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, NEW YEAR CUSTOMS
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Old. . Time Rites and the Origin of Some That
. Are Still Practiced.
Now Year's Day has been n day o [
ceremony nnt ! rejoicing for 11. m'ent
many contllrlea In the wOl'III'H hlstor ' .
Its OI'lgllI Is tl'Ucet ! Imclt to the Homan
feU\'al : o [ JunllH , uncI' the establlHh.
ment oC the omllll'o , ' 1'ho old Homunll
divided the year Into ten months pnl ) ' ,
NUIl1L : PomplllllH uddOlI .Jlmlla'y ! 111111
Fcbrl1ril' ' ' ' tll
. a1\d dodlcated the fOl'mOl'
.JanIl8 , 713 D. C.
" ' 'l'IM 1\l' \ ! 'fhc lwo.faced .JUIIUS comcs In
\'Iow :
'Villi 1I'ul'IlIlhs hiM rnlo n.10rn ,
And I'mIl1"III.Ii. " rh'lIl11 nf Iho morn.
He'JIIIII'IIH / Iho 10111 nsillo. .
But 1 < 11I111'101 111 > 011 the IIcw.eml'I'tIIIH ) ' ( ' 11. . '
wllh 111'1111' ,
Anl1 1I0W lIlIllI\ ( \ , wllh nJ'lIl : ( ' IC ' .
Tllo I'llhy lJulC'K uf ol'lcnl till ) ' , "
On thlH dar lho HOll1an consuls. Col
Iowod h ' the court , wcnt to the cnll
ltaI , 1111 pJJ'geollsly ; apll1l1'cled , whel'l
the ' sacrlllced two while ImIlH , nevel'
; rolccd. to .Jllpllor < 1allllollnlls.
The DruldH ohserved New Yelll' wll II
grout Ilomp and cerell1ony , One f'a ,
tllro of theh' ccremonles was the d18'
, trll.llltion oC the milltietoe all10ng f ho
people on Now Year's e\'e. The
Iprlests went In unnllal procesillon , un
! the Alxth dilY of the 1I10on n rll'eat the
\New \ Year , wearing \\'hlt" rohea I\.lId
1bolUIllS Ioldel1 slcltlu with whl h to
do tach the flam'oll lIal'Uslto CI'OI11 the
roo. So milch did lher esteem It thnt
t WUS carried In 11 whl o clolh. 1l
Imust be cut f1'om the dl\'llIo oal , . tn
Itho forest dmllcuted to the godH. ' 1'ho
IApplo tree mistletoe. usecl In Englund ,
\f \ 11. dlfferellt thing' ultogether. We
.aU remember the m 'thologlcal storr
of Enens , who , when descelldlns to
' , 'ernlls , W1\1I comllellod to talw with
,111m , n brnnch of this ) lll1nt to ProsOl"
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Amung' the Saxons the New YOHl'
wali lIHlwred In br fl'lendly glftH ,
Lutor , thbl cllstom or maid II/- / ; gifts
WIlS cal'rlecl to I1'1111101111 cxeeS-I ! ,
IIellr ' III. or gllglancl extortpll costly
; ; lCts 11'011I his ( ' 0111'1. QlIl'ell UPHS ( 'ar.
rlml It to IHieh un l'XIl'pnH' . HaYH 1)1' .
IJrlllw. that hel' OstI ' wllI'Ill'olw allcl
jeweh' ' Willi IIIIpp1leci III tlliR'II ' ,
WIII1I1 IIcnl'r111 , WIlR rccpl\'llIg
costl . 1II''II'nlH 1'1'011I his COlII'lIol'S , we
read that honl'Rl old Lalllllcr hUlldl'll
him II Bllllp , willi fHJme Ile.'tlrll'ut
ehaptm'fj 1III11'lil'll , IIIlwh to the \JIII'I \ '
1\llIg's llI'i/IIHI. / .
JJI' , IJrnlw 11'11t < 1If ! t lint. III till' Hlx ,
teenth centul' ' , Pl'lnrl' 111111 pellsllllt i
nlllw relclll'llted the Now Yenl' wllh
regularJlr HlIII IlIIrlule.
