Arkansas intelligencer., 1843-07-22
The Nsw Years Might Of an Uuhappy Man.
(FRoM THE GERMAN OF R,rcuEE,,

tFRoM THE GERMAN RlTCHEE.)
An old man stood in the New Years Night a,
his window, and looked with glance Of despair
up to the immoveablo, ever blooming heaven, and
down upon the still, pure, white earth, whereup.
on no one.was loyless, and seepIess as he. For
his grave was near by hint was covered with
the snow of old age, not with the green foliage of
youth, and the old man had brought with him
from long rich life nothing but errors, sins and
diseases, wasted body, a desolate soul, a breast
full Of poison, and an old age of repent ance.-
Now the beautiful days of his youth reappeared
like spectres, and reconveyed him to tho lovely
morning when his father first placed upon the
crossway of life, which leads on the right on the
sunny path of virtue into large quiet land full
OF light and harvests; and which, on tho left.
plunges into the mole walks of vice, into black
cave full of distilled poison, full of Kissing snaks,
and dark sultry vapois.
Alas the snakes were hanging on his breast !;
and drops Of poison on his tongue, and he knew
now where he was. Distracted, and with un.
speakab!e grief, he thus appealed to heaven:
"Glve me back my youth, father! place me
again upon the crossway, that may choose 9th.
erwise." But his father and his youth had gone
long ago. He saw ignes fatui dancing upon the
marshes, and disappearing upon tho cemetry, and
he said, "these are my foolish days!,' He saw
star flying from heaven, gttering in its fall, and
bleeding heart, and the snake teeth of repentance
probed deeper and deeper into his wounds. His
flaming Imagination showed him flying night
walkers upon the roofs, and scull in the house
Of the dead assumed gradually his features. In
the midst of this struggle, the music of the New
Year flowed from the steeple like far off church
melodies. His emotions began to soften. lie
looked around the horizon and over the far OK.
tending earth, and he thought of the friends of
his youth. who now happier and better than he,
were teachers of the earth, fathers of happy chill
dren, and blessed men, and he said; 80, / Nigh,
also slumber like you this first night, if had will
ed it: Alas! my dear parents, might be happy,
II had obeyed your exhortations!''
In the feverish remembrance of the time of his
youth, it appeared to him as if the scul with his
features, in the house of the dead, raised itself
and at length it became living youth, by that
superstition which in New Years night secs spir.
its Of futurity.
tie could SOC it no more; he covered his cyes,
thousand hot tears fell and vanished in tho snow
ne sighed in accents scarcely audible, "return!
youth. return!" And it did return; for thus hor.
ribly he only had dreamed. lie was yet youth,
his errors only had been no dream. But he thank
ed GOD, that he, yet young, was able to turn back
from the low walks of vice, and to return to tho
sunny path, which leads into tho land Of happi.
ness. Return with him young reader. if thou art
standing on his way of error. This terrifying
dream may become in future thy Judge. But #
IN reality, thou, SO miserable, should call bu,
once, ''come back! beautiful YOUTH then will it
not come back.