Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1891 — New Year’s Day of Old. [ARTICLE]

New Year’s Day of Old.

“The young people of the present generation who go out of town for the holidays, or pay conventional visits only when they have received c’.srds of invitation,” says a writer, “know nothing of the good old days, before the war, when men used to lay wagers upon the number of calls they could make on New Year’s Day, and ladies used to compete with each other as to the number of callers they could receive. Four fellows would hire a hack and call upon every lady who was known to any one of them. Whole engine companies—we had the volunteer Are department then—would call in a body and be introduced by the foreman. The havoc at the New Year’s tables was terrible, and. as wines and liquors were served at every house, the condition of the callers when midnight approached need not be described. Ladies were insulted, parlors wrecked, homes taken possession of by unknown rowdies. Then it became the custom for any caller known to the family to stay until another similar caller arrived to relieve guard. Toward evening these family friends had an exceedingly lively time, assisting the ladies to receive a club of ‘Gentlemen’s Sons,’ or a troop of fantasticals. Thus the good old custom of open house on New Year’s was killed by over indulgence, and now, alas! is more honored in the breach than the observance. ”

The frequency of revolutions in our smaller American republics may cause a sneer to pass over Europe at our expense, but we can be proud of one fact, and that is that with all the newness of the continent we never make such exhibitions of barbarousness and brute ferocity as the despotism of Russia breeds in all classes, from throne down to the poorest serf. The St. Clair River tunnel ia a great bore