1\IlIoh wall IIladll of the wal'sull 110\\1
ut tldH ReIlSOIl. 1l was canlc"1 ! ! t01ll
l ! 0 01' to cloor with loud Shlglll Jand :
menllllont. 'I'he wo1'I1 If ! dol'lvel ! from. .
was ha Ill' , t he Saxon fOl' , . II erejH to
'Oll ! " IIn expl'easlon sllli In URO II '
mun In ) Jlollglug each otller nt RIIP'
pel's. The IlI'eHent lo\'lng CIIII falip ! !
the IIll1co of the ancient \\'llsH'111 110\\1 ,
In sOllie or the countrr ( lIsll'lct ! ! 01'
Englnnll old Clll.1tOI1U ; are stili ollsUl'\ "
Oll. On New Year' ! ! eve , III luldnlght ,
the last or the Chl'lsllllllS cal'Ols Iii
R1II1g' , ollt sldo of the hou8C' , l > y the
'olln ; ; Ileollle , theu t here hi a rllah for
the nellre8t Iilrlll ( , nnd the III'IiI. onl'
who fIllf ! hlH 01' hl'l' glllss gelR whl1t
they call the "cI'cam or the well , " II nd
wl1o \ the most fortunate dllrln the
coming 'elll' ,
In the eal'h' hOllr ! ' ! of the m01'l1In . a
fllnol'lll Iii held , at Rome ) luhllc hOllsea ,
ever " 0111 'rom" (1111 ( the 0111 year Is
calle ) , when the 1 > 0 's IlI1rnde the
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I . . The Joyous New Year ,
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Who comes dnnclng over the snow ,
His soft little feet all bare and rosy ?
Open the door , though the wild wInds
blow ,
New Yelll"s dllY WIIS a great da ' III
I NfHl' YOl'k with the ollrly Dutch sot ,
Ill'rs , It WII ! ! ushol'ecl In hy the I'lng
Ing uC IIl'lIs and 1II'Ing of guns. Waah
IngtOl , InInIn : : his IlIlmol'ous "Jnlcle
I'I'horil'I"S ! ! IIHlory of Now Vorl , . '
gl\'l' a dl'ilghtl'lIll ' all1uHlng account
I
01IIII' OhSI'I'\'lIn'e oC Nnw YC1\l' lU\10ng
( he-H' ! N.thl'l'lanclC'I's , " ' 1'ho whole com
IIll1nltr. " lIP tplIs us , "WitH 11t > lugf'11
\\'lIh chl'l'I' ' IJI'IIII1Jy , ) lUI'O 1I01ll1nd
/ 1111lIIulled \ ( 'hll'I' ; evel'r nOlisP was
a t I'n : pie oC the mOl'l'y god. anlnHlUY \
n IJI'o\'lcll'ut vagaJond ! wus Intoxlclltl'll
OUI of IIIII'P I'CUllomr. dl'lnldng liquor
ellough 10 sl'l'\'e him the rcmalulel' ( of
lIH' rl'al' , "
I 1'\\111- \ : \\'ell especlallr lIlon the
1'1I1 ! 111I11 pI\'PIl ; lit the Gm'cl'nor's. old
I'l'll'l' : :5luy\'c-IlInt : ! , Now Year's r.lght ,
" \\'h'u llll' oed Petel' wait ! Ilm'outly
OJSl'I'\'lInt ! of thn ) llous I'ito of lhsln1 ; ;
all till ! wonwnldnd fOl' a HUIlY ) ) New
YelI' : . "
On this c1ar the go\'ernor also Ills.
Il'lhlltl11 ! Ihllllps to the old negroes ,
whu II chlll'11 all night while the 'oung
( lcople dllnced. Under PeteI' was in.
( < I It 1111'11 "qllllllng hee ! ! , " "huRIlng
h l's. " nnd olhm' I'lIl'al assemhlages ,
whorl' . IIIlIler lhe II1BIIll'lng IIIIh1Puce
or lilt ! Ihlllh > s. toil was enlivOiled ! Jy
1't'ty anll followecl by a dnnco ,
I 'rho go\'el'nul' did nut alllJl'ovo of
I tlwlIhol't sldrts WOI'l1 by the hutles
1 and UI'ICI'I' < < I a I'lItIle IIl1t at the bottom
of them , lie IIIwwlHc disallllrm'ed 01
80n1l' oC their stOJl In dancillg. and
o I'll ! . ' ' ! . ' that 1)0 ) othel' step Hholll.4 jJe
taltt'll hilt tll ( ' "Hhllllle alld tUI'l1 : ' anla
" I'ullble. "
the "douhle t
'rile cllstom of New Year's calling
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THE NEW J1EA"R
MEVITATIONS
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t""OI1 thr lhrl'I'hnht of lh ) 'cnr
1.xlN'tHlltJ : . WI' " 'llilul.
