Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-06-21
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Citizen.
The New Years Night Of an Unhapp!
Man,
Translated from The German Of J. P. REGISTER

Translated from the German Of j. p. Richstcr
An old man stood by the window on new-y years
night, and gazed upward, with look Of pensive
despair, at the immoveable ever glowing heavens,
and upon the STILL pure, white earth, upon which
no one was so frierdIess and so sleepless him
self. For his grave lay hard by him; it was COW
cred only with the snow of age, and not with the
green foliage of youth. A whole, richly gifted
life had produced nothing but errors, sins and dis
eases, a wasted body and desoate soul, bosom
full Of poison. and an old age full of remorse The
beautiful days of his youth now came thronging
back upon his memory like spectres, and again
transported him to that lovely morning when his IA
Their set him upon the cross-way of life, which
leads the right, by the sunny path of virtue, in
to wide peaceful land, full of light and harvests
and on the left, down into the mole-waks of vice,
into black cavern full of distiIIing poison, and
dark sultry vapors.
All! the snakes were now hanging about his
neck, and the poison dripping on his tongue, and
he knew where he was. Distracted with unutter-
able grief, he cried to heaven "Gve me back my
youth! o father, set me again on the cross-way
that may make different choice"
But his father and his youth were gone long ago
He saw agnes fatUl dancing over the marshes and
disappearing upon the cemetery; and he said
'sThese are my foolish day s."-He saw star dar
from heaven, and gttering in its fall, vanish upor
the earth.-'That is myself" said his bleeding
heart and the snake-teeh of repentance struck
deeper into his wounds.
His burning imagination showed him flying
night-walkers upon the roofs, and the windmill
raised its arms threatening to crush him. And {
scull remaining in the dead-house, gradually as
sumed its features, In the midst of this conflict
the music of the new-year suddenly came flowing
down from the steepe like rolf church melodies
His emotions were softoned. He looked arount
the horson and over the earth, and thought of the
friends of his youth, who were now better and hap
pier than he, teachers of. the people, fathers o
happy children and blessed men. And he said
go, could have sumbered this first night OF TIT
year, with dry eyes like you, had desired it
Dear parents, / too might have been happy, had
obeyed your preceptsH'
In the midst of these feverish remembrances o
his youth, the skull, re-invested by its features
seemed to rise up in the dead house, until it be
came living youth. 1t was gone; he could see
no more; he covered his eyes; thousand hot tear
streamed down Kissing into the snow; disconso
late and wandering, he softly sighed 'EReturr
youth, returnp' And it did return; for it ha
been only dream. He was still young man
his errors only had been no dream. But h
thanked God, that he, yet youth, might tur
away from the foul walks of vice, and regain tn
sunny path which leads to the land of harvests.
Turn with him, young man. if thou art treadin
his road of error, lest this frightfu dream be til
future Judge, and when thou crest in sorrow: Re
turn, beautiful youth, it will return no more
E. B.