last night there was a sound of revelry in this great land. at the solemn hour of midnight, when the old year was dying, and the new year was just being born, one class of people in this american city rushed out into the open streets, cheering, blowing horns, ringing bells, and making all possible noises on all sorts of musical instruments. another class celebrated the birth of the new year by eating an elaborate meal. this is what appeared in the morning paper regarding the latter:

"one million dollars was spent last night in this city celebrating the birth of another year. more than twenty-five thousand persons engaged tables at from three to ten dollars a plate in the leading hotels and cafés."

how fond of eating americans are!

this is the first time i have seen the birth of a new year in any but my native land, and my mind goes back to the celebration on a similar occasion in china. it is a solemn event there. for weeks the people are preparing for it; houses are cleaned, and debts are paid, for a chinaman, if he has any self-respect, will be sure to pay his debts before the new year.

i told this to uncle theodore a few days ago, and he said, "i wish that americans would rise to that state of grace."

nobody goes to bed that night, but all sit up waiting for the first hour of the new year, when the father of the home, his wife and children all worship before the spirit tablets of their ancestors, and then at the shrine of the household gods.

then the door is opened, and the whole family with the servants go outside and bow down to a certain part of the heavens, and so worship heaven and earth, and receive the spirit of gladness and good fortune, which they say comes from that quarter.

at the same hour, when the old year is dying, china's emperor, as high priest of his people, goes in state to worship. kneeling alone under the silent stars he renders homage to the superior powers. he on his imperial throne makes the third in the great trinity, heaven, earth, and man. should there come a famine or pestilence, upon him rests the blame, and he must by sacrifice and prayer atone for the imperfections of which heaven has seen him guilty.

oh, china! i would prefer kneeling with you under the silent stars on new year's eve, to feasting at the groaning tables, or ringing the bells and blowing the horns of this great, civilised, noisy america!