La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1917-01-06
STORY OF JANUARY
BY Margaret z. Boyle

I New Year to each other during the
past week, and singing about the
Little New Year" whose name is
January First.
Il always like to know what
names mean, and where they come
[ from. So / wondered what January
means and why that name was given
to the first month of the year. There
| is wise book that can tell almost
everything people want to know, and
from that | learned the story ! am
going to tell you.
Those OF you who are studying
geography know that in the country
OF Italy there is city called Rome
Long years and years ago, before
the first Christmas. when the Child
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Rome
was a very rich and powerful city
nearly the greatest in the world, at
least the world that was known then
/ for YOU know that was long befor,
Christopher Columbus found our
country.
/ The Roman people had beautifu
/ homes, and much money, and yc.
| they were very much like heathor
in one way. They did not believ,
/ in one God who watches over am
takes care OF all the world.
They thought there was differ
ent god for everything They used t.
make images and call them gods
Then they would build temples for
these images, and go TO these TEN
Piles to pray
They were fighting people and
had many wars. So, of course. they
/ had to have a god OF war. The name
of this god was Janus.
An around the city was great
wall to keep out the soldiers who
were coming TO filht them. But
there were gates in the wall to LEI
the Romans themselves go in and
out.
In a principal part OF the city
stood the temple of Janus. II was
really only a high archway with
twelve gates when there was war
these gates were kept open. but
when there was no war these gates
were closed. But. ! am sorry to say.
Rome was so very busy with quar-
rels that the gates were seldom
shut.
"On this temple was the image OF
Janus. He was made with two faces
one looking each way, so he could
see II any one was coming TO n.
city.
Janus was god OF beginning
too That means, that whenever the.r
old Romans wanted TO do anythfnr
they would 70 to the temple of
Janus with some salt. or wine of
meal. or frankincense.
These things had TO be new. bee
cause Janus was the god OF new
things. They would give then 10
his Image and then pray to 10 TO
let this new undertaking be .ur-
cess.
They used TO think that al the
keys belonged to Janus and that he
could unlock every lock.
when some wise men began 10
divide the days into years and then
into months. suppose they Won
dered how they were going TO name
them all.
Then some one said, What shall
we name the first MONTH Only in
stead of saying that in English. they
spoke in Latin. the language the old
or boys and girls in school are study
/ ing now. For II was the Romans
who used TO speak Latin.
Then perhaps some one else saId.
Let us name II Janus. He is the god
OF beginnings and this month be-
gins the year
And some one else answered.
That Is 30, and Janus has twelve
gates. one for every month. and fwo
faces. ono looking back and the other
looking forward. So New Year. DAY
looks back over the year that Is
gone. and forward over the year hat
Is TO come
"Ail the other wise men mus,
have agreed 10 this. So they took
Janus. dropped the and added
ar and made January for the