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 sometimes paid for a carriage for the day. The cars and omnibuses
are crowded, and every one is in the highest spirits. The crowds consist
entirely of men. Scarcely a female is seen on the streets. It is not
considered respectable for a lady to venture out, and the truth is, it is
not prudent for her to do so.

Callers begin their rounds at ten o'clock. The ultra fashionables do not
receive until twelve. At the proper time, the lady of the house,
attended by her daughters, if there be 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 ushered in by the pompous domestic in
charge of the door. The first callers are generally young men, who are
ambitious to make as many visits as possible. The old hands know where
the best tables are set, and confine their attentions principally to
them. The caller salutes the hostess and the ladies present, says it's a
fine or a bad day, as the case may be, offers the compliments of the
season, and accepts with alacrity the invitation of the hostess to
partake of the refreshments. A few eatables are swallowed in haste--the
visitor managing to get out a word or two between each mouthful--a glass
of wine or punch is gulped down, the visitor bows himself out, and the
ladies avenge themselves for the infliction by ridiculing him after he
has gone. This is the routine, and it goes on all day, and until long
after dark.

Sometimes a family, not wishing to receive callers, will hang a
card-basket on the front-door knob and close the front of the house. The
callers deposit their cards in the basket, and go their way rejoicing.
Perhaps the mansion is one that is famed for the excellence of its wines
and eatables on such occasions. The veteran caller has promised himself
a genuine treat here, and he views the basket with dismay. There is no
help for it, however, so he deposits his card, and departs, wondering at
"the manners of some people who refuse to observe a time-honored custom."

[Picture: NEW YEAR'S CALLS.]

A gentleman in s