Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-04-27
From the German II Riclf-r-
/ New Years Might of an Unhappy Man.

An old man stood upon the night Of the
new year at his window. and gazed with
a look of fearful despair, up 10 the im-
movable, ever-glowing heavens. and
down to the calm. clear. white earth.
upon which there was now no oFe 81
friendless and sleepless as he. For his
grave lay near by him. Il was covered
only with the snow of old age. not with
lhe green of youth, and he brought with
him out of the rich abundance Of his
whole life, nothing but errors, sins, and
lnfrmities; and a wasted BODY. desolafe
soul, a breast full of poison and an old
age full of poison, and an old age full Of
sorrow.
To -dav his beautiful yOuth-days wan
dered about him like ghosts, and drew
him back to that pleasant morning when
his father first placed him On the cross
way of il e, which leads on the right BY
the sunny path of virtue in a peaceful
land, full of Fight and harves's, and on
the left drags down IN the moletrack OF
vice into black cavern, full Of drop
ping poison, full of kissing ssrpents,
and dark sultry vapors.
All! the seryent hung about his breast.
and drops of poison upon his tongue; ard
he knew not where he was
In despair and unutterable grief. he
cried out TO the heavens above. Give
me youth again, oh! Father-place me
on that cross-way again. that | may
choose another path-,-But his father
and his youth were gone long ago H
saw wandering lights dancing among the
marshes, and disappearing in the grave
yard, and he said-sThese are my fool
ISL days. He saw a star fall from hea-
ven and glimmer in its fall. and vanish
on the earth-.I am that said his bleed
ing heart, and the serpent pangs Of re-
morse struck deeper IN their wounds
his burning imagination pictured before
him flying night-phantoms on the roofs
and the windmill lifted up It's artas IN
a Threatening manner TO crush hIm-and
a skull, still lying in the tomb. by de-
grees assumed his looks. In the midst
of this struggle within him. the music
for the new wear flowed suddenly down
from the church tower like a far of chant
His heart softened. He cast his ewes
around the horizon and over the broad
earth, and be thought Of the friends Of
of his youth who now happier and bet
ter than he, were teachers Of the earth.
fathers of happy children, and blessed
men; and he said-'Oh, | also Ike vou
might have slept through this first night
with unwet ewes. If had been willing
All! | migAt be happy, my dear parents
If had followed your precepts.'
In this feverish remembrance Of his
youth time, it seemed to him as # the
skull. with the features OF the tomb,
raised itself up At last through that
superstition which on the new wears
night sees the spirit Of the future Il be
comes n living youth. He could behold
it no longer. He covered his eyes 4
thousand scalding tears flowed down and
disappeared In the snow. Hopeless and
in despair. he vet only sighed in a lo~
voice Come back again, oh. you'll
come back.
And it came back; for he had o. i
dreamed so fearfullv- lie was sill I
young man. His grief alone had beer
no dream. But he thanked God thar be
still Young. could turn IN the midst o
the dark currents OF vice, and resfors
himself TO the sunny path that leads IN
to the land OF harves's-
Turn back with him. Young man. ]
thou standest in his wandering way
This frightful dream viii become N II
ture thy Judge. But if ever. full Of sor
| row. thou shouId'st CRY Outcome agati
beautiful youth. then viii / not com
again.