Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-12-16
Winter-Evening Chats with My Friends
a'a by A COUNTRY EDITOR.
No. I...Winter.

No. I.--Winter.
Many Of the most pleasing recolections
that memory can furnish me from the misty
Long Ago Of boyhood's halcyon days, arc
attended by the ghost of some grim Oli
Winter.
As poke up the fire to night, at an extra
moan of the wind, I delight to call up thos,
simple memories, so indeIihly fixed on my
mind. What great, comcly snow men my
brother and used to build in our father.
door-yard--my brother, who now has LITTLE
bcys Of his own. What combats at snow
baling SIC used to have, in which !, being
the younger, was invariabl ly the defeated
party, often becoming learfully demoraized
and retrcating in perfect rout TONY moth
er. / remember our first Christmas sled
with which we made perilous journeys of
the back tloorsteps, and how our father. now
and then, wonld catch the rope, and be on,
prancipg steed for a dashibg ride, to ou,
greatest satisfaction and delight And thosc
long winter evenings, which possessed The
peculiarity of having no bed time. It used
to be rather greving to be tucked up for tht
night just tor holding ones eyes open will
his fingers. How pleasing to us it was t.
exhibit to our admiring parents the prorund
ity Of our lore, father (mho didn't know nea
as much as WEI holding the text book,
Wcbstcr's speier look it is showing
now. feel an instructive iIapulso to ruSi
out, swing my hat, and shout" II mo,os .
it snotcs !" as used to do in those days o
which I have been chatting.
Memories such as these, friefiis, mus,
touch responsive chords in your own hearts
All they do; and they will be cherished by
you and down to our latest dsy--even down
to the hour when we shall wrap the drapcry
Of our couch about US, ara lie down IL
death.
In those early days can remember how
many times, the moaning wind and cddying
snow called forth the gratitude of my inran
tile heart for the blessings of comfortable
home. feel no less thankful now, sitting
here chatting to you, and watching the curl
ing smoke of this fragrant cigar--a proceed
Of my putting machine - that the same
blessings are continued to me in so good
degree. ........
You may very well know that county
editor is not in the enjoyment Of supera
bundance of this worlds goods; but in thi,
have the consolation that no previous por
ton of my life has been particularly blessed
above tire present. S,il, that tcrrcr Of win.
ter which the poor only know, have GoD to
thank, never came upon me. ...
/ am thankful. friends, that my home is
not where people are strangers to snow, and
ice, and snug, cold weather. cannot re
member of winter that did not get frc m n.a
a hearty welcome, though will admit that
February has often foand me exercising nv
musical talent on the words .. ...f ....s.-
.ar - Haste, thee, Winter, haste away" s.s il.
Winter is the revival season of sociability,
because it is the season, toa considerable de.
gree, of relaxation from toll. 1t contains the
only school days Of very large class of
boys and girls, and its long evenings, to the
young men and women who are obliged to
make themselves, or never be made, are an
inestimable blessing.
A young mans future can be quite cor.
rectly proenosticated by the manner in which
he employs his evenings, was the assurance
of New York merchant to his clerk, and
your own observation, friends, will deter
mine the truthfulness Of the remark.
This is the season Of pleasure, to be sure /;
but it is the season of profit, as well. To
my mind pleasure and profit are twins
Therefore, my advice to young reople-and
old people, too, for that matier--is, accept no
pleasure ts,st does not offer you profit. The
query, "Will it pay ~ 50 generally pro.
pounded nowadays, in the consideration of
occupation, should not be forgotten in the
choice Of recreation. The more of knowl.
edge an individual possesses, the more ex.
tensivc his range of pleasure, and the keeacr
his relish Of it. Why people generally are
adverse to the seeking Of pleasure in the best
paying manner, can only account for in that
divine revelation of the dcpravity of the hu
man heart. | do know, however, that little
judicious training Of the mental faculties,
will lead the mind into purer and more de-
lightfdl channels, and wonderfully enlarge
It's scope Of usefulness, goodness, and all
that tends to true happiness.
When young rlcn, or young women, tell
me that they cannot get interested in study
feel quite sure there has beon weful lack