Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-02-07

these are national. Acts or Congress
and Presidents announcements III
this respect apply only to the District
of Columbia and the territories. Inc
states usually follow suit, but as
matter of custom only and not OF law
Here Is a chance TO win some bets
from your friends.
American local holidays are rlch III
historical significance. OF such are the
commemorations Of Bunker Hill ana
Bennington and New Orleans and San
Jacinto; the all but forgotten Fast
Day of New England, still surviving In
New Hampshire; Patriots Day In
Maine and Old Defenders Day in Bal
time re, Pioneer Day in Idaho and the
various Admission Days popular with
other Western states, Confederate Me-
mortal Day in the South, together with
the birthdays Of Lee and other heroes
Of the Confederacy.
Two states have Independence Days
Of their own. Texas observes her sep
aration from Mexico on March 2, North
Carolina commentaries the Halifax
independence resolutions on April Il
and the Mecklenburg declaration on
May 20.
II remains for Frederick county, Md,
to celebrate all alone the reputation
Of the stamp act, one Of the most local
celebrations Of an important national
event on record.
Among the favorite months for holt
days the world over November leads,
with 90 out Of its possible 80 days.
May comes next, with % and an addi-
tional Sunday not otherwise celebrat-
ed thus actually tying November In
the number OF days closed to business.
March, on the other hand, is the long
est all around business month, having
only 10 holidays.
New Years Day Is the only holiday
universally observed. But, alas, 1t falls
on II different dates in different parts
Of the globe, and some countries OBJ
serve more than one of them. Curious
" enough, one Of our own states, Mas
sachusetts, does not make this legal
holiday, though her citizens generally
observe 1t.
January / Is observed as New Years
Day in every country in all Europe ex-
cept Bulgaria, Greece, RoumaniA. Rus
STA, Servia and Turkey; in all Euro
pean colonies in Africa and in Liberia
and Morocco; In every country and
colony in North, Central and South
America and in all parts Of Asia ex-
cept Asiatic Turkey and in Australasia.
In Bulgaria, Greece Roumania, Rus
STA. Servia and Turkey the old style
calendar prevails and the New Year
begins accordingly on January IA.
The japanese New Year does, in
deed, begin on January 1, but II Is also
celebrated on the Sd and 5th Of that
month.
Then there are the Hindu New Year,
on April 13; the Chinese New Year,
February II to IA (Which, by the way,
is legal holiday in part Of the Unit
ed States-HawaiD the Annamite
New Year, February II and Is, and
the Second Annamite New Year, June
49, the Parsi New Year, September
IL; the Persian New Year, March 81
to "a; the Mohammedan New Year,
December 10 and IL, and the Jewish
New Year. September II, Ii and IA.
1t Is surprise to learn that the only
nation on earth making the Jewish
New Year legal holiday is Turkey.
Christmas Day, due to its religious
significance, Is not so generally OBJ
served as New Years Day. 1t has,
moreover. only three different dates.
The Armenian Church still observes
January 6. Countries where the old
style calendar prevails still celebrate
January 7.
From the ancient Olympic games and
Dionysian festivals down to our own
time holidays have been intimately
connected with the most profound as
we'll as the most frivolous aspects Of
human nature.