People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 27-25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1896 — JANUARY FIRSTLINGS. [ARTICLE]

JANUARY FIRSTLINGS.

Como Thlcjs to Ponder and to lie ''Thankful For. The best- time to rejoice, to feel great satisfaction, i: not so much at the opening of vile New Year as at the close of tho old, when we know what wo have gained, what wo have achieved and what we have reason to be thankful for. The exercise of memory, however gratifying tho tilings we remember, never affords such pleasure its the exercise of hope, which pictures everything that might, bo, but has not been. The New Year, therefore, always appeals to us ns promising tho realization of tho dearest wishes of our

heart, nqjljls In oonsequeuco exuberantly w el com a Tho profuse distribution of gifts on Now Year’s day was still tho custom In England during Elizabeth’s reign, and nearly her cut ire wardrobe as well as her jewelry was supplied In tho form of presents. If the women of today were as bountifully furnished as was tho vastly overrated quoou, Jan. 1 would bo more precious in their eyes than all the holidays together, but tho present innkers would be irretrievably bankrupt. In mediteval times women enjoyed being kissed on New Year 's day under the mist'd'Jo Tim modern, the contemporaneous woman, is not particular about tlie mistletoe or tho day either. Time, plaoe and the man being given, she relishes kissing generally. Till within a few years tho women of New York were in the habit of receiving thrift, friends in town on Now Year’s day in grand stylo. Now thosoolaiming to be, fashionable Uy on thattluy to the country, presumably to avoid their foes—.in other words, to get rid of bores, who are socially 1 tlm most formidable of enemies. The Chinese at homo gamblo on New Year’s night to a prodigious extent. In Walt street Now Yorkers gamblo enormously on most of tho other days of tlie year. Tho good resolutions made on Jan. 1 have generally proved to lie bad performances before tlio end of February. The men who are continually “turning over a new leaf” on New Year’s day are apt to forget the leaf soon after, or that they have t urned the leaf over at all. Tho headaches that are felt the next morning after Now Year’s may usually he attributed to “treating” tho good resolutions they have made on that day. Many Ainorienns outside of New York so detest tlie fulfillment of wiiat it oalied social duties that they would bo delighted to hoc widely extended the French custom, which releases Parisians from tlie obligation of making New Year’s calls in consideration of their sending small presents instead. They would give llbejally to ho eniirely exempt from the whole business of “visiting,” be the date Jan. 1 or any other. They would much rather pay out thau go out. Expectancy is so strong in tho human breast that it air,omits almost to superstition, as New Year’s day illustrates. No matter how ill success a man may have had in all the years that have past,, lie Is pretty sure to believe that tlie New Year will bring him a change of fortune. And happily his belief will help him to bear bis burdens if it does not make them lighter. Wiiat wo believe limy not hap-

pen, but it makes tho present brighter. It is a great pity that every day of the year does not inspire and cheer as Jan. 1 is apt to do. Then weslio'uld always carry a light heart and possess a cheerful mind. In tho cities of China tho people on New Year’s day offer up paper prayers in the temples. To use u commercial phraso, do tlioy moot their jyiper when it falls due? Junius Hknri Browne. 7 ' Charles Dickens uttered a sentiment that every young man who, desires suocoss Would do woll to lay to heart, “Tho one serviceable, pafo, remunerative quality in every study and pursuit is the quality of attention.”