Democratic banner., 1849-01-29
The New-Year's Night of am I'm.
happy One.

the window, and cast a look of deep des-
pair up to the unchanging, everblooming
sky, and down upon the still, pure, snowy
earth, on which now no one was SO bereft
OF joy and sleep, as he. For his CRATE stood
close before him. 1t was covered only by
the snow of age, not BY the verdure of youth,
and he took nothing with him from this
whole, rich life-nOthing bnt errors, sins
and disease, an emaciated body, a desolate
soul-his bosom full of poison and an old
age full of repentance. The beautiful days
of his youth were changed to-day into
ghosts, and transported. him back to that
bright morning, where his father had first
placed him on the crossroads of life, which
10 the right, upon the sunny road of virtue,
leads into a wide, peacefulland, full Of light
and harvest and angels, and which on the
left drags down into the mole-lills of vice,
into black cave, full of dropping p~oisons,
full Of Missing snakes and black, hot va
Ipors. Alas, the serpents chung around his
breast, and the drops Of poison we're upon
his tongue, and he knew not where he was.
Unconscious, and with the inexpressibls
grief, he lifted uplis hands towards heaven,
and exclaimed: sob, give me back my
Oh father place, place me nee
more upon the crossroads, that ! may chose
|~otherwise" But his father and his youth
had long passed away. He saw ignus fatui
dancing upon swamps and extinguished in
church yards, and he said: "They are my
days of follyw He saw a star fly from
heaven, 1t glittered in its fall, and vanished
on the earth. 'That is ~ said his bleed
ing heart, and the ~serpent's teeth hurried
themselves deeper into its wounds.
His glowing imagination showed him
ste altIry sleep-walkers on the roofs; and the
windmill lifted up its arms, ready to crush
him, aud skull in the empty channel house
by degrees assumed lis features. In the
midst of this CONFUSION the New Years
music suddenly ncated down from the stee-
pie, like distant church songs. His emo
|tions became more tender; he looked around
the horizon and over the wide earth, and
he thought on the friends of his youth, who
now, happier and better than he, were faith
ers Of happy children and blessed men, and
he said, ALAS, I too might like you have
been sleeping with fearless eyes through
this New Years night, if l had chosen
Alas, I mighthav been happy, dearparents.
if | had fulfilled your New Years wishes
land sdmonitiOns."
In the feverish recollection Of his youth,
it appeared TO him as If the skull with his
features was arising in the cI,arnel-house ;
finally, through the superstition, which in
the New Years night beholds spirits and
|futurlty, it was converted into living youth,
like the beautiful youth on the capitol, ex-
tracing a thorn from his foot,* and bitter
Ily his fancy d him his blooming figure.
He could view it DO more /; he covered
Ibis eyes,--a thousand hot tears vanished in
the snow /; disconsolate and despairing he
sighed lowly-sreturn, o! youth, return"
And it did return for he had only dream
ed so horribly in the New Years night
he was still a youth. His sins alone, had
not been a dream ; but he thanked God
that he, still young, had it still in his power
to y withdraw from the filthy ways of vice,
and to return to the sunny path which leads
to the pure land Of harvests.
Turn back with him, young reader, if
YOU are standing on the path Of error! This
horrible dream will by and by become your
Judge but If you should once cry out in
t~return, beautiful YOUTH 1t would
never retuIn. siair l. '" s
--.t5 .-s'f. E." ~ -. H.. '
. This statue is preserved ON the capitol
of Rome. and is next to the Apollo Of Bel
tv;aer ! II 4. considered one of the most per
lfeet pieces Of workmanship which which antiqui'
lty produced sun 5a sn. isl .7sf'
/ i.H,. r4Iisa .sqetlG t--s9 -
i The ~crsriusn IL the dwelling'place OF tAe
.,rl. cha oreania of time is its thne-pteeei