Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-03-29
THE NEW YEARS NIGHT OF AN
UNHAPPY MAN.
Translated from the German Of JEAN PAUL RicurER.
For the Herald of the Times.


with look Of wild despair at the i'm
moveable, ever blooming Heavens, and
down on the still, pure white earth,
whereupon no one now was so cheer
less and sleepless as he. For his grave
stood near by him it was all covered
with the snow Of age, not with the green
of youth, and he brought nothing with
him out of whole, rich life, but errors,
sins and diseases, a wasted body, n
blighted SOUL a bosom full of poison and
an old age full Of remorsc. The fair
days of his youth moved around him at
this hour like spectres, and brought
back before him tho bright morning,
when his father first placed him upon
the double road of life, which leads, on
the right, along the sunnypath of vir-
tue, to broad, peaceful land full of
| light and harvests /; and on the left con-
ducts downward into the miry paths of
/ vice, into dark cavern full of dropping
poison, singing serpcnts and dark, sui
try damps.
Alas the serpents twined themselves
around his breast, and the drops of poi
son rested upon his tongue and he knew
now where he was.
II Distracted, and with ncxprcssiblc an
guish he cried to Heaven "Give me
back the morning of my youth O Fa-
ther place me again upon the double
road that l may make a different
choice ~
But his Father and his youth had long
since departed. He saw ignes-fatui
dancing about on the marshes and 60
ing out in the Church yard, and he
said :-"Thcy arc my foolish days ~
He saw Star shoot from Heaven and
glmmcr as it fell and disappear upon
the Earth "That is me-" said his
bleeding heart, and the serpent-tccth
ofrcmorsc inflicted upon him deeper and
deeper wounds.
| Glowing fancy showed him night
walkers staggering about upon the roofs,
and the Windmill lifted its arms as if
threatening to crush him, and corpse
which had been left behind in the Char
nel-housc all at once assumed his fea-
tures.-In the midst of his agony, sud
denly a strain of New Years music
iloated down from the tower, like n
distant Church Song. He was tender
ly touched. He gazcd round upon the
4 horizon and over the broad earth, and
he thought of the friends of his youth,
who now happier and better than he,
were teachers of earth, Fathers of hap
py children, and blessed men, and he
said "Oh, too like you, might have
slunbcrcd out this first night with dry
eyes, if | had chosen !-Ah, | might
have been happy, ye dear Parents, if |
had only fulfilled your New Years
wishes and Instructions ~
In fevelish remembrance ofhis youth
full days it appeared to him as if the
corpse with his features raised itself up
in the Charnel-house at last, through
that superstitious feeling which in the
New Years night beholds spirits and
luturity, it became living youth, who
after the representation of the beautiful
youth of the Capitol is seen extracting
a thorn from his foot, and thus his own
early blooming form was bitterly con-
jurcd up before him.
/ He could no longer bear the sight -
he covered his eyes "a thousand hot
tears streamod down and were quench-
ed in the snow he could only sigh
once more family, in tone of despair
and distraction "Return early days |!
return 20
-- And they did indeed re-
turn for he had only been dreaming
all these frightfill things in the New
Years night. He was still a youth
only his errors had been no dream.-
But he thanked God, that while yet
young, he could turn about in the foul
ways Of vice and hasten back to place
himself upon the sunny path, which
leads to the pure land Of harvests.
Il Turn about with him, young man, if
thou art treading his mistaken path -
This terrible dream will hereafter be
thy Judge ; but if thou shouldst ever
cry sorrowiully "Come back again, fair
days Of youth !'-still they would ne
liver return.
III from the proxidonce Joorn,I