Anll1' / ' " 01.1 . .ll1nlll4 (1I11'lIf yor , . .
( I'l'rlml , 1111' 'f'lIr lit IInll.l ,
A JIll \\011111" willi I 11/4 Ju1' ' ! will be.
III ! 1'01'1"\\1 < , Ilnlll 111111 1'111'1' ,
'I'hnl It will hrillt ; II I.II'IIII'I' ' ' : /I'cat ,
II ! I"CI' VII ( ' elll'lll' l IJrn'cl' .
'rhl'lI r.117.11I hn'k 0'1'1''nlll : lc,1 'enrs ,
1'ul'hlch \\11 HI1 ' IUIIiI-hYl' ,
\ \ ' " t hhtl < uf ull thl' Ju's 1I11110wn ,
AIII , 4Jn ! II 10nHIIIH IIlgh ,
\\lII ! , wO'III.'rlllg' If fllllll'O rcnrs
Will 1.1'1.t ; ' ' 'I mOil ) ' jll\'H , .
\ \ ' . . \1'111 IIl1t ho 'III lI/othl / of hearl ,
Ak 11111'11) ' ' gll'llI UIHI 1.I ) ) 'II.
1t 1101l1.h. ' ' / ' . ! ! omo dc'pcr JOYs
\\111 . . . .tn. . 1110 0111' h.'IH , , , ;
\'I'I'h"I \ ( ! I lOllY hI' 111'1'l'l't ! chnl'ln.
\ \ 1" " " ( ' 1'1' " ' \t'ct 1"'ul'l' IlIJpllrls ,
II 11\ , , ht' , oil , sn mall ) ' I hlllH9
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III 1lI'h : " ; 1" mn ' r'jolC'c , t
Alltl ulI"I.J\1Hly \ WI" 1'1'(1) ' ( ' 011.1'nlt ,
Tu hCIIl' IIIl' III'ollhel'K volco ,
Tn 11'11 UI whl'llirr A'r/I'r / or joy ,
1'0 ilK tI" , ) 'I'ur KlulH hrlllH ,
Allll111'111 ( ' " \\0 Hhllll wcell mill shh
a" " thlllll < 1'1i1 IIrulHt' > \ HIIIH ,
J"'II'e\\.m ' flll'\I'I'II , oil ! Ueotlntt ) 'car , .
We 11"\'t'r will f'lI'j.cl
'I'hl' hlll'/lY / IIIIrH tholl hnHl bl'sowcd ! ,
, AII0 \\111 IU\'e thce ) 'et. ,
Aillt IhouA'h relll'I/1I1t1 ' wc port ,
AH tlloll mIll' A'O n 'o ) ' ,
Till' mCIIIOI' ) ' or f1i ' JOYOIIS 1I0urs ,
' ' mllH1s will tn ' ,
\\11 hili lilli'
AII'1 nh : / ' { l\ow Year , plcase ,
SW"I'I hll' ! 1 I1HR " ' ( 'I' hPHIllw.
AIHI 11"1 UII , If It li. , GOII'H wm ,
olalll 01' HIIITI1JawYo' ,
- In rlha SlIelJUr Lippincott ,
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Year's
Customs in
Many Lands
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While there I a growing dlsposi.
tlon to nllow the celebration oC New
Ycar's da ' to Call Into disuse , It still
retains Its rnnl , as the most ancient
festlval of lhoVUI'ld. . E\'on beCore the
Christian Na lis was observed as n
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dtr sacred to thp god .Janus. ' 1'ho ol :
Homans mndo It It puullc holiday and
Ixclmnged prcsents of glided fruit ,
wbllo the Grcels inducted their new.
