. YKR since man knew enough about astron omy to divide time into years which more or less agreed with the earth's annual revolu tion around the sun, he has in various characteristic ways regarded the first day of the new year as a day of re joicing and well wishing. It was the great day for exchanging gifts until, in some Christian countries, Christmas day was substituted. While in America New Year's day Is generally observed as a holiday and as an occasion for paying ceremonial social calls, in France, even now, New Y'ear's pres ents have not entirely disappeared. New Year's day is not observed on January 1 in every country, although most nations nowadays use tlie Gre gorian calendar, and consequent!} be gin their new year on that day. In Russia the Julian calendar is still in use, and as a quarter of a day in each year is lost by that system, there is now an accumulated loss of 13 days. Januqry 1 in Russia, then, corresponds to January 14 of our calendar. The Mohammedan New Year, the Jewish New Year and the Chinese New Year, owing to the peculiar systems of keep ing time by those people, are very elu sive dates, or seem so to persons fa miliar only witli the Gregorian calen dar. AS TO THE CALENDARS. The Jewish year is solar-lunar, and may consist of as few as 353 days and as many as 385. New Year’s day usu ally falls in September. The Moham medan years usually consist of 354 days, being purely lunar, and the leap years, which occur in certain twelve months of a cycle of 30 lunar years, contain 355 days. The first day of Muharrem—New Year’s day—may in course of time make a whole revolu tion of the seasons. An instance of this may be given. The first of Muharrem, 1906, fell on February 25, while the Mohammedan New Year last year be gan on March 7. Inasmuch as it is purely lunar, the Mohammedan year Is almost unique in the calendars of the world. While the Chinese year con forms to the eastern idea, being found ed upon lunar months, a month is add ed to every 30, to make time conform with the solar year. Consequently, the Chinese New Year may begin any time between January 21 and Febru ary 28. REVOLVING NEW YEAR. The ancient Egyptians had a year more or less conforming to the Julian style, inasmuch as it contained 365 days. In course of centuries this made New Year's make a complete revolu tion of the seasons. This fact, only recently properly appreciated by Prof. Petrie, the Egyptologist, led to many misconceptions and retarded the solu tion of mysterious feasts and rites which now are perfectly well under stood by archaeologists. Anciently, in Rome, the new' year began in March, in the neighborhood of the vernal equinox, which would seem to be a reasonable, if not logical time to begin the annual cycle. March 25 was, until the latter part of the sixteenth century, the day when the new year began in most Christian countries. Numa is said to have made the Roman year begin on January 1, the day held by pagan Rome sacred in honor of Janus, w'ho was thus sup posed to turn at once back upon the old year and forward into the new. and subsequently New Year's day was, at various times and in different Chris tian countries, celebrated on the pres ent Christmas, March 1, March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation), and East er day. CUSTOM OF GIFTS. Almost everywhere the custom of making presents on the first day of the new year has been observed. When It originated, or where, it would be extremely difficult, if not actually im possible, to say. It is sufficient to know that the observance has the sanction of remote antiquity. In the eighth century B C. Tatius, king of the Sabines, according to traditions, began the custom among the Romans. At first the gifts were merely emblem atlc and of little price, being branches, cut from the wood consecrated to Strenia, the goddess of strength. These were presented to the king as an omen of good fortune The gifts beeanio more pretentious as time went on, and in later centuries some of (he Homan emperors demanded New Year’s presents of great value from the "magnates" of those days. As the Roman rulers were gentlemen who were not to he trifled with, the pres ents usually appeared on time after notice to the wealthy was given. it was in Rome, too that the habit of masquerading at New Year's ap pears to have originated. The custom still observed in Italy now is confined to the celebrations at the Epiphany and at the carnival time. FESTIVITIES OF THE DAY In some countries, notably in Great Britain and in some cities in Canada and the United States, the new year is welcomed in by festivities on the eve of tlie day. in Scotland, for instance, it is customary to celebrate New