Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1853-01-01
Christmas Address of the Carrier Of the Colum
bus Democrat.

DuS UemOcTdt.
Anoter year is pasht and gone;
Old Father Time his course speeds on
He comes, he goes and leaves his mark
On fields and woods and forests dark;
The Cty's busy hum he stills,
The country's quiet scene he fills:
Man ev'ry where doth feel his pow'r
In natal as in mortal hour.
The blooming maiden hears with dread
His quick approach and stealthy tread;
She feels his touch--gone is her bloom
yanish'd her charms at his stern doom;
But looks compasant in her glass,
And fondly hopes that he may pass,
And leave her still some beauty's grace
The year Just past has seal'd the fate
OF some, once great in pride of state;
Yes Times inexorable doom
Has laid them low in the cold tomb.
The brilliant CLAY has sunk to rest
BY all his countrys lovers blest;
The giant WEBSTER looms no more
Majestic as he did of yore---
Hush'd is that tongue--forever stilld
luat VOICE WHICH llet uiiS oSh"eSS va -
He and his great compeer CLAY,
Now sleep the sleep that knows no day.
Another intellect as great
Had reachd that bourne before their date:
CALHOUN was there to greet them in
To bliss beyond all mortals' ken.
Brightly they lived, gloriously died.
Their country's honor and her pride
Struck to the dust from whence they sprung
By freemen honored, and by patriots sung.
But harkl across the Atlanhc wave,
A voice comes booming, sad and grave;
1t speaks of Albion's mighty dead
Whose requiem has just been read:
Waterloo's conqu'rer yields to fate,
And England mourns her hero great
These and thousands of less note
Old Time in one brief year has smote;
Their parting's made, their knell has rung
And death, the tyrant, claims his own.
But stay, my muse, this tragic strain
III suits the occasion or my vein;
And, patrons kind, let me not rouse
One shade of gloom upon your brows
On this the SAvIouR's natal day,
But rather with cheerful essay
In humble verse strive to instil
Bright thoughts, true purpose and kind will
There be I know, who ever sad
Seem in dull sorrows mourning clad;
There be, whose thoughts all dsrkling dwell
On lies mishnps and fates last knell,
But trust me, friends, that even tbfse
May all find comfort and hearts ease;
Else false the poetees to her strings,
When thus she says, and sweetly sings
"The gloomiest soul is not ell gloom,
The saddest heart is not all sadness;
And sweefly DER the darkest doom
There shines some lingering beam Of gladness.'
I'll change my theme and mend my lay
And something sprightly strive to say
Softly sweet in Lydian measures
Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures
Thus sang great Dryden on that day
Sacred to St Cicila's ray,
When the 'jocund rebecks sound
And music mirth and joy abound.
Brightly breaks the Christians morn,
Brilliant shine its rays upon
Millions who kneel and bless and pray
On this the SAvIouR's natal day.
Now the youths and maidens join
Hand and heart, and happy chime;
Zen Old Age forgets its cares
And lightly laughs, and sings, and cheers
The lab'rer quits his daily toll,
The statesman hies him from the broil
The matron smoothes her brow, content
With hospitable thoughts intent,
Ali nature joins with one accord
To praise and bless the Almighty Lord
The CARRIER Bor comes with his cong
And menily chants his theme along.
a heppy Czrisimcs to all he sings
Joy and glad tidings still he brings
Our country's blest our land is free.
Our flag floats proud from sea to sea.
"And where's the town, go far or near
That does not find a rival here"
And where's the boy but three feet high
That looks and talks as well as
This thought inspires my youthful mind
To hope that you viii all be kind.
But now my tale is told-my song is o'er
And must leave you with but one word more
FAREWELL word that must be and hath been
sound that makes Us linger-yet-sxEEErli'
SO Byron says III quote another poet
dis namei can't recall but you may ino~ it
Nay shrink not from the word, FAREWELL
As IL 'twere friendships final knell; W
Such fean may prove in vain:
So chanesful Is iife's heetiag day.
whene'er We sever. hope may say.
We part q 10 NExr AeAu
50 hopes and ings with pride and JOY
Your humble servant.
THE CARRIER BOY.