Iy elected magistrates Into office. The
Druids , too , held the IIrst day of the
new 'ear In particular honor and veneration -
eration , and the survival of many 'of
their pagan rites and superstitions
stili to bo foun in Wales , Drlltuny
nud UIO southwestern ] lortlons of Ens-
land ,
Varied ns were the wars In wblch
the festival was l\Cpt , in this nil na.
tions were agreecl-that a time of new
IIfo had come , that olel qllarrels must
bo forgotten , olcl debts canceled , and
ever .thlng possible done to create a
Ceellng of "goml will toward men , "
Nowhere else , unless It be In Ger.
many , Is thol'e such It varletr of calws
and pastry ml mny be found In n
Scotch bnle shol. ( Besides the Scotch
caraway calws alld the Christmas
sqllares there is a shorthread l\11own
aa Plt'caltlty bannocls , which are
hlghlr ornamented with sugar and
mottoes. such us "A JIalllY ) New
Yeal' " or "A Merr ' Auld Yllle. " Then
there are the rye loa\'es , 1I0ilular in
the Thrums lstrlct , billel , anll rich
and fillCtl with fmlt and peel. and the
Scotch buns , comlHlsed entirely of
eggs , chOlll1tcl : Cmlt and peel , Incnse
In a Cl'ust which IH not to bo ( 'aten.
lu Scotland IlS wt:1l thc old custom
prevails of consulting the Blhlo on
Kew Year's mOl'nlug to see what fate
has In stol'e for the comlug 'ear , The
sl1cr(1 bool , must lIe lalcl on the table
and the ono cousultlng It must Ollen
't at random and ) Jlnce n linger on the
chapter to which tile 11001 , ollOns.
This II' then read an nccellted as the
ultimatum ,
In I'I'lmce It Is the mORt important
dar of the 'ear In the war of frlendy !
mel'llngs and allllntmcnts ) and social
and family rellllions , ' 1'he typical
Frenchmau on thla da ' always dines
at homo with his p8Y'cnta , IC he has
: l11r , and no outsldo attmction Is SIlC.
Hclent to lure him awa ' from the pCI"
formance of this IIl1al ut ' ,
New Year's customs In HusRla are
s11eclally IntOl'estlng , In tlto mOl'l1lug
the prlll es of the Imperial family ,
court functionaries an sel'vants 01
the palace C0ll10 In regular order to
present their homngo to the emperor ,
who Idssea all the members of hie
famll ' and the highest of the officials
three tlml's , according to Husslan
fashion. In the streets the people
I\lss each other , whether acCualntel :
or 110t. This coremon ' was sUllpresscl' '
for n time , hut was reestabllshed r
few 'ears ago under the reign of AI
exandor II. In the pro\'lnces tlto hand
somest horse In the village If ! ga 'I
decorated with evergl'eens nnd her
rles , nnd ( llreclly after bl'enl\fast il
comlucted to the house of the noble
man , followed by all the bo's of lIll
\11Iage , who have llOen up slnco da '
breal. rus11ladln Cl'lends and foeiwltl
wheat and drle peaa. 'I'ho motle'
l1roceaslon Is met at the door by th ;
master , who a mlts It. horse and all
to the parlor , where all the famll ' aI"
assembled.
Next comes a procession of ren
animals-tho ox , cow , goat and hog-
also garlan ed with greens and bel
rlealnd led b ' the children. 'l'hes
loss favored animals are 110t Invite
In , but tlowly ; file In front of th
house , that the fl\mll ' mu'Iow th
111\rt\l10 from the windows , At th
heels of this cu\'alcade como the 01
women of the communlt . . beal'lng
lIuttcrlng contingent of barn 'ar
fowla , also trlcle out In greenl
which the ' bestow as llresents to th .
mastcr.
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1 Legend of
Chinese New
1 Year's Lilies
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'Vong Su wns no common Chinaman ,
although ho did ollerute a Iuundl' ) '
on 11. side street.
'I'ho launlh' ' , he conlhlecl to his lit.
tlo frlenc , John Lawson. whollt he was
wont to cnll Llttlo .1olm , In I'ecollrr. .
( IOn of a ( 'hnrnclt'r In the lOolt ) which
the ho ' had lenl to him to real ! . Wf\S
1II(1rely a stepping slono toward the
\\I'gOl' \ sphere of It ChlneHo ml'rchant.
