The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-12-26

couples and parties and even in droyes of 80 or
more remaining as short time at each stopping
place as 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 was
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 1t up,
and many were the editorials written and many the
sermons preached against 1t. This crusade speed
ly brought results.
1t was not 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 were driven all over town deposting
their visiting cards in these baskets In year or
so servants were delivering these Cards. Then
the baskets disappeared and the mail carrier de-
livered the few cards sent out. Of course this
process was not at all uniform It was fast in
some cities, slow In others.
belle Of the eighties, sitting III her easy chair.
thumbing over an old scrapbook filed with faded
cuttings from the newspapers of those days; her
husband. beau OF the same period, in slippers
and dressing gown, smoking and listening as she
spoke and read, now and then nOdding bis 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
MI seemed noW-such scene was doubtless to be
witnessed in many city all over the country
with the closing days Of 1919.
eve didn't go in so much for the watch parties
In those days. the matron said. The whistles
hlew md there was some noise. it is true, among
the downtown folk but we girls, as q rule retired
eariy--we had to save ourselves for the trying
ordeal of the next day. for New Years day was
fhe great social event Of the year It was receiv-
f,,o 1l4h 0f fha town. we called
1t keeping open house
eft was day Of lavish entertainment and the
doors were supposed to be open 70 everybody tnat
called whether friend or stranger We prepared
for 1t weeks in advance. 1t was period OF great
conviviaity Aside from the fact that the con-
yivfalty was somewhat overdone, at times that Old
custom of the New Years open house was quite an
old-fashioned, sincere expression Of good fellow
shin TO friend and neighb0r and visiting strangers
opening the portals of the New Year, as L
were. with greeting and home welcome. anu
as a social function It was most deignffui--it
helped to bring people together
1T was the fashion to give each Of the callers
souvenir to carry away with them and all sorts
az ingenious little devices were used. Some had
silk badges with the names OF the girl painted on
them !. some had dainty metal souvenirs specially
etrucl off others ornate cards with notices, and
some went In for the oddities. like the clay pipes
thaf napa tells about / remember the gentlemen
used to wear these souvenirs pinned or Neu Win
,,hhons I'd their coats-as the knights OF old wore
,hair ladies' favors-and late In the evening the
callers looked like foreign diplomats with all their
decorations or. perhaps Ike South African chiefs
would be the better smile.
a0f course, only the gentlemen calied-tney
xvar., never accompanied by ladies' The ladies' re-
NAMED in their homes 70 receive them. Inc gen
.s..,a yrsra supposed to be IN full dress-the
set wore swalowtails and crush hats, and
.ts older gentlemen Prince Albert coats and isghf
. ne rin-striped trousers that was the vogue
T,se old timers, remember did not take very
,.'.s,,s - The crush hats. And everybody. OF
course course had to hive hack or sleigh
ssrhe hostess OF the house usually calicd g ner
assistance d besy Of the young girls VINO maoe w