Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-05-16
FoR the DEMOcRsT.
NEW YEARS NIGHT OF \ DEBAJCflEE
Translated from the German.

Translated from TIE titIH'"H'
Twas midnight; a new year was Just bursting
upon an expecting world An aged gray haired
man was standing alone at his window from time
to time he lifted his eyes 10 the star-wrealhed vault
oiheavcn with look of wrecbed despair, then
turned them in silence to the snow Shrouded earth,
uDon which not a soul could be found more restless,
more miserable than himself For he stood on The
verge Of the grave; the hOary frost OF age alone
veied il from bis view and now there was naught
cit him of all that the fair prospects OF youth had
promised hs length Of life had but entaed upon
him body dehlIltated by lust, n soul backened ny
crime, and an old age poisoned with he most nor
nd renorse. The happy days Of his Childhood MT
ted before his eyes like the glad spirits oi another
world, and fancy portrayed the beauteous morning
m which his fond father had pointed out to him the
two paths that lead through the vale Of life, meeting
but once, at the cold stream of death, and then d.
yerVnv into eternity; The path Of virtue leading
to land Of happiness and eternal pleasures, where
angels clothed IN robes of purity were beckonng
MN on and encouraging him no. to Shun the aPpa
rent arduous ascent; that Of vice, leading through
dark, dripping and SHINY vaults down to hotrd PIT
tcesjng with poison, vomiting nauScous and DISCUS
'ng vapors crowded with loathsome reptiles, and
eternally res)undag with the Daeu hIsSlnS o. ven
cn0us serpants,
But now the snakes were coJlng about his breast
Ate pOlhOH was uIOpptHR WI no oHb"Si u''H ~ -
cOguzed all the horrors oil his situation. Distract
cd lranzied he stretched his trembling hands To-
wards heaven and exclaimed "Return, y happy
days Of youth, return. Point me once mort, ram
Cr 10 LIES two paths that may choose mat OF var
lue But alas The days OF his youth were Tor
ever fed, and his aged parents bones had ohg since
moulded in the grave. He looked around INN u
wreithed anguish Of heart, and saw the pale Ugh
Of the gns-tatus dancing over the surrounding mar
shes; one by one they came and eXtnguNhed mem
selves amid the graves of the nelghbourl1g church
yard. These are the days OF my ioly, thought u
Jhmselfn bitterness of spirit lie looked up Sb
saw meteor glide noiselessly through the sky
ieli 10 the earth and was lost 10 his view Ben.
he mage Of thy life! whispered his bleeding 81
,cence, and the venom tipped langs o' rem
sauk deeper into his wounded soul. Just taep o.
& pcas of sacred harmony from the nelghoourlh
church aoa,ed gently through the midnight goor
and struck upon bis ear. Gentle emotions si"
over him; he thought of the friends OF his yeut
VITO had grown up happier and better than hIhrt
md who could now look back with pleasure at Tia
We. spent DAYS also, he cried, could have bee
as happy as YOU | also might welcome Wi, =
thl5 coming year had bu, regarded the pou, Z.
siructons and example Of my beloved pafen,- q
1t The bought Of his parents he could 10 uH-,
restrain his emotion; he wepi, wept N bhter H'P'
SIS agony, and tears OF deepest remorse slaneu 'i
pare white snew beneath him. Long did he wee
and wres,e with despair in agony, until over pow
cred he family sighed: o that the glad days OF n
-hIdhood could return And they did returns
'as bad been but hoyrid dream He was yet
Iu bloom aud vlgor Of youth; but his errors, Il
crimes they were no drean, and he thanked O'
nat he Was vel able To turn back IN the path u
'e9ds L. Destruction, ere it was iorever too aie.
Youth thou whose steps are Fastening on IN Il
same downward path through dark vaults Of "
and corruption to pit Of eternal remnrse and de
pair awake, turn back with him, or his dream "
one day be thy stern Judge. Turn ere il be too lat
ia-n before the day comes when YOU will cry out
bitter agony: o give me back the Joyous days
nv youth But thea Cor thee twill be forever /
ate. Thy cries and thy despair will be in vain.
Columbus, May 1870