Milford chronicle., 1931-12-25
New Years Day

ward for the time to arrive, when
they can form new resolutions for
their future guidance?
1t seems queer and yet it is so
many of our people look forward to
the first of January to commence
any kind of business or undertake
anything of a profitable nature.
In olden times people used to be
very superstitiOus. A white woman
used to be prohibited from visiting
any of her neighbOrs on New Years
Day, and if she did break the rule
then the family she visited would
have no luck during the new year.
Colored people, of either sex. were
forbidden to visit any of their race
or even to attempt to enter the
premises of white peoplethe pen
atty to be a severe whipping. or ev-
en- worse; but white men, no differ
ence how poor, were welcome visit
Ors in all homes, if they were the
first to call on New Years morning
They were feasted to the best the
house contained, both in eating and
drinking, and in consequence of the
prohibition, all of the cOlOred race
and the white women remained
around their homes-nOt daring to
go out for fear they would be the
first to call at some nearby homes.
Many old customs are still in
vogue. Some people will come into
your house by one door, if you try
to get them to go out by another
door, they will refuse to go; saying
it is bad luck to go out by any other
means except the way they came in.
This foolishness continues all the
year around among some.
The colored race is very super
stitious, not only in regard to New
Years Day, but at other times as
we'll. We have seen colored wrest-
lers after being thrown by the ad-
versary several times, call upon
some one to loan him piece of sill
yer which he places into his shoe,
and if he happens to throw his OPP
ponent, he attributes his increased
power to the money in his shoe, and
so along these lines the old colored
people hold fast to the old tradi-
tions existing many years ago.
The whites are not exempt from
many of the things in vogue years
ago. Many of them believe as their
mothers and fathers did seyenty-five
years ago, and to the bad or good
luck they will have according to
their doings on New Years Day they
still hold fast to their early teach
ings. But with most of the people
living today these old time beliefs
are fast disappearing.
In the days before the Civil War
and even afterwards at a time when
brandy, rum or whiskey sold for ten
cents per quart, everyone who visit
ed homes either at Christmas or
New Years were invited to partake
of eggnog, apple brandy, which was
abundant, And free as water. In
those days the decanter was a fix
ture on the sideboard and kept full
at all times of intoxicating liquors.
The first day of January was NOV
ing day in Sussex. No difference
how cold or stormy the weather
may be, people would vacate the
property they occupied to allow
others who had rented to move in.
We have seen women and children
in the old days moving by team
when they did not have sufficient
covering to keep out the snow or
rain until they reached their new
homes, sometimes many miles dis
tant Now in these days they use
trucks and make the moving less
troublesome.
There are other things which
people in these days seem to think
will prove more prosperous if start
ed on New Years Day. Why can't
people make resolutions on any
other day than Janury first, which
will be just as binding? New Years
resolutions like pie crust are easily
broken.
1t takes will power to keep them
in force and sometimes we are COM
PEELED to ask the aid of an unseen
power to come to our aid and assist
us in keeping cur pledges.
Depression In And About Glendale
Ellendale has commenced to feel
the depression. which seems to be |
prevalent in all parts of the cOun-
try. Our lumber men who generally |
deal heavily in mine props and pill
ing say there is no demand for this !
class of goods--in other days they |
could scarcely fill their orders. but |
today any order for a carload or two
per week seems about the limit
This makes it hard on those peO- |
pie who have to depend on the work
which they receive from these men |
and as other work is scarce, they |
certainly are having difficult time |
to keep the wolf from the door. Not |
only this class of labor but other |
men who work by the day to make |
a living, say that work is scarce and
to secure a days labor at living |
wages is hard to find.
Our merchants are complaining
that business is dull, how could it
be otherwise, when so many have
no work and in consequence have
no money to spend.
Hundreds, Yea! We might say
OF poor children will
have to do without their usual sup
ply of toys and candy this year
when the Yuletide season rolls
parents have no en-
ployment and will not be able to
purchase them for the little ones.
The button factory at this point,
under the supervision of Robert
9rell, is only in operation four