The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-01-03
NEW YEARS DAY NOT
WHAT 1T USED TO BE
The Newcomer in the Chronology Of
the World Finds an Altered Sit
uation in New York.

New York, Jan 3.New Years day
isn't what it used to be. This is in a
| small way attributable to the addi-
| ton to the constitution of some dry
reading matter In still greater part it
! is because the international obsession
for celebrating whenever Father Time
takes fresh start in plotting the earth
around the sun is thousands of years
old. The manner of observing the day
has changed greatly through the cen
| turtles.
The urge to give presents. at least
once year was felt even before Christ
mas and Santa Claus came into the
scheme of things, and the ancient
Greeks, Chinese, Egyptians and Romans
rendered their gifts to one another on
the first day of the year. Kings got
into the habit of receiving extra gifts
from their subjects on these days and
liked it so well they began extorting
larger and larger sums. This practice
got so bad in Rome under the Caesars
that Claudius called halt.
1t spread to other countries, how
ever, and the English had their New
Years celebration spoiled annually byi
rapacious sovereigns until Queen Eliza
btths modest demands OF her subjects
cut gifts down to a minimum. In those |
DAYS the celebration of New Years day |
had become world wide. With varia-
lions to suit all nationalties, it con-
sisted everywhere Of eating, drinking
and motley merriment.
Christopher Columbus, so far as is
known, was the first white man to jul
bilate on New Years day in the west
ern hemisphere While his ships were
repairs on Jan. ], 1893, he
enjoyed a sumptuous dinner with two
savage monarchs in the island of Haiti.
After this meal, history says, the dis.
coverer Of America had his first smoke
of tobacco Whether he enjoyed it is
not recorded, but he left it to a later
Sir Walter Raleigh is gen
orally credited with the function Ito
introduce tobacco in Europe.
The Pilgrim fathers and the first
families of the older states of the I'M
ion enjoyed quiet holiday as each
wear came around They feasted,
but not until they had attend
ed religious services, In the 10th
century people with big houses
and flowing sideboards held open house
IN New Years day and from all over
friends came afoot, on bicycles and in
surveys and stanhopes to pay short Wis
is and sample the contents Of wine cell I
airs. Then they went off to call on 9th |
II friends Popular maidens in those
laws witnessed traffic Jams in front OF I
heir homes. so prevalent was the
,enchant for short calls on young won
n during the afternoon of the years
irst day. This custom began to pass =
nut quietly with the dawn of the Goth
entury, automobiles and cabarets. 1t
vas succeeded by nothing but wine"
abits amid the thousands who fire
uented cafes and grill rooms in the
tiles on New Years eve. ;
For 25 years up to the dawn of 1920 :
nd the era of war time prohibition, a
he celebration in New York became
oisier and more expensive each year. 4
thousands used to crowd into places of G.
pertinent while Broadway was packed a
18th surging throng of merrymakers Ii
18th squawkers, clappers, bells, ticklers "
nd confetti. 6,
Every hotel and most of the restau
ants were jammed with gay diners, :,
a 1908 it was estimated that 81 0O0,- =
DO was spent in the white-light dis y
'ict on New Years eve. After that u
gave up trying to figure =
Vt the sum. -
The din and probably the cost of the :.
LIBERATION was greatly diminished UNI a,
IT wartime prohibition in the New a.
ears demonstration of 1920 Old tim v
5 said all the ginger had departed :.
it'll John Barleyeorn. ~
The cupid of 1921 will be the first :. ~
make his bow under constitutional -
In New York he will find -
at times have changed. No 10