Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-12-27
THE TIMES.
PORT TOBACCO, MD.
Thursday Morning, December 81, 1860.

EChristmas, with all its train of sports,
nerry-makings and festivities has now passed
away and is reckoned with the great eternity
cast. The merry faces which we saw in parti-
cuar connections, the pleasant society in which
we mingled under peculiar circumstances, and
the cheering conversations in which we engaged
under special influences, have passed from us
forever The lively scenes. the pleasant refec-
tions, the enchanting associations of that partl-
cular season, have been, by the dark curtain of
time, forever hidden from our view. Other sea-
sons of festivity, other times of pleasure another
Christmas may be ours but, alas, not the
Christmas season of 1860. Possibly the same
faces which this year greeted us with pleasant
smiles, the same tongues which spoke us
Merry Christmas" may again greet US on
similar occasion yet, even then, we and they
will be one year older-wll have made one long
years stride towards the grave, and-solemn
thought Ia long, long stride towards that eter-
nifty and after-life, which, if we have not pro-
pery performed our parts in this, may be any
thing but happy TO that eternity where we
are taught that the Book will be opened, in
which will be written our every deed, our every
thought on earth, and from which all the evil
dence will be derived to entitle us to happiness
and bliss. or condemn us to misery and torment;
not for limited period, but for eternity.
Though this dark curtain of time has been
drawn over our past acts and shut out from our
view the scenes and pleasantly OF Christmas 1860,
yet there is means by which we are enabled to
penetrate this obstruction to our view and bring
those scenes and actors again before us; if not
before the natural eye, at least before the minds
eye. BY the exercise of memory, that great free
Gift to man. all the incidents, not simply of the
past Christmas, but of our whole lives, are laid
before us, and with the freshness of the moment
in which they were enacted, coupled with sober
after-reason, confront us perhaps with thoughts
of sorrow as we'll as pleasant reflections. In
after times, when night has spread her sable
mantle over the glad face Of nature, and the old
parlor clock has just struck the solemn and aw-
full hour of midnight; when evil and disturbed
spirits are supposed by the superstitious to be
permitted to leave the grave and walk the round
green earth when we perhaps are pressing our
aching head upon the pillow, our minds dis
turbed by busy thoughts of past errors, and
conscience pricking us sorely for some fatal err
ror committed at the time perhaps Intentionally,
or it may be some fatal consequence OF error
committed with the best intention, yet charge
able to haste and want of reflection; when all
these come crowding upon our minds at the
dread hour, what would we not give could we
but sink them into oblivion, or what is equally
practicable, live over the period in which they
were committed, in order to shun the rock on
which we then split? What would we not give
could we but repair the damage consequent up
on that fatal step of error, though in haste, and
acknowledge to the world that our haste had
done all this, yet happy to announce its repair
How, as we lie upon that uneasy bed, we resolve
and re-resolve never more to act hastily in any
important matter; never more to Danish reflec-
ton and deliberation from our minds, whilst en-
gagged upon any important measure, whether Of
suffer passion or prejudice SO far to obtain the
mastery as to influence our actions.
But when to-morrow's sun has risen in bis
glory and the dark shadow of night is driven
from our view; when the silvery frost has mel
ted into tiny dew drops and they in turn disap-
peared under SOILS influence; when the busy
stir of the world detracts our mind from objects
and scenes past, and brings US to look upon and
deal only with things present, as was the case
with the morning frost aud dew, our reflections
of the past night are all for the time laid aside,
forgotten, neglected, disregarded, and mad ex-
element seizes the reins Of government once
again, only to precpitate us again into hasty
error and again occasion visit from our gentler
monitor, conscience.
And thus is life in the present age. Calm re-
Election too often comes when reckless passion
has done its work too sure to be undone, too
seriously to be remedied by the after-thought OF
ages. How much better had we stopped to con-
slider before we took that last important step,
we ask ourselves but, alas, the question, like
reflection on the deed, comes too late to be of
service. Why not then reflect we'll on what we
do before we do it, in order that conscience, that
constant connpanion which no man can shake
Of or silence, may, in our dwellings on the MEM
cry Of the past, appreciate our course rather than
condemn our actions and torture us into Sleep
l.ssness at night.
Before another issue of our paper, we shall
have entered upon the New Year. Should we
not do we'll, on the commencement of the new
year, to enter upon solemn vow to conquer all
selfish and passionate thoughts and calmly, de.
hberately and prayerfully consider beforehand
every important step, whether Individually Of
nationally. religiously or politically? Let u.