Middletown transcript., 1921-01-01
Our
Superstidous
Vein
Encirclns Wreath Of Fancy
Bedecks New Years Day

IN YER since the dawn of time the
| happenings of New Years day
~ 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 Gay Of them all is wondrous-
ly bedecked. Not even Christmas is
so ancient, and so world renowned.
and it stands first in the folklore of
every language. On New Years day
il ancient Egypt. when as yet the
pyramids were unbuilt, there were
grand professions and smoking sac
rif1ces. Ir Sparta it was celebrated
by the conservation Of youths to mill
tary service.
Among the Saxons and old Germans
were great rejoicings, feastings and
csrousings 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
ard 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. 1t Is solemn end
interesting, and we'll worth recording.
'When the clock strikes II on New
Years eve, pick up your Bible and
open it ut random. and walking back
ward to a table, lay the book down,
face open. upon It. Turn around 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 IF 1 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 borr0ws
her mothers wedding ring, ties 1t 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-hung 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. In
the kind of fish caught on
the day foretells "fisherman's luck"
for the coming year. In rural New
almost every locality has
some special charm Of fortune-tellins
of its own for this day Of fate. The
custom of sending cards and gifts on
the first day Of the year Is so ancient
that the historian of Manners and Gus
toms can find no beginning. The
Chinese have used cards for thou.
sands of years, and the queerest thing
In the world is Chinese New Years
card. It gives all the complimentary
titles of the owner, and is almost as
large as a wall map. In olden times
It was the custom for tenants to give
New Years gifts to their landlords,
and every loysl subject owed a gift |
10 his sovereign. We read how good !
Queen Elizabeth was such favOrite !
hat her gifts were marvels of taste
md extravaganza. In our country we
,ive presents on Christmas day, but ,
n France they are reserved for the
1rst Of the year.