LlItle John had crept Into the heart
of Wong Su'er lilnce ho hacl lue-
venteel some othel' ho\ ' from throwIng -
Ing RtoneB nt the latindl' ' \\Indows ,
/1nd In tolwn oC his rogal'd. Wong 8u
had gl\'I ! the IIttlo hey a howl of
Illy hulbs which WOl'O just ! 'Iell11lllg ' out
tiny HplliC3 of ga'oll1 ! nbo\'o th lr
( 'rlnlded hrowlI co\'eringH ,
Nuw Lltllo .Jolm was I'etllrnlng the
blllhs to his frlencl to ho cared for
until /mothor season oC hloom should
arrive > .
" 'l'al\O care of m ) ' sacred 11l1es ,
1lll'aseVong Su ? " ho hegged ,
Wong Su smlll'd. " ' 1'heso are not
sacred lilies , Lltllo John , " he said ,
"the propel' nl1mo for them Is 'angel
lIi1es. ' Wo call thorn I\.ngel lilies In
my COll11trr , Woult1 'ou JIlw to Iwow
how they came IJ ' that name ? '
Lltlle .John clasped Won Su's hand
In both his own and jumped up mul
down In delighted assent.
"Evor and ever so long ago , " be.
ganVong Su , "In a 111\I't of Chinn
where much oC the lund is .ery Inw
and some oC It quite SW\Iu ' , thele
lI\'ed n I'lch mandal'ln who had two
sons , LI } < 'oo and \VhIS 'I'ung.
"LI } < 'oo was 11 hnJOcl'ltical 'Olmg
man who wall very jealous of the
Illeasant disposition and pOl1ularlt . of
his younger brothel' , and he manngC'd
to Inllllence tilt' 1I'Ind of hili father so
that when , full of 'ears. he came to
l1le ho left to Li Fee the right to dl\'lIle
hl prollort . as he though t best , cleo
r.endlng' Ullon' Li Foo's wisdom uml
affecllon , to maliC IL fall' division with
Wing Tung.
"No sooner hatl the days of mourn.
Ing for the old man endClI thl1n LI
1"00 h1\stened to divIde : he largo os'
tate which the ma darln had leCt In
his care.
"All { he 11\.n < 1. nnd all the other
IIrop rtr of his Catlter , he solzed ( ' } r
hlmwlf. except sOllie fwampy mead.
OW ! ! . and a Cew IInlmportl1nt articles ,
which ho gave to Wing Tung. .
" ' ' ' brother's heart
'l'he 'ounger was
verr hea\ ' ) ' , and hIs splrll sank withIn
him whel1 he thought of tlte future ,
" \ying Tung rea1lzl'd that his Rture
ot money woull ! Roon vanish , nnd he
had nolther 11 ) JI'ofesslon nor an occu.
Ilatlon to depenll IIpOI1 for an income ,
He determIned to come to this conn.
trr oC tbeVest , where he mlht. ; per'
baps lelLrn how to eam 11 livelihood.
"lie became partlcuIlLrlr Interested
in seeln 1I0w m1 'sh lands In Amol'l ,
ca were reclaimed nnd ma e to produce -
duce fine crops of rice ,
. . 'J wl\1 \ go hack to my own cuuntr } ' , '
he said , 'and If mr brother has 1I0t
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"Ever and ever so long :1go , " salt
Wong Sue
tal\Cn pos1'1esslon ' of mr 11001' : : 'l\rshe
I will drain thom aud cultl\'atc rlc' '
upon them. '
"It was lIeal'lng the tlmo oC ou
New Year when \VllIg 'fung reachcl
his native ) lrovlnce nnd went to 10lJ
at his whle stretches oC marsh lam
"As he In ' , tUl'l1lng the 1lI'.ol > lem ovc
In his mlnll that night , consldel
Ing 11eSlt0l1l1entlr that ho cOlli
, scarcel ' hOI ) ( ' to carrr on his WOI'
and Il\'e unttl harvest time 1I:1On tl :
smnll sum II'Ct to him , an angel :11
poared to hIm bearing 11 111l' IOt 'c
sl'el\ \ '
" " 1'nlw these seeds : said tile nng' '
'and sI1rlnte ! ! them 0\01' e\'el'r IHlI't (
'Otll' l11arsh , 'I'hcro 1I0s a I'ol'tune I
that ml\r h for 'ou , Ho not dlscou :
nged : you 8hal1 renp gold from It. '
"Vel'y earlr in the mornill111 / ;
'I'ung set out to sow the seed herm
anrono coulel O UII to see what 11
wns ahout , ami laugh to I' co I'll hi
fol1r at Illanting seed In a wOI'thlm
marsh ,
"On the night before the ChlllN
Now Yeal' the nnel ; alllwal'cd ngal .
