NEW YEAR'S DAY.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1138, 2 January 1874, Page 2

NEW YEAR'S DAY.

New Tear's Eve was celebrated with eustotnarv joility. The bright moonlight favored out-door perambulation, and 1 he majority of Werfportiaus preferred out-door exercise to friendly gatherings at home. There was a fair amount of liquoring up indulged in, and the compliments of ihe season were ratified with customary libations As the clocks struck, or rather marked, the mystic houi of twelve the event was promptly recorded with energetic demonstrations. As it happened there were no craft in the river to testify by gun or rocket, or loud alarm bell, the advent of 187 i in customary nautical style, but ample observance was paid by dwellers on shore. The brass band The Westport Brass Baud—always to the fore when demonstration is considered needful, paraded the streets and discoursed appropriate if not melodious music. With them also came a supernumerary gathering of tintinabulary and tin-can-ambulatory performers, who filled up any possible vacuum in the volume of sound con sidered necessary to usher the old year out and the new year in. There was some powder expended also in giving old firelocks just another chance to burst up in glorious service, and chalk also was at a premium, as necessary to fulfil what has become an essential duty in Westport, the chalking on each householders door or shutters the figures of the new year, as if Christmas bills and long standing accounts would never present themselves to warn them that another year and its responsibilities awaited reckoning. But for the nonce fun and frolic banished all care for the coming morrow. The bars were thronged, and the time honored Caledonian intstitution of *' first footing" was continued until an advanced hour in the morning. Still, with all the incidental reckless jollity of the moment, good order was kept, and lew had cause to regret or rebuke. Prominently among the festive events was open home at the new " Empire." The Phceuix' ; clapped its wings and crowed " lustily, and present and prospective patrons of the new establishment were delighted. During the day holiday keepers variously amused themselves. Many sped away oh picnics, while others found their way to the Charleston racecourse. The Regatta on the river was the chief attraction in town ; and in the evening a final wind-up jollification at the various hostelries, dancing hops where dancers are wont to congregate, and a good many pleasant family reunions appropriately wound up , the season's festivities, and left each holiday keeper prepared to lace the new j ear, its trials, its joys, and disappointments, with a " braw heart for a siane wall," and thankful for past mercies.