thanks. Ash Wednesday, being now called upon for song, struck up a carol which Christmas Day had taught him. Shrovetide, Lord Mayors Day and April Fool next joined in a glee, in which all the Days, chiming in, made a merry burden.
 All this while Valentines Day kept counting 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 and greateoats and took their leaves. Short Day went off in 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 I Fly" and a number of old snatches besides. Longest Day set off westward in beau tiful 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 pret- tiest silvery twilights Lovers Day could wish to set in.