| Show NEW YEARS DAY IN OLD WALES new years day in old wales was not marked with such celebrations as were some of the other days during the christmas season but there were two customs observed which are rather interesting the first was the visit ot the male members of the bouse to the homes of their neigh bors on new year a morning it was considered unlucky for a female to enter the bouse first on new years day but should this happen by acal dent it was supposed to be a sign ot death in the family during the corn ing year so firmly rooted Is athla old superstition in the mauds of the peasantry that some of the old will engage men or boys to visit cherf home 04 the early morning of new ears day I 1 was thus hired ahei a boy on more than one occasion and took great delight in entering certain homes as the first male visitor on that day tor which I 1 received a few pence the second custom was the visit of the waits on new years morning with the new years water the waits were supposed to be an ea institution of professional musicians wearing arms but now th name is used to designate companies of people who go around caroling during the christmas season on new years morning these waits would journey throughout the community arriving at the door of a home they would sing the following verse get up on new yeara morning the cocks are all a crowing and if you think it Is too soon get up and look at the etaro and moon after this they would knock loudly and repeat slowly the following lines the roads are very dirty our boots are very thin we wish you all a happy new year and to turn ua in when the door was opened a mem her of the party who was styled th sprinkler carrying in his hand a cup of clear water and a bunch of the box tree would sprinkle the members of the household with the new year a water repeating while doing so the following lines here we brine water from the wel so clear for to worship with us this happy bew tear sing levy dew sing levy dew the water adf the wine J S ladd thomas the guardian angel of life sometimes flies BO high that we cannot see him but he is always looking down upon us and will soon hover nearer to us rechter A man cannot speak but he judges himself mth his hlll or against bis will he draws bis portrait to the eye of bis companions by every word emerson |
