NEW YEAR'S CALLS.
All New York is stirring by eight o'clock. By nine, the streets are
filled with gayly dressed persons on their way to make their annual
calls. Private carriages, hacks and other vehicles soon appear, filled
with persons bent upon similar expeditions. Business is entirely
suspended in the city, the day is a legal holiday, and is faithfully
observed by all classes. Hack hire is enormous--forty or fifty dollars
being the price of a carriage for the day. The cars are crowded, and,
if the weather is fine, everybody is in the highest spirits. A stranger
is struck with the fact that the crowd in the streets consists almost
entirely of men. Women rarely venture out on this day. It is not
considered respectable, and, the truth is, it is not safe to do so.
The earliest hour at which a call can be paid, is ten o'clock. The
ultra fashionables do not begin to "receive" until twelve. At the
proper time, the lady of the house, attended by her daughters, if she
has any, takes her stand in the drawing room by the hospitable board.
In a little while, the door bell rings, and the first visitor is
introduced. He salutes his hostess, and after a few pleasant words, is
invited to partake of the refreshments. A few eatables are swallowed in
haste--the visitor talking away all the while with his mouth full--a
glass of wine or of punch is "gulped" down, and the gentleman bows
himself out.
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