The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-12-26

couples and parties and even in droves of 80 or
more, remaining as short time at each stopping
place possible and announcing everywhere how
many calls they had already made and how many
they expected to make before they finished.
AT every place they drank. The result a
most appalling assortment of "jags" long before
shutdown.
Late in the ffties the abuse came to be so great
that the newspapers and the ministers took it up.
and many the editorials written and many the
sermons preached against it, This crusade speedi-
~ brought results
1t many years before the smart set of
young men in most cities stopped calling The
hoSpitable door that had been open from morning
to evening adorned with basket for cards.
Gentlemen driven all depoSting
their visiting cards in these baskets In year or
servants delivering these cards. Then
the baskets disappeared and the mail carrier de-
Ivere0 the few cards sent out. OF course this
process was not at all uniform. 1t fast in
some cities. slow in others.
A belle of the eighties sitting in her easy chair
thumbing over an old scrapbook filed with faded
cuttings from the newspapers of those days; her
husband beau or tie same period, in slippers
and dressing gown, smoking and listening as she
spoke and read, and then noddng his head
and smiling at some memory recalled; and the
daughters of the house, planning for the watch
party festivities of 1920 listening with curious in
terest and laughing and chatting about how odd it
all seemed now-such doubtless to be
witnessed in many city all over the country
with the closing'day of 1919.
1--WE didn't go in much for the watch parties
in those days. the matron said. "The whistles
blew and there some noise. it is true, among
the downtown folk but girls, rule retired
early-we had to ourselves for the trying
ordeal of the next day, for New Years day
the great social event of the year 1t 'receiv-
ing day in all the homes of the town. We called
it keeping open house
.sIt was a day of lavish entertainment and the
doors were supposed to be open to everybody that
called, whether friend or stranger. We prepared
for it weeks in advance. 1t was period of great
conviviaty Aside from the fact that the
vivialty somewhat overdone, at times that old
custom of the New Years open house quite
oldfashioned. sincere expression of good fellow
ship to friend and neghbor and visiting strangers
opening the portals of the New Year 1t
were with a greeting and home welcome And
as a social function. 1t was most delightful-it
helped bring people together.
at was the fashion TO give each of the callers
souvenir to carry away with them and all sorts
of ingenious little devices We're used Some had
silk badges with the names of the girl painted
them: some had dainty metal souvenirs specially
struck off, others ornate cards with notices. and
some went in for the oddities. like the clay pipes
that papa tells about. remember the gentlemen
used TO these souvenirs pinned or tied with
ribbons TO their coats-as the knights of old wore
their ladies' favors-and late in the evening the
callers looked like foreign diplomats. with all their
decorations. perhaps. like South African chiefs
would be the better smile.
..Of course only the gentlemen caed-they
were never accompanied by ladies. The ladies re-
manned in their homes to receive them The gen.
tlemen were supposed to be in full dress-the
Younger set swallowtails and crush hats, and
tho older gentlemen Prince Albert coats and light
grov nin-striped trousers-that the vogue.
The old timers, / remember. did not take very
kindly to the crush hats. And everybody, or
course. had have hack or a sleigh
.sThe hostess of the house usually called 70 her
assistance bevy of the young girls who made up