True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-01-06
UARR1ER's ANNUAL ADDRESS.
no fHE PATRONS OF
.THE TR UE aMERICaN."
JANuARY /. 1869.

a' JANUARY l, loOs.
Know 70 ths tine when the heart in Its sad !.
Bids fancy return to the wreck Of the pas.
And searrh 'nong The hopes that once filed ~
with giadne1s, s ~
II one yet survive realities blast.
Know ye the time cen the love we have cher
Recalled TO the heart, with its bliss leaves
As we think Of the friends in the past that
have perlshed,
And know BY the past what the future wiz
bring
IT'S when old winter has locked up the fountain
And comes, with q roar, from his home In the
mountain,
10 throw bis white mantle over the plain,
Rushing on In his wrath, TO better the main-
When the myrtle and roses are laid In their !,
tomb rs
Aud the death token cypress alone left TO bloom
When the year, with its death, shrouds nature
in gloom.
Thus sat in mood despairing-
No one my lone watch was sharing
Shivering, where the embers lying.
Scattered DER my hearth, we're dying
Dark my room, the gloom oppressing,
Filled my soul with thoughts distressing
And the window easements shook
With ghostly sound scarce could DrooK.
Suddenly, the night expelling t.t
And the light Of day excelling,
The rising moon burst Ger the hill,
And silence settled wide and still.
/ looped aside the curtain screen
And turned to gaze upon the scenei 4
The drifted snow, all sparkling white tti .
Returned the moon her silver light
There nm n cliff the dark nina stood
Nett sentry for the lonely wood
While thus gazed o'er hill and dell,
The clock tolpd forth the old years knell. p
E Scarce had the sound In silence died, Z
Scarce had the breeze In sorrow sighed,
When, gliding from some hidden nook
As II to shun another's look,
Ispied a maid with flowing hair.
0ffairy form and queenly air tH
So lightly fell her graceful tread
1t scarcely pressed the snowy bed
But bark; far up the pine-elad hill
A voice is heard, In accents shrill.
The maiden paused, and round her drew
As to shield her form from view,
flowing robe of lilly white;
Like some fair goddess ofthe night.
But what could hide such beauties rays,
Or shield them from affections gazei
still round her brow was family seen
plated wreath of myrtle green,
While hyacinth and lilly fair,
Like Jewels, decked her flowing hair.
putharkl again, still drawing near
4 plaintiye voice now strikes the ear,
and from the shadow Of the grove,
A bended form is seen to move.
The maiden watched with anxious eye
As ifthat form she fain would hyj
Yet still, as If by duty bound
Her robe she threw upon the ground.
Thus robed Of its protecting screen
Her lonely form was family seen.
Within the girde of her waist,
A golden sheaf with rustic taste,
Entwined its stems with yellow fruit
To decorate shepherds lutte.
And as she turned to watch the dell, ..
/ caught the sound Of tinklingbell.
When the year in silence died,
e A lone breeze In sorrow sighed,
That breeze now on Its bosom bore
A loud dark cloud that scattered DER
Each hill and vale shroud,
Like sun that leaves eclipse at noon,
Again appeared the silver moon, tu
And onward passed the cloud
Deserted now the silent wood,
While by the nlaidan old man stood,
Whose white beard swept his breast;
While on his crutch rest, he took
His bony band with palsy shook,
With many years oppressed. - ....
Atlength his voice ths silence broke,
And turn ing to the maid he spoke,
In accents harsh and slow;
aMy daughter dear, where would you roami
Why have you left peaceful home
To 50 elk the earth belowr
Awhile the maid her parent eyed,
Then reassured ut last replied: ....f.
~ seek the land Of men; ,
goquickly, then the moments few, a
Ine'er had time TO say adieu, .
Or kiss thy wrinkled hand.
"Now to the home ofmen bear
Grain and fruit and flowers fair, .4I
To make their bosoms glad
The shepherds Lutte, the sleigh-bells gay,
May help to drink dull care away, ...,.
When winter makes them sad"
"The children Of men," the old man said,
"lIave often from my bounty fed
Yet never thanks gave they,
And while their works to ruin rush Do
Upon my head is heaped the curse
For all that can decay.
"Tye rocked the CT adle from their birth,
Ofthose proud cities of the earth ...' ..
Which now in ruin stand:
Yet, still, the hearts ofmen proclaim, .
we reareda noble pile to fame
Then turning to the wreck exclaim.
-Behold his busy hand," r.....e, ~.
Then having paused, upon the ground
A heavy pack he threw ". al
His bony hands the cords unbound,
Its contents spread to view.
May such sight never meet theeye
Of mortal man again; ...
My bosom heaved heavy sigh
1t ne'er had sighed till then. ."'
The old mans riches all were there; b
Grief and sorrow, pain and care, -.
Upon the snow were piled,- ft' %
And all his wealth to man be gave, .tN
n CO." said he, "tc seek my cave,
Now take the gifts my child.' t,
No parting word he paused to say, ......s
But onward made his rapid way
Amid the forest shade
A tear stood in the maids dark eye, ...
Her troubled breast poured forth sigh,
While slowly she obeyed. u.l. .
r Then, when viewed the hillside bare,
/ guessed the riddled rhyme
The New Year, was the Lady Fair, .u. .
Her parent, stern Old Time. .,...