Litchfield enquirer., 1857-01-15
For the Litchfeld Enc uirer. The New Year.

The swiftly revolving seasons have again
 broughtus to the opening of New Year While we,stand upon it's threshold, may we not give moment to those thoughts which the knel Of the past must ever suggest to ohr minds. It's flight admonshes Us of the frai nature of life, which has beeu said by some some one to be a dream of shadow'' It Is Ike a dream as it minges together bright gorgeous scenes with many sad image of sor- row and disappointment. It is as feeting as the shadow which fits for moment over the distant mountain side, and then fades away upon it's summit. Like shadow it is but a faint outline of something rea-a dim rehec- tion of future life that beam of light from a brighter world has thrown upon the dark. ness of our own. But life is more than Gan empty dream" Life is real Life is earnest 1; " an onward march to distant goal"
 We should be thankful for any sunshine that may be shed around our daily paths, not repi- ming should our road be less bright than that Of others. Ever striving to help our fellow pilgrims up the steep ascent, and to make their burdens as well as our own less wearisome, by words of sympathy and love. We should both hope and endeavor to leave behind us some memorial of our life that would serve to guide those who may tread the same pathway, or at least insure our memories place among earth's transient things. However we'll we may have striven, happy is he who secs not upon the pages of the past years history any thing that he would wish unrecorded there Words of unkindness or disparagement, idle jests, un- fulfilled designs and broken VOWS, usually form a part of its truthful record. In our child hood we seem but to live in the present, with no painful remembrances of the past to sad den, no glad anticipations of the future to ex- cite. In youth if sorrow has thrown no shadow OCT our halcyon days" we are visited by those bright "phantoms of hope" which our too credulous fancy is sure to picture con- ceallng entirely from view the dark forms of disappointment and grief which turk in the background. But when that period of life is past, and the remembrance of childhood and youth is sigh" sad memories must ever visit us at this season, be they ever so much soft ened by emotions of gratitude
 Memory recalls former scenes, "s some loved some strange" and arouses feelings we thought long buried with the shrouded forms of those who first awoke them for the chords of grief need but touch from Memory's fingers,n to thrill again. Nor is it the thoughts of the rast alone that cause many to feel saddened There are pale faces around their ckcerless Grc-sides that tell of toll and care, to whom the future even breathes no hopes, no promises. - The weight of earthly troubles bow down their spirits, and they forget to raise their thou zhts beyond life's narrow bounds to better portion above.
 How differently do tho gay and thoughtless welcome this season, forgetting it's stcr,. voice of warning, in mrth and fest;vitv They may, perhaps, take for their motto the words of the poet.
 q Peace, brother. be not over exquisite
 To cist the fashion of uncertain evils;
 For grant they be so, while they rest unknown,
 What need man forestall his dste of grief?''
 It is unnecessary to indulge in gloomy fore bodings of the future, or to spend what should be happy portion Of the year in sad and un- avaiiing regrets for the past Rather let us resolve that each New Years day shall be to us a faithful oracle to warn us of our frailty and our errors.--Also, that We may learn to trust in Him who guides our footsteps, and who will conduct us home from all cur wan derings, in safety and in peace W.