The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1861-01-03
A Happy New Year,

son starry wings Hope sangcl herald, flying,
Proclaims the advent of the glad New Year,
And from aflr the Old Year, pale and diving,
Hugs his white shroud and tottcrsto his bier"
1t is a we'll established custom.
which we feel it our duty to perpe-
tuate, that of wishing our friends
and patrons "a happy new year"
The advent of new year, is an in
rortant point in the history of all,
where it is, both proper and profta-
bic to reflect upon the incidents of
the past-to contemplate the pres
ent-in order to be able, with some
degree of certainty, to anticipate
what's obscured from mortal vision
in the shades ofthc future.
Reader another scene in the ev-
cntful drama of life has just closed
another page, in the worlds an
nuls, has been recorded by that I'M
crring Chronicler, Time, whose in
dcx finger already points to the
fleeing moments ofanothcr. How
many, of the busy throng that now
,juStlc one another, on the stage of
action, will survive its close, is for
Omniscience alone to know? 1t
is wisely provided, by the Ruler of
the Universe, that the events of flu
turc years, shouldbe hid from NOR
tai man. This wise provision,
adds much to our happiness. for
how often would our highest an
ticipations be crushed, and our life
rendered oncdark and dismal night
five knew our future fate?
The Year just closed, presented
the usual vicissitudes incident to
this life, consisting of hopes, fears,
joys, SORROWS the merry voice, and
wall of woc-thc happy bridal day;
the joyous meeting around the fes-
tal board, and the sorrowful part
ing at the funeral of some dear
friend or relative. The grave, that
common levellor, has received her
annual offering from the busy
throng of life, and the exalted and
humble, therich and the poor, have
contributed their proposition to-
wards peopleing the dark domains
ofthe charncl house.
The year 1860 will long be re-
membcrcd as one rcpletc with Incl
dents-revolution abroad, and i'll
testinal feuds at home-wc as a ma
ton, have seer the hand and heard
the voice of Him who directs the
fury Of the tempest and checks the
storms of battle.
The initial day of the year has
ever been q season of rejoicing and
festivity among all nations. With
the ancients-particularly the Ro'
mans-it was the period of many
superstitious observances, to pre-.
vent which the early fathers o
Christianity changed the program
me of the days festivity by
giving them a Christian saint in
stead of a god to make merry over
In this way memory ofthe heather
gods were dcadcned and that O
martyrs familiarizcd, and thus con.
version to christianity rendered
more easy. Christmas took tn,
place of the Roman Saturnalia anC
Bacchanalia, together with a por
ton ofthe rites appcrtaining there
to. The date of these changes il
usually referred to the latter par.
of the third century, when it wa:
called the Octarc of CristmaS.
The Roman workman were wont
on this day, to do q trihing amour
of work to ensure "luck" through
the year. The rest was spent il
feasting ard dcbauchery.
The very nature Of the season.
an epoch when the mind seems t,
halt, as it were, to reviewthc steril
past and speculate upon the hope
full future,-is well calculated to en-
gender a mood of gladncss.
This is a season of compliment
and good wishes and gifts. 1t i
also enc of the resolves. The re
fecting mind, about to enter upol
the threshold of the New Year, i
prone to take some "notc of time