The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-01-01
Our
Superstiious
Vein
EncircEns Wreath Of Fancy
Bedecks New Years Day

n 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 a 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 ell is wondrous-
" 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
Ia ancient Egypt. when as yet the
pyramids were unbuilt, there were
grand professions and smoking sac
rifices. In Sparta 1t 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
and the great bowl ran freely all day.
In all countries there have been
charms and devOtiOns peculiar to the
opening year, for a desire TO peer into
the future is really common 10 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 well worth recording.
"When the clock strikes IL on New
Years eve, pick up your Bible and
open IL at random, and walking back
ward to a table. lay the book down,
face open, upon it. Turn around three
times, take up the book, reed the verse
upon which your thumb falls. It will
tell your fate for the coming year.
For instance, If II should be: "And
He will love thee and bless thee and
multiply thee" or eff | 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 II with
q hair from her own head, then sus-
ponds II 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 me 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
Norway the kind of fish caught on
the day foretells "fsherman's luck
for the coming year. In rural New
England almost every locality has
some special charm Of fortune-tellinl
J of its own for this day Of fate. The
custom of sending cards and gifts OF
the first day Of the year Is so ancien
that the historian of Manners and Gus
toms can find no beginning. TIL,
Chinese have used cards for thou
sands of years, and the queerest thin,
In the world is q Chinese New Year
card. 1t gives all the complimentary.
titles Of the owner, and is almost a
large as a wall map. In olden time
II was the custom for tenants to Civ
New Years gifts to their landlords
and every loyal subject owed a gif
to his sovereign. We read how goo
I Queen Elizabeth was such a favorit
that her gifts were marvels of tast
and extravaganza. In our country W
give presents on Christmas day, br
in France they are reserved for tn
first of the year.