to'In 'rung , sa 'lng :
. " 'Go , gather 'our han'est oC gel (
It fs rlJ1e. '
"At IJroak ot 11nr Win ! : 'fung hns
cned to Ills meadows and there , scn
- tcred all over the drenrr hrown I
. the mnrsh. were small grol'n Ilolnt
with here ant ! there 81enllel' lanre II.
leave ! ! henring 1U1long thom stnlhs I
beautiful lilies , ' 1'he RWllm11 'WOlIIl
whlto and Holt ! with their IJCaulr , .
"g\'r ' 11n ' of the New " ) elll' cel
hl'atlon , UI1I1 for l11anr t1n 's therl'aftf
Wing 'fung solei his angel lilies to II
who wlshell to bur , and thus ho rea
8 , ell from the hed oC his mal'lIh th
.e hnrvest of golel which the : mel h :
) lromlsc.l him. "
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CaRt lip thl' Rum ot Hooll relol\'rs ;
Wllh whl'h w < ' meet UII' 'JYU' ; "
" the IIIHIII : . . dehlt Rhlo
.I't nil till' frnllR "ppellr'
\\1'11 , . dowlI th ( ' Hno WI ! , till nol .10-
' .I'hl' ! ( unlN WI' 1111\0 ) Jot won-
Hilt wl'lll' III IiIIU.ly clinracII'I' ' !
'file lin we hn Vo lIot on ( ! .
Il'l nil thE' m'rll 'o'v < " acqul"I" ' ,
111 11111 n'l ! 111'11I 111111 fll II' ,
All IUlI1lnolls alld flllo lO ucc
Ye hlJl h' wl'lltrn there :
AIIIIlUI If" , gooll we Inl'anl t , ) ,10-
The IJU" hilt hlllr hegllll-
. \ 1111\\1'111' , h/Ah / on Ih ( ' cl'cl1lt shle ,
'l'lw ua wo 1111\0 nol 110110.
.
'Till hnrd 10 11\ ' ( ' In A"ontlenel'I :
'TN ! hlll',1 10 make the 'enr
A JltlHI'-n hlntll'ss pnHC or JIJ ) ' .
. \ ud 110111'1'1) , ' , al1l1 ( 'hl''r : .
" .I'IH .101.11'1' YI'I thl' ! evil lhlnt ; : !
Thill nil hl'H't. tn shul1-
811'I'lle In li'n0 , 111111 1I0ne t slrolI
'fhe liltl1 WI ! lIa\'o nol OIIO ,
'fill' HOot1 WI' IIIl"al1 to do-lhe 111'.t ! !
So uft \111111'I'sI001l ;
"
"
: ,
The thwartel Hood we tr ' to do.
. \11 < 1 would 110. If we coule1 ,
The noble deeds wo set upon
A 1111 hll vo oecomp1lshell nOIl-
" "rite thclJI-lIn wltll tllem clcdlt al1
'l'he liad we huvo nut dOllt' .
-W. D , Nesbitt ,
The Old Year
. and the New
m
'fhe past : year 11115 meant mauy
th Inls to man ' ) leople.
TI'n ed ' and comedr have JJlaed ,
hide I1nd seek In the most unexpected
llillces. .Jo ' and sonow have gone
hancl , In haud In 111 an ) ' Il\'es. 'Wlshe9
have not ended In fullIllment even
when most conlldcntlr t'Xllected ; and
Fcrtune , with 1e1' usuul IIckleness , lias
smiled where hel' presence was hllher
to unlml1\\'n.
The 111lssinp ; ) 'ear has brollght many ; ; !
