Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1920-12-30
Our
Supers rstitious
Vein
E.ncircling Wreath Of Fancy
Bedecks New Years Day

YER since the dawn of time the
Fl happenings of New Years day
-A~ have been said to foretell the
luck of the coming months. For there
is vein of superstition in the human
race, and all of US share in its delu-
sions. There is no day in the year
without its encircling wreath of fancy; ;
this first day Of them all is wondrous-
ly bedecked. Not even Christmas Is
SO ancient, and so world renowned,
and it stands first III the folklore Of
every language. On New Years day
III ancient Egypt, when as yet the
pyramids were unbuilt there were
grand professions and smoking sac
rifices In Sparta it was celebrated
by the conservation Of youths to mill
tary service.
Among the Saxons and old Germans
were great rejoicings, feastings and
carousings On this day, and the was
sail bowl passed merrily around. This
was a great vessel filled with ale,
sugar. fruits, nutmeg and spices. There
was enough for the whole community
and the great bowl ran freely all day.
In all countries there have been
charms and devotions peculiar to the
opening year, for desire to peer into
the future is really common to us all,
no matter how we affect to deride the
idea. The Bible charm was one famil-
lar to our grandfathers, and was used
by religious people even down to the,
present generation. It is solemn end
interesting, and well worth recording.
"When the clock strikes II on New
Years eve, pick up your Bible and
open it st random, and walking back
ward to a table, lay the book down,
face open. upon it. TurpSaround three
times, take up the book, read the verse
upon which your thumb falls. 1t will
tell your fate for the coming year
For instance, If it should be: "And
He will love thee and bless thee and
multiply thee" or eff I take the
wings of the morning and dwell in the
uttermost parts of the earth," we ex
pect very pleasant year. But conceive
the horror of one who should open
TO these words: $50 he died, and was
gathered to his fathers" or 'In hell
he lifted up his eyes, being in tor
ment.'
In Switzerland the maiden borrows
her mothers wedding ring, ties it with
a hair from her own head, then sus-
pends it just over the rim of a tea
cup, all the while counting rapidly the
years Of her own age OF course the
hair-hurg ring trembles and knocks
against the cup, and each little tap
counts one year before she will wed
SO she must count very fast, or be
shocked at the number OF taps. III
Norway the kind of fish caught Oh
the day foretells "fshermans luck
for the coming year. In rural NeV
England almost every locality has
some special charm of fortune-tellin:,
of its own for this day of fate. Thc
Chinese have used cards for thou
sands of years. and the queerest thinR
in the world is Chinese New YeGr's
card Ii gives all the complimentary
titles of the owner, and is almost az
large as wall map. In olden times
it was the custom for tenants to give
New Years gifts to their landlords
and every loyal subject owed a gif.
tC his sovereign. We read how gooA
Queen Elizabeth was such favorite
that her gifts were marvels of taste
and extravaganza. In our country wt.
give presents on Christmas day, but
ia France they are reserved for the
first of the year.