The New York herald., 1921-01-01
New Years Day.

Rarely does n we'll established
custom give way before novelty, and
when it does, besides gain In the
new, there is a loss Of grace and
sweetness In the old. A custom now
lost to us is that of making social
calls on the initial day Of the year
Formerly gentleman might finally
liquidate his social debts and knit up
old friendships ravelled out by neglect
or the insistent press Of routine du-
ties. THUS the Joy and good fellow
ship Of Christmas was prolonged.
The seltishness in human nature was
finely tempered by altruism.
Moreover, in an ordinary and av-
erage community the visits lent a
touch of that cosmopolitanism which
broadens human nature. Compared
with the goCd will and cheer of the
old days, still remembered by many,
the modern New Years Day seems
less colorfu.
The festal spirit of New Years Day
overleaped all barriers Of breed or
creed. OF all days in the calendar
this was the most universal as to
time, while worldwide in place. On
other holidays hereditary, social,
political or religious motives mingled
In the revels, which were more or
less related to single countries. re-
stricted areas or special epochs. On
the contrary, the beginning of the year
impressed al mankind and In every
age. Reflections allied to eternity
and boundless space We're natural with
the thoughtful.
Certainly in New Netherlands this
Gay, rich in joys for mind and body.
remained like red letter in the mis-
sal Of memory. In these our days of
dellcatessen shops and of food made
in factories and packed in tins ami
cartons one must have lively i'm
agination to picture. the household
preparation Of old, with the fun and
JOY OF ANTICIPATION.
When. after baking and brewing,
cakes and ale were ready the house
father and the gallant. arrayed In
their best garments duly made spot
less MS to linen and comfortable as to
robing by the huis vrouw, went forth
on the social round. Their object
was to pay devotion to the fair, to
honor the aged and incidentally to test
the quality Of their neighbors' cook
cry. Feasting, merrlment. indoor
games and story telling fronting the
roaring fireplace rounded out the day
OF Joy.
Through the English and American
periods and even until within the
memory Of men hardly yet very old
the good custom continued. Then a
mixed population mlstook the mean.
ing of the practice BY bad politics,
by the visits In mobs, by general
dissipation and by too much Of that
sort Of gratitude which may be de-
fined as lively sense Of favors TO
come hospitality was strained and the
beautiful old custom died out
The story of origins is more pleas
ing. The custom came first as an
importation from japan to Holland
and thence to New Netherlands. Even
more durably satisfying was the
other Oriental habit as closely allied
to Il MS II the two were Siamese
ttins The Japanese tradition re.
quired that all financial as well as
social debts should be discharged.
The Dutch merchants ut Nagasaki
on returning TO Holland did but reen-
force habit of their own when they
brought the custom Of New Years call
ing. This was 10 settle up all accounts
and pay all debts by December 81. so
as 10 face the new year with n clean
record. Some Of us by experience
and close observation know this to
be 30 fnr the case in Japan that a
faulty traders rating falls at once
while in private life man may be
socially ostrncized IL he be in debt
on New Years Day. Borrowing
money with the smile Of nm angel
but paying with the scowl Of de-
mon" Is very old proverb in the
Orient.
Likewise when the Dutch republicans
built their unrivaIled Town Hall--so
Inn fitted for palace--in Amsterdam
IN 1C4s they gave the sculptor a free
hand and unlimited gullders 10 put
into marble such scenes as the fall