Ifts there WIlS no refusing , On SO 111 0
It showl'I'ed blessings until all the ,
worl was golclen to II ! ! fllvorltes , and
life a halllllne"s so great It crowded '
ollt 1111 remembrances oC grlofs thut
were old , 01' ret to be born , 'fo others
It has been the graveyard of dead
hopes , the bllr 'lng grollnd of bappl.
ness , the IInal resting place of energy ,
ambition I1nd Illeals. ' 1'0 all it has
hrollght some eXJerlence ) that forever
will stand monument.lIIce In our lives
to murl , the birth of new capacities
within ollrselves for good or 0\11 ; the
awakening of Eome powol'ful Influence
for weal OJ' woe ,
Twe\ ! ' short months , and how much
they mean ! A few hundl'ed ar.d some
od dayI' , and hllndreds of JIves are
mIHTe forever , or made happ ' for n
tlmo. Lived weB and profitllbl ' , they
have hrought contentmentatl a clear .
conscience to hel)1 ) UB face the coming
) 'ear an hUoy us up In the stur y
faith that the future cannot but be I1S
hl'lght as was the pagt , IlIspent , tllOSO
few shOl't months 'hn'e banished hOllO
from man ' a life , I1nd dimmed many
a11 Illustrious name. It Is the mlstal\O
of the moment thut maliCs the mlsor '
of a lifetime , nor can repentancc
hrlghtl'n It ngnln. Few oC us are capa'
ble of Illannlng evil , but man ' of us
slIccumb to tile unex)1ected ) oPllortll-
nltr. The strong withstand. the weal.
faltel' an'd fa 11 , and 'et the worM In ,
slsts that both shollld he meastll'ed b '
the l\Iue stern tandard of right /lncl
wrong , with no allowance made 1'01'
wcalmess , It Is so easy to bo good
when one ha1'1 ' all one wauts , so Rlmlllo
to resist tel11)Jtaliou ) t hat has no allurements -
ments , so comCorllng to sit In the con.
clous rectlt IIlle that Imows no disposition -
sition to evil , and condemn tho1'1e '
whoso lives 1\1'0 a constuut struggle
to do the things ther ollght not to clo ,
anll In whom one tl'lumph is a greater
moral victory than a lIfetime of right ,
eo\tsneilS on the Iml't of the unte1llpt.
ed.
We all hnve a weB def.ne wish at
this season of the ) 'ear to turn a c1ean
lIage In the hoole of life , to Imllro\'e ,
If posslJle ! , to perfOl'm mlraclos or
Iindness and goo ness.
'I'he unl\'ersal deslro is to bo nt
ItCaCe with manl\l1ll1. 'I'o succeed ono
must temper jnsllco with mercr. until
Iho accelltec1 Iloslt Ion Is reversed anll
It Is merc ' which lri temlered ) with
justice , ' 1'0 olll'selvea we catltlot bo
too Re\'ere : to tbe faults of others , too
lenlont. By our own mlstal\Cs let us
n1 < 'asuro the misdemeanors of those
about us , ] .C't u ! ! Ilrollt by the temp.
tatlons wo hn\'e met , l'etumlng thanls
for the coul'nge which has 1wl)1ed ) us
to withstand some , from OUl' failures
gatherlug fl'esh cotll'age Cor a new nt.
tem)1t. ) l ach henrt Imo\\8 Its own bit.
temess , deep stratum oC sorrow
often lies close to the fult'est fmrface
' Of the l\I1owl'dgo bol'l1 oC our eXlerl' )
'n ence we mUft ! be generous , find denl
gentl ' with the failings hardest to
I . , , understand In others. Charlt ' cover
cth much , hut alaR , In too manr cases
: t. It Is a garment wom threa bare at the
Renms , and lu holes In man ) ' placos.
t
t 'fo Ieep It whole anti capable of ahel-
terlng the need ' Is 1tasle that would
e
I prolltahly fill the next 'ear for these
nC of u who \\111 tIIulertale it : anti
. , , I there Rhuult1 bo manr such. Ir wo
were onlr honest enouh ! to somo-
e. times malw the allowances for others
' ' we nev'l' fnll to mal1'01' \ ! oUl'selves ,
'I' ,
III "If there bo some wealer one , Slvo
II' me strenth ! to 110111 h'r on : ' Is n wish
at t\tat \ Is charltahlc , practical and 1lnd ,
ul Ir. luul woulel lIIalo ; n splelllll evlc6
fOl' 100i. :
