The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-12-22
Christmas and New Year.

One year ago, We wrote of Merry
Christmas, of its Joys and festivities
of the wonderful Santa Claus, and the
eager, wondering children-of the hosts
of little stockings filed with dainty pres
ents, and the eyes that SD rkied us little
hands drew out the treasureS,-of tho
Christmas tree" bossoming in mid-win-
ter with gifts of affection, of the customs
which have obtained in the old world ana
in some parts Of the new,-of Christmas
Eve, with the holy, the ivy, and other
everoreens, the Christmas candles,
Yulo Log, and the JOYOUS Christmas car
OILS. full of ausion to the Rcdsemcr,- of
the grand cathedrals and lesser chancels,
where pious churchmen" meet and join
in the sweet songs of churchly poets, and
the anthems OF inspired composers roll up
from the grand organ in b:llows of sound.
We wrote. too, of the deep religious
significance of the day, when viewed as
the anniversary Of the birth of Christ, =
of the dawning of that New Light, which
in Gods good time shall fill the whole
earth,-that New Religion, which lights
up the darkness of this world and makes
the future radiant with the glorious pro-
mise of Immortality, that new Hope which
filings glorious consolation over all our
earthly life-over SORROWS that have eaten
up our youthful freshness-over the wreck
of fortuno-over baffled thought, striving
vainly to graphic with the mysteries of
Life and Death-over all the petty jeal-
ousies, the falsi,ies and disapponntments
that vex us here.
Since we wrote that greeting, some
who were our readers, now read no more
they have gone to that &" Silent Land, y
made trial of the validity of Christian
consolation; others have gone down into
the Shadow of Death, and came back to
the ioyousness of life, and others have
parted company with us, while many arc
our readers now who were not then.
To all our readers, young and old, we
now wish another merry Gin istmas,
and Happy New Year." with many re
tarns of the same. With the beginning
o, the New Year we shall strive to make
tie weekly visits of the JoURSAr., moro
acceptable and pleasant, and in this las
word of the year we say with PRENTICE
to cur many friends -
| 80 ssr E.. " lis time
For memory and for tears. Within the deep,
Still chambers of the heart, spectre dim,
Whose tones are like the lizard voice of Time
Heard from the tomb of ages, points its cold
And solemn finger to the beautiful
Al d holy visions that have passed away,
And left no shadow of their loneliness
On the dead waste of life. That spectre lifts
The coffin-lid of Hope, and Joy, and Love,
And, bending mournfully above the pale.
Sweet forms, that slurnber there scatters'' deac
| Covers ,E .aa
Ger what has passed 70 nothingness.
The year
Has gone. and, with it, many glorious thrn,e
! OF hanny dreams lis mark is ON each brew
Its shadow in each heart In its swift course
1t waged its sceptre DER the Beautiful
And they are not. 1t laid its pallid hand
Upon the strong man,-;,nd the naughty form
Is fallen, and the flashing eye is dim.
1t trod the hall of revclry, where thronged
The bright and joyous the tearf,l wall
OF stricken ones, is heard where erst the song
And reckless shout resounded.'