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

guns and beating of drums. :"
This is the beginning of one of the many New
Years proclamntions of Peter Stuyvesant, director
general of New INTERCHANGEABLE farm, the
Bouwerij," on Manhattan island gave the Bowery
Its namely which he hoped to prevent more
sins, debaucheries and calamities" in New Am
sterdam during his IL years of administration,
1647-64- For it in old New York that the
American CUSTOM of New Years calls had its be-
ginning. And when the fun got too boisterous old
Peter would come stumping along on his silver
banded wooden leg and try to make unwilling
rattle-Watch enforce his proclamation.
New Years day the holiday par excellence
in old New York. 1t day peculiarly ded
Gated to family congratulations and the renewal
of friendships in expressions of sympathy and
good will, which. following so closely the sacred
festival of Christmas inspired all with peculiar
significance Washington Irving has said: New
York was then handy town. Anyone who did
not live over the way to be found round the
corner" So the making of New Years calls
easy. Let glance at the New Amsterdam OF
that day the first day of the year.
The sober older citizens, sturdy figures, richly
and warmly clothed walk, slowly smoking, TO the
fort TO render New Years wishes to the officers
of the garrison and then to the White Hall by the
Battery to do the governor the same honor Ever
since daybreak q noisier element has reyeled up
and down the narrow lanes and by the banks OF
the canal (now Broad streeD. shouting greetings
beating drums. firing musketS. blowing horns
shaking 'rumbng- pots" and drinking rivers of
beer A group of young burghers with
clumsy frearm, snaphance murtherer. have
gone from door to door of each corbel-roofed
house firing blank volleys, gathering recruits
drinking more beer till all repair to Beekman's
Swamp (known to this day in New York the
Swamp to fire Mt target
Noise and New Years continued to he closely
connected in the days of the American colonies
New Years day q favorite day for shooting
at n mark for shooting for prizes. and target
companies of very respectable citizens rose early
in the morning for these contests. For it was
deemed most selfish and rather disreputable foe
a to spend the entire day in such shooting
He could go with his target company" in the
morning but he must pay a round OF calls to the
fair In the afternoon.
In the days of New Years celebration in New
York In the first half of the nineteenth century,
each man We'd with the other in boisterouS delight
Shops lighted. windows garlanded. streets
crowded. Great yans-stages with four and six
horses--were crowded with groups of men, often
group of kinsfolk old neighbors, hilarious
mob of men allied in politics-or some target
company" band of old fremen. The ac-
quaintances of each were called upon in turn
1t about the beginning of the nineteenth
century that the change from neighbOrly OBJ
servance to one of pure fashion began in all the
large cities. The younger women of such house
holds had daughters were hostesses. and great
was their rivalry. with another. in respect to
richly loaded refreshinent tables and elegance of
toilet The dudes of those days-they called them
'.beaux" and "dansiies" and "aallants"-attired
themselves in their best and started oct early in
the morning on their calls.
IT was not until about the middle OF the century
that the abuse which finally led to the customs
decline began. For years the dancies of New
York and other large cities rivnled one another in
the length of their calling lists, and the calls soon
came to be nothing than hasty stcps-mere
rapid gorgings of cake and gupngs OF wfne-in-
stead of the old-time friendly calls OF men upon
the families of their friends and acquaintances.
Then the ladies-the matrons as we'll as the
Young women-began vie with another in
the number of their callers. This led TO the
most extraordinary practices. Callers were re-
cruted indeed much customers are drummed
mn bv dealers in soap. Cards announc rg thar
Miss This-or-That would be 'at home" on January
were sent out almost indiscrminately-
Then the Sunday papers Of the time hogan TO
print lists Of those who would receive and the
bouses of those mentioned in the lists
to he besieged by numbers of Hnen whom the
ladies had never met heard of and desired
never to meet again Men would go calling IN