Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1864-01-07
The New Year.

The New Year.
1854 How strangely it seems to
write those figures, and what motley
array of thoughts come, all unbidden,
into our minds. as we are thus brought
to realize the fact that the great Wheel
of Time has made one more revolu-
tion Er
With what varied feelings do man
kind pass the Threshold of New
Year The happy child peers into the
future and all is bright and joyous.
He sees no evil he fears no i'll. His
life, thus far, has been fraught with
pleasure, and he has yet to learn that
sorrow and pain is the common lot Of
us oil. His merry" Happy New Year !"
rings out upon the frosty air as he
meets his troupes of friends, young
and old. Innocent boy ! We would
not disturb his happy day-dream I; full
soon will his path be hedged up with
thorns, and the stern, unyielding real
titles of life crowd upon him. Then
let him revel in delight while he~may !;
let him fancy this world one immense
playground and while. he is thus
overfowing with the exuberance of
boyhood, we will gaze on his childish
gambols and remember that we, too,
were once young.
The joyous maiden also looks for.
ward with bright anticipations. She
lives almost entirely in the future.
Pcrclance she is, even now, musing
on the time, not far distant, when she
will unite her destinies for life with
him who holds her plighted affections.
Everything bears golden hue the
reAection of her own sunny and glad
some heart.
The young man, just entering up
on the eve of his majority, rejoicing
in the strength of his manhood. is
prepared to cope with every obstacle
which he encounters, with full conf
deDcc in his ability to conquer. The
Ocean of Life spreads out before him
and he sees naught but calm. unruf:
fled surface. skirted with rainbow-tint.
ed clouds. Hope and Fancy gid his
pathway and he enters the New Year
with elastic tread.
Those of US who arc of maturer age,
have lived long enough TO know that
a year opening in happiness often
closes in sadness. The many Happy
New Years we have witnessed, have
come to MS freighted with toll and
hcart-aches. Thsy have promised Us
pleasure aud comfort. but have yield
ed pain and disquiet. The sky may
have been cloudless and serene, but
soon the bowling tempest and burst
ing storm-cloud have changed the face
OF nature, and revealed the fact that
it is not for man to bask in perpetual
sunshine. How many homes. render.
cd Joyous by the presence of loved
ones one short year ago. are now
shrouded in gloom I Husbands, faith
ers, sons. brothers, have all, alike, fall
len-fallen while engaged in the
mighty struggle now being waged in
our land.
But while we review the year just
closed, with sorrow. we look into the
future with hope. We enter upon the
year 1864 with peculiar interest. New
er before, in our National history, have
we occupied a position of such gigan-
tic Importance. Our Government, as
sailed and threatened with destruc-
} ton, is girding itself for a final and
complete triumph. Already do we no.
tice unmistakable omens presaging
the return of Peace, and we predict
that before the close Of the present
year Treason will bow its head in the
duet. and the supremacy Of our Gov
eminent be firmly established.
In anticipation Of that joyful event
we wish the readers Of the InteHigenoey,
one and all, HAPrY New YEAR.