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Show Our I Superstitious 1 Vein I & '9. jji; Encircling Wreath of Fancy -J Bedecks New Year's Day : ;.; X" :? vAVAV.W..yvw.-.w.v.Uv.W;.v.'.'.v.'.'.'iJ iV.V.VVV.V.VAV.V.V.V.V.V.,.V.V.V.V.,.V.V.VW.V,V..V EVEJl Blnce the dawn of time the hnpponlngs of Now Year's day have been said to foretell the luck of the coming months. For there Is n vein of superstition In tho human race, und all ot us share In Its delusions. delu-sions. There Is no dny In ,thb year without Its encircling wreath of fancy; this llrst day of them sjj is wondrous-ly wondrous-ly bedecked. Not even Christinas Is so ancient, and so world renowned, and It stands first In tho folklore of every language. Ou Now Year's day In ancient Iigypt, when as yet tho pyramids were unbuilt, thero were grand profession nnd smoking sacrifices. sac-rifices. In Spnrttt It was celebrated by the consecration of youths to mili tary service. Among tho Saxons and old Germans were great rejoicings, fenstlngs nnd carouslngs on this day, and tho wassail was-sail bowl passed merrily around. This wns a great vessel filled wKh ale, sugar, fruits, nutmeg and spices.. There wns enough forjlie vsholo commanlty nnd tho grent bowl rnn freely nil dny. In all countries there hnvo been chnrms nnd devotions peculiar to the opening year, for n desire to peer Into the future Is renlly common to us all, no matter how wo affect to dcrldo the Idea. Tho Illblo charm was one familiar famil-iar to our grandfathers, and was used by religious people even down to the present generation. It Is solemn end Interesting, nnd well worth recording. "When tho clock strikes 12 on New Year's eve, pick up your Illblo nnd open It nt rnndoiE, and walking back-wnrd back-wnrd to n table, lay tho book down, face open, upon It. Turn around threo times, tnke up the book, rend the verse upon which your thumb falls. It will tell your fato for tho coming year. For Instance, If It should be: VAnd np will lovo thco and bless thee nnd multiply thee." or "If I tnko the wings of tho morning nnd dwell In the uttermost parts of tho earth." we expect ex-pect n very pleasant yenr. Hut conceive tho horror of ono who should open to these words: "So ho died, end wns gathered to his fathers," or "In hell he lifted up his eyes, being In torment." tor-ment." In Switzerland the maiden borrows her mother's wedding ring, ties It with a hnlr from her own head, then suspends sus-pends It Just over the rim of a teacup, tea-cup, all tho whllo counting rapidly the vears of tier own nge. Of course tho iinlr-hung ring trembles and knocks against tho cup, and ench llttlo tap counts ono year before sho will wed; so sho must count very fast, or bo shocked at tho number of taps. In Norway tho kind of flsh caught on tho dny foretells "fisherman's luck" for tho coming year. In rurnl New Englnnd almost ovcry locality has somo special charm of fortune-tolling of Its own for this day of fate. Tho Chlneso hnvo oed cards for thou, sands of years, and the queerest thing In the world Is n Chlneso New Yecrs enrd. It Elves all tho complimentary titles of tho owner, and Is almost as largo as n wall map. In olden tlmos It wns tho custom for tonnnts to give Now Year's gifts to their landlords, and every loyal subject owed a gift to his sovereign. Wo rend how good Queen Elizabeth wns such a fovorlto thnt her gifts were marvels of inste and extravagance. In our country we give presents on Christmas dny. but In France they are reserved for th Unit of '.ho eur. |