Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-02-15

Time has robbed of their sap and
FRESHNESS, have, many of them during
fhe past year, been blown into the val
ley Of death. by the breath of Omnip-
otence, even as the dead leaves ONO
vember are waited by the autumnal
winds into the swamps and hollows, to
decompose and yield their dust to the
dust that noarished Them.
NV hearers-ih taking a retr ospecG
of the past, | find that, although many
religious revivals have taken place
that mankind; taken in lump, are Just
as far; from God and goodness as they
were on the first of January last; and
that the cord of true piety is no more
heightened by such occasional excite
ment than rope would be BY cutting off
one end and splicing it on the older.
| perceive, that Notwithstanding wran-
Cling politicians have sacrificed almost
everything but. selfinterest TO bring
government reform, the same politi-
cal abuse still exist; and heaven only
knows when legislators will Iegislate,
for the greatest good or the creates
number. l find that vice, clothed in
scarlet and gold has been fed, pamper-
ed, and fostered by those who profess
righteousness for fashions sake, while
virtue, clothed in the homespun habi-
liments of humility, is spurned, spit
upon, and secuted from beyond the
pale of respectable society. Lean on
| ly pray that this state Of affairs may
not continue fol a long length Of time;
for il is Notifying III the extreme to
see that progressive animal, Man jump
three feet towards heaven every day
and fall back six every night.
My dear friends-you should now
speculate for few moments upon the
future. Remember that now many
New Years more at the most can visit
you while you sojourn in this world Of
wo, want, wickedness; chance aud
change:-that many beoutiful flower
Of hope, which now blooms in the de-
Iligbtful paradise Of anticipa ton may
cast its lovely petals upon the ground,
Just as the hand is extended to pluck
it, leaving ,nought but the thorns of
grlefand disappointment behind. Re-
member, also, We youths, whose path
ways to the tomb seem slrewn with the
garland Of JOY, that the wintry SHOWS
Of age will ere long descend, aud ren-
der barren the delightful prospect be-
fore you. And you, young ladies
upon whose brows the coronet of beau
ty is set-whose eyes sparkle with the
efufgence of love and affection-and
on whose cheeks the redness of the
rose and the wilderness of the lilly are
blended together, bespeaking health
and enioyment-bear in mind that the
day is not far distant VIXEN. Time, in
stead of painting your faces with The
red rouge of youthful joy, will bedaub
them with the yellow ochre of age and
infrmity. Therefore, We youths, both
male and female-ify ouwish TO retain
your bloom. when twenty, thirty, aye,
even forty New Years shall have assail-
ed you live temporarily. virtuously,
morally--and you will be enable TO
shake hands with Death with firm
grasp and in, the hope of happy
Introduction to the glorious of an enc
| less hereafter.
| My dear friends--while you mediate
over the ruins of the past and dwell
upon the pleasures Of the present, |
beg that you will not forget those faith
| ful servants of mine-the carriers of
the Sunday Mercury. They have
for the past year; wandered through
hail and snow, through wind and water
to serve you with intellectual food; and
if you repay them with the base coin
Of ingratitude, | have every reason to
believe that you will eventually be re-
paid with the broken shinplaster prom
ises Of precarious hereafter. For
my own part ! am thankful-thankiul
for the many blessings. that Providence
| In his mercy has seen fit 10 bestow up
on me thankful for the compliments
paid me by my numerous congregation
and the press throughout The Union; IN
return for which they have my humble
prayers FOR their temporal and eternal
welfares, and a gratuitous wish that
many Happy New Years may inter
vene between them and their graves,
So mote it BET Dow, JR.
] HoRR1BLE.-A Mr.. r. J. Purnell
ofWest Tennessee, on Christmas day
rode up 10 the house Of Mr.. CHARLES
i Spencer, and calling him out, shot hin
and fled. He then baricaded hinscl
in his own house, 10 prevent being
taken. and on the approach Of party
to arrest him, amoung wbome wa
William Spencer, brother TO the ont
already killed, Purnell singled him gu
and shot him dead, aud then ga7'
himself up!
MOST EXTRAORDINARY RAIL
ROAD ACCIDENT--On Tuesday last
as the morning train of cars from Phiadel
{ phia was. rushing down the grade DeaI
f Warren, 10 this county, with great veloc
!, Iity, the end of the broom. before The en-