St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-01-03

Thlckly around the closing year,
gather the memories of the past. The
friends we greeted at its opening day,
we call to mind. We find them scat
tered, sundered far by distance some,
others by death removed. Others We
meet with cordial grasp of friendship,
and with them converse of absent
ones, the past review, and speak of
fUturc hopes and fears.
When the year had just begun,
Death claimed his victims and cachday
insatiate called for more. The aged
father with locks like fallen snow,
whose step so fcebly moved about the
door, no more is seen. Younger men
have borne his form away and hid it
in the earth, while memory of his
goodness is lingering yet. He needs no
more the care of those who called him
father, and''thc little prattlcrs miss
their accustomed place upon their
srandsire's knee.
The aged matron, on whose brow
the lines of youthful beauty had given
place 10 lines of care and time, bowed
before the great destroyer. Nor was
he unwelcomc. The hands SO long
employed to mitigate the sorrows Of
the sick and suffering, werc. feeble
now the footsteps once so active, had
growr'sfow, and the mental powers
wcrS dimmcd by age. The opening
year witnessed her departure. III
rest me now, arrange the pillow she
said, -,.-a... rn~srssrs IA WIN =. -.'Ss''s,
done. A moment more aud all was
still. GLOW qSictly she rests" Her
rest is quiet now. 1t is sleep that
knows no waking till the morn when
all awake. Her work is finished here.
The strong man in his strength re-
joicing, became feeble. in deaths
hands, and rested from all his labor.
The mother left the little ones she
loved so well, who claimed her care,
to the care of strangers.
| The bride, so happy in her choice
Of one to walk with in life's journey,
wore one day the bridal wreath, and
with her chosen one went to visit dis.
tant friends, but she returned no more
The noble steamer, with its freight
; Of living, thinking beings, moved
} proudly over the waters smooth ex
pansc, but ere the port was gained
, the treachcrous waves engnlf. an'
+ few arc left to tell the story Of tha
0 fearful hour.
j Beneath the ocean wave, how man.
f sleep, who met the opening year wit
: joyful greetings and fond hopes c
+ future years. none may know till tn
c sea gives up her dead.
IS The boy, with beaming eye an
5 noble brow, his mothers only son, o
it whom her hope had rested as sh
q, walked the. path Of widowhood, ha
6, gone. The mother visits his grav
is and weeps over hopes now fled.
Or That only daughter, once the fat
s, er's pride, answers no more his ca
III Gentle hands robed her for the grav
tn and with sorrowing hearts, frien'
gave last look and laid her the
C. to rest. #
ct The little prattler, idol Of the hous
on hold, and the pet Of friends, sickene
r ana none could stay deaths coming
,e- Say, parents, whose hearts ha
ch bled to sec your children die, and bl
d, anew to hear the hollow sound
ID earth covering from your sight I
on dear ones, can you. see nought |
an the grave, the csain tand the lii
of form? Look "beyond the Rive
tn, and with Him who. when on ear
ere took little children in his arms q
,od blessed them, see the little on
the who there await your coming, and
on, member when earth and SCI give
ing the dead. they shall arise with bod
100, spiritual and pure. The little viz
me in winter blooms no more. Its lea
,ht- are dead Its roots lie buried in
'isii earth. But when spring unbinds
ent. earth from frost, it's little leaves
Of appear with tiny flowers. all bcaut
ad- as before.
lore In the footsteps Of decay life
ling lows. All Of earth is not sorrow,
hope is given to cheer the gloom
rles hours.
ol is The old year has gone. With v
Is of joyful greetings. from east to wes
8 to the new year welcomed. Hope !.
sent winning smile points to the fu