Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1856-01-17
rHg SGw YEARS Nicmr os a
Nut.T<V.

I
Ia tie rar,iss boar Of the year sssvl 90
old msa at tia speu uislcw. spd vitA .
! glance Si the innermost despaif look ed sp 10
the imnovsalle, everlasting. tloonisg ks.v-
I en--sud Scwn a. tte tranquil, purs aud
I valte earth upon which nobody vas nov 20
I joyless aud sle.pitss as 10 Fer he stood
near bis gave, which vas covered With tho
snox ofel5 s--, not with the verdurs of
Z yoath and from his lorg sad eventfal lks
I lie saw nothing lcft him bus errors, crimes
and disease, a dcst,ta,s body and dssolsto
ssul, bosom full VI vsnon and au age
wiihou, rcpentsrce Aud he szs in biz
n.ird the fair dsJs sf bis youth returning
hks demons TO recall 10 him that brieLs
morning when bis father frst showed kim
the efcsssay of h.a. which. 10 the right, leads
upoa the sunEy path ef virtue upsafds TO .
srea, ard hsppy land II light and harvest,
10 the bli-sfal habitstisas Of the hsly angelo
aud which, 20 the ieft. prycipisstes ievn-
wards to the mole hillf Of vice, into he'll q
droPping poison, Kissing serrents aud black
aud deadly ya,ors II
Alas the serI eats elung wound his breast
snd the venom lay Gu his tongue, aud rev
he knew where be vas
Stnsclsss ard with unutteraLle grief hs
sighed to the Heavens 'Give NE ny youth
again %. f,;heT, set me again on that eross-
way, that may make better sLoieo'
hut his fsihsr asa bis yeaih we're gone
Ioag ago lie saw isro fG;Hi slipping a.
boat aud die Ia ihs eoaetsry, AID Ne said
These are my foolish dAysr lie saw q
tSisklipg star fslhEs down from the 6sna-
ncnt aui burst GA tic taFih That 10 L.
sad BIS bleeding heart and tae serpent teeth
oi repcn,aye5 Continued TO torture him
His alFins fantasy stored Kim rsuder-
ing roetamtnlists on the roots; and the
N'nd r.ili raised Us wings, es II msn,ciug
to crush 81 around aud a loae!y skull IN
ths ossGary assumed AZ laat bis features.
Amidst bis convulsious he su ideuly heard
the music FER the New Year flowing from ,hs
lofy.Jsme, Sounding like a distAat church
choir A melancholy quieiuis sn;erld his
hcrt lie looked around The horizon and
tue vide earth thought Of bis carly friends,
rnany Of whom, happier and better than he.
were now teachers Of the earth aad sircs Of
happy children aud blessed msn, and ho
said %, might, like yop. pass this first
sigbt With dry eyes, had il been my will
Aias. could be happy, We dear parents, had
performed your New Year wishes and ad-
mentions
In tie feverish reminisccnee Of his juys-
nile days be deemed 20 see the skull With
bis features erecting in the ossuary; At llast
II beeame, by the superstition thai woalJ
fsin ses spiritsand fatare in the New Years
aight, yoo,h, who, in the sstiisie Of the
far youth Of the eapitoiism, dslivered him
self of thorn, and be vas bitterly remind
ed Of bis former besatifal Ggate
He could not boar the sight lie cover.
ell bis eyes \ stIsam Of n oasaud bitter
tears flowed down 10 abe snow, Senselsss,
eomfoIiiess, and with faintipg seiee. he sobL.
ed: %, esne again, fair yoath --eorns seai,.I'
And ii eaue A.,aln fT lie had only
dreamed SC ightfully IN the New Years
night He was still youth Bat has sins
and errors we're 20 dTeams-and he pruI.ed
God, that yfuug a. be vas. he could rstarn
rem the fifty path OF vieo. and repair
to tbs snapy road that giiies up su,o the
bright land of haryests
Return uitL him, dear young readers, 10
ysu are on bis wrong way This frishtful
irem viii de you future jaige Batif Yea
would oree ismeatably cry ,Ceme again.
AIR youth o'-then, il would net esms
l.sai1