Year’s eve with some festivity, which is prolonged until past midnight. At the stroke of 12 every one present wishes each other a "Happy New Year.” The custom is also common in many parts of Germany, where the salutation is “Prosit Neu Jehr.” Similar to tiiis custom are ihe re ligious “watch meetings" held in some of the churches in tiiis country on New Year’s eve. In England on New Year’s eve, in some houses, a curious custom, or superstition, is observed. At the stroke of 12, which ushers in the new year, the party, already wait ing on the stairs, begin to ascend the stairway backward, taking a step at each stroke. Every step successfully mounted means a happy month, every stumble a reverse. Of course, it is one of those playful superstitions which are not taken seriously. Glucose Fondant fcr Christmas. Two cups sugar, one cup water, and two tablespoons glucose Boil all un til a little dropped in cold water will form a soft ball. Remove from Are and heat till creamy. Seven ways to use the fondant: Make into balls and dip in melted chocolate. Roll them in cocoanut. Roll them in chopped nuts. Fill Ags with fondant and slice thin. Fill dates with fondant, or put the fondant around the stoned date. Make into squares and place a nut on top. Roll nuts In the fondant and then In sugar. Tie Racks for Men. A present that will tie great)}' ap preciated by a man i.- a tie jack. This may be mounted embroidered linen, burnt, wood, decorated leather or painted cardboard The only thing lo be guarded against is not to make them too elaborate 1 e more simple the pattern is the me ■<- s -< to please. Room for Lots of Presents. “I wish I could b< . • iiidMss " said little Dorothy. “You would have 'o « < y, very hard, my child." obs< ved her mother. “Hut just think, mamma, (f ail the stockings 1 could hang up. ’ Greet ng. Now while the sure t . ■ sj o* •; Pells lament The past year, * »r fl'Kit, lt,- >//7 SlbwJy I marking bit the moments Op the 'hying Yes;- another_ yejaif (of ''joy^; On the morrow: / ^ Wihj have? gone tjo joirt/the de Youtllave ticked o;ir by Tick-tock, tick-t ek:, tick-tock, tick-tock; Dear old jaldck If I-but knew you The stories ypUy Of days Before my time \x__ * } Would niteike an-utterming tale, ^ / ^\\ K//~ry-~7 T ic k - toek,t i ck-tbck ;71 i ck -1 o^kAtick-loc k; Memifiks I\\hjear the call to war - ‘ V x ThY Vhunded^ Vdund. theVwbrld L x vitwYA wireri^ou'Ye^ ypVng(^#\ And in>ypuu7 pcimeTY 77^7 YHTY.ft The clash ph\BunkerAHilfiY ?V SssaSSBaa, 5®g§f MKi^i Iri AlPw and mei$ikY"t o c^/jt i ck^mk :; In memt*ri<&*'"deep'rece$S]7 I see again the .days ofiSd '7' P7/\ When "fipirtrab'Kne^YYr-^^^^YA'mTyy J* J And learbet ~lhVyheirt ;ortp ypa As to a fried ^2^7 AA/ And the '^~W/ r/^K. 1 see ;7'/7S7\ My-y The loved ones ?pf a later dayV ;7 ' With your protecting hands'7 You seemed to guard Them y • ’ FroraJ^ai-m 7 ‘ As #c|J^3ryour feet they played.' • J'J-> Tic&tbCk. tick-tpckYtick-lock,/tickrtbck; When / Av>%-a / (• <7 J Went om theabove \ N y Youi■ > -y^ice^&ixf^ldj 7VY— To c Ter condolerfeb 7 / '7.,,/ .'j, ■; To (ha alfflictad[»fl}\f < £ And| A: id tTiem c^seUt^r (tppes. Tick-tiockir tick-tacKV; yTjck-HtpckY/tick-.tock; 7H Y / ReMember’ yotiAhe /y^v WL When Johryjwas wopingfjNelV >7. How we cQpbivgd 7 Jy" ^77^7 {7\ To tell Mm-when twas time to go, A How loudly* you proclaimed the hour 1 J When I did wind yoja / For the coming A, , ✓ --> 7 / W Tick-tock, tick'-toc!jk;' tick-tock, tick-t ; Now we’re alonerf^V /k ■ s'- lv'\( The child of yeat&dpyHas gone to gria Another home y T / ! ( For othCivchildren just as fair 6 / \ J As she was" ''~v \ When with chubby hand she’d point At your round face and laugh /^/ \\ With glee , '|l When you would toll the passing houh/ Tick-tock, tick-tock^ 1 li-tock; And now «■->W., While v/e are waiting here^":L6 To welcome in with,loud acclaim The new-born year, t _^ Let’s hope 0^* ~ ^ That in His mercy He will be A shield and guide To both of us As in the days agone. When skies are cold with wintry stars, and hills Are white with yester-even’s snow, and lie In ghostly state beneath the ghostly sky; When many a gusty blast the darkness fills With ever lonely, homeless sound, and chills The window panes with frost; when crackling fly The sparks about the hearth, and glow and die, While In the pause his note the cricket trills; Oh, then how dear is home! and what a sense Of ruddy warmth and peace beguiles the mind! And what a charm in listening while the wind Blows fierce outside, through winter's starry tents, And dies away around the window pane, And ever rises loud, and dies again! — Ernest Warburton Shurtleff. The Newness of the Year APPY New Year!" The glad, greeting rings out on