Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1849-01-10
4 New Years Night Of Hn Unhnp-
by MAN.

An oil man StOol dt MS WlIlGOW. OH
new-year's midnight, and east look o
long despair up TO the immoveable. ever
blooming heavens. and down upon the still
pure. white earth, where on was now nc
one SO sleepless and loyless as he
Near by him, stood his grave covered with
the SHOWS of age. not the green garlands
Of youth. and he. from all lile's riches.
brought with him nothing but error. sin and
disease: decaved body and desolate
soul; heart full Of poison, and an age
full of rcmorse The fair days of his
youth wandered now Ike ghosts around
him. and carried him back once more to
that bright morning wher first his father
placed him upon the parting ways of life.
whose ri ght leads through the sunny path
of virtue 10 a far. peaceful land. full O!
light and blisstulness, and thronged with
cl>.-and whose left conducts down 10
the molehilis Of vice-to drcary caverns
full Of housekeeping poisons. creeping
serpenis. and black. sultry vapors.
Oh. how those serpents coied round his
bosom. and those poi>on-drops hung upon
his tongue, and he knew not where he
was
Senseless. and with inexpressble grief.
he looked to heaven. exclaimng .-"giye
back again my youth, @. my tather;--
place me once more upon that parting
way. that again may choose my path of
life
But his father and his youth were far
away. He beheld vaporlights dancing
over the fens. and soon sinking cxtinguish-
ed in the grave yard before him. Chose"
said he. "are emblcms of my days of folly"
He saw star shoot from the sky. and
gimmerng as it fell. disappeared upon the
earth. "Such am - said his bleeding
heart and the tooth of the serpent, remorse.
fanged itself more deeply than ever, into
his wounds.
His excited fancy pictured night-wan-
derers fitting across the tombs; the wind
mill flung aloft its threatening arms. and
from among those empty charnel houses.
one remaining corpse wrapped slowly its
winding sheet around it,
In the midst of his agony. the music for
the new year, streamed suddenly down
from the tower, like distan, church song.
Moved to deeper sadness. he looked around
the horizon, and over the fair earth and he
thought upon the friends Of his youth, who,
now happier and better than he, were
teachers upon the earth, fathers of happy
children and blessed men, and he exclaim-
ed,-''I might, like you. on this first night
have slumbered with dry eyes, had so
willcd it. l might have been happy, had
i,my most dear parents. but observed your
new years wishes and Instructions
In feversh remembrance of the time of
his youth. it arose before him, as arose
that corpse within its shroud Of the charnel
house. by mysterious powers. which at
such time image spirits and look into the
future, ii grew to living youth, whose
countenance soon changed from its first
bloom to haggardness and death
lie could no longer look upon it, He
closed his eyes. A thousand hot tears
streamed downward, vanishing in the
SHOWS. Comfor;less and senseless, he
could but in feeble speech sigh FORTH
"Come but again. O. youth. come again. :"
And it came again! In that fearful new
years night, then, he had only dreamed
lie was yet young man. His errors
alone had been no dream. But he thank.
ed his God. that he. yet young. might turn
back from the filthy ways Of wickedness,
into that sunny path which leads to the
pure home Of bliss.
Turn back with him, young reader. il
thou standest upon his erring way. This
fearful dream may be thy teacher in COM
ing years. But remember. if borne down
with sadness, thou shouIdst hereafter ex-
claim, ..Come back again. 0, beautiful
youth, 1t will not come