Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1842-12-22
Translated ~ ihs .alsznaria Gassiis.
THE NEW YEARS NIGHT Or AN UNHAPPY MAN.
fFrou. sAs Gs4muii. q IIsan Pal RssAs.I.

the NEW YEARS NIGHT or AN UNHAPPY Man
Fron. she Gsman n lIsan Puel RisAlss:
| An old man slobdgupoh Anew Yest'
hight at bis window, aud cast 4. look o
| simid despair up ID Tie immovable, ever
blooming sky, and down upon The sliIl
EPuresThlie earth. whsrenpon no MAJ was
more Joyless OF sleepless than be. Fpl
be was upon the verge Of bis grave Il
was whi,ened BY lie snow Of old age, 20
coyeEea With The ystdass Of youth. and De
brought xitb him from long life, nothing
but errors, sins. and vices. . diseased bo'
! dy, i cofrodad soul. breast bursting with
anguish. and sn.old age full Of repentance
The happy days Of isyouth fitted around
him now Ike scepires. and carried him
back in Imagination TO The bright morning.
when bis father FIRST placed Fin upon the
forked road 81 life, which Oh he right
hand passeval6as De SUNNY path Of virlne
into broad. quiet land. abounding ia
light and harvesn. ana 90 the left leads
through the 6lthy by-paih Of vice. down
10 Black Hell, iull o. venomous poison,
Kissing serpents. and> gloomy unwhole /.
some yspours. Arb the serpents hung
upon his breast. and the drops OF poison
upon his tongue, and he now knew where
he was, Senseless. and with inexpfessi-
bleegrief be cried aloud 10 heaven, sObl
father give me youth again. place me
once mere upon the forked road, so that
| may make different choice But bis
father and bis youth hal long gone. He
beleld The ignis-salus giimmeIing 10 the
marshes, and dying away in ihe grave.
yard, and he exclaimed. There are nv
foolish eays'-he saw a>slar shoot tSFo'
the heavens. glisien 81 il fell, and crush
upon the esrh. That's myself, whisper
led bis bleeding heart, aud the serpent
tooth Of remorse pierced more deeply into
it's wounds. His glowing fancy repre-
sented 10 him night-walkers upon the roofs,
aud the Wind Mill raised, its arms ss
il menaciBg him with destruction, and j
scull which had been left in the charnel.
house gradually assumed bis features
lnlhe midst 81 hisstruggle The New Years
music from the tower reached his ears,
like the singing Of distant churches. He
was slightly sgitaied He looked around
The horizon, and over the broad earth
and be thought upon bis youthful friends
WHO were now teller and happier than
lie, some teachers Of tha earth, Others IA
theirs ofhappv cbildren and beloved nj
and be said: Ooh! I could also have
slumbeFed this rightfas Tranquility IS you.
had chosen. All! Tco1ld be happy. as
you dear parents, il ! had complied With
your New Years wishes aud advice r.
During this teverish remembrancelo oil the
days OF bis youth, ii seemedlto him as IL
the skeleton in the charneI house SO like
TO him. arose ID fne, that superstition
which is prevaisn: on q New Years night,
represented it 10 him as a living youth.
which bad ID bis form. and played
a bitter farce before him. He could no
longer look al ii;-he covered bis eyes
shedsuInlng tears upon the o%--sad
aud disconsolale she sighed softly Return
bright days Of MY youth. once more re
turn" And his youth did return, i Tor be
had only had a feaffuI dream upon his
New Yesf.s night. He was yet alyopng
man, but his alterations had BEEN no
dream. He thanked God. iha. being lie,
a young man he}could abandon lhs Pollu-
ted road Of vice and enter upon the sunny
path ofv.lue. which leads into tie pure
land Of hsryests Return with hialI young
man. il YOU are pursuing course ol vice
and protligaey Let this fearful dream
in future, be your judge, for if yen should
once in anguish cry ont, come again,
happy days Of my youth, come again,
rely upon il, they will never return again,