every' hand. A new twelve month has been ushered in with all Its mystery of "the things which are to lie.” We need then for our selves and for others to put the emphasis upon the » ' worn new rat nor man upon the term "year." That another year has come Is relatively unimpor tant. The stress Is to be laid not on the quantity but on the quality of one’s life. All that an earnest soul ran do is to live each day of the new year by Itself, us it conies in its turn, trying, if so it may be, to put a month’s effort in one day, and a day’s victory into a single hour. The time is short, and it remaineth that all who know Christ and partake of his gift of new life should he diligent al ways, watch unto prayer and boast not themselves of the morrow, t'liffi cient unto each day is the burden and blessing thereof. I he newness of the uew year is es sentially a newness of spirit. A new | man will always enjoy (he new year. I When another January arrives it is1 distinctively the time lo slough off the old and to put on the new. There is an old nature to be discarded, and a new spiritual manhood to tie assumed. The trouble witli many people, how ever, is that they try to remake and to beform themselves, forgetting tliut a few good resolutions, more or less loosely kept, can at best only touch the outside and possess no interior efficacy in the recesses of the spirit. The new man who is really worthy of the name is the uew man in Christ Jcstts. Where Jesus Is there is always newness of experience, renovation of the moral nature, freshness of hope and a resiliency of elastic joy. It is not necessary lo wait until the first of January in any approaching year to win the wisdom of such a heavenly faith or to experience the benefits of such a spiritual quickening. The promise of God is now, to every one that believeth. Kach morning may be a resurrection day, each evening a time of golden promise fair, yet not as fading, as the sunset. The New Year joy Is for all of life, all the time. It is stimulating and encouraging to feel that a brand new year is offered for happy employment, and that the old records with their motley pages, j some still vacant and other marred, and, perhaps, here and there blotted with tears, may he put away, and fresh, unstained pages substituted In their place. It Is helpful to remind one self that those broken resolutions of 1908 may be renewed in 190B, and, what is better, reinforced by more of that prayer and divine grace for want of which the Idealizing resolves of the past year were soon forgotten or went so sadly unfulfilled. The new year means, accordingly, u new hope, a new song, u new endeavor, a new outlook, a new inspiration, a new determina tion and u new grace—every new thing that Is good appears to be possi ble in Its gift. A hope like (Ills makes any doubler optimistic, and gives to existence the character of a life worth living. A wide chasm seems to Intervene between the old and the new. Into Its depths should be cast every regret, every halting doubt, and every ham pering fear which belongs to the past period of our experience and which would burden and binder our worthy efforts and spiritual progress In the new year. Let us take up our new duties and meet our fresh opportuni ties In free, gladsome and hopeful spirit, knowing that God, who has pur posed them for our uplift, will give us grace to carry us safely through. Happy New Year! The message is sent far and near. Let the glad greet ing be heard on all sides. There Is a prophecy and a promise in the New Year. Even to those who are bent with grief, or lonely by reason of bitter bereavement It Is possible and timely to say, though with lowered tone and softened accent: "Happy New Year!” Every year will be a happy, or, at least, a peaceful, one In which the presence of the Lord Is realized— which Is spent under the protection of his wings, while its duties are dis charged in his fear and its responsibil ities are borne with the assistance of ills grace. For the Christian every year should be an Improvement on the past, and offer Its additional oppor tunities for growing In grace ami Chrlstlikeness. The Christian Is a convinced and convincing optimist for, having a heavenly hope which the world can never give or take away, he can In every condition of life find a basis for an assured happiness ex pressing itself in the oft-quoted dic tum: "The best of all is, ‘God is with us!’ “ WE thank our patrons for the liberal patronage, we have enjoyed during the past year. We purpose to maintain throughout the coming year, the same high standard of quality and workmanship that has brought satisfaction to our pa trons in the past. A. E. JAQUET “The Old Reliable”