The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-01-18
The New Yeur's Night of an Erring Ono,
t1,a"(atcd .iiomMo German Of Getchter)

:.
AT midnight OF the New Year, an old
man stood at his window gazing with
look OF despair ont upon the upvary.
ihg and wide extent Of the blue heavens,
ana down again upon tho quiet earth,
so purely wntc, upon which no other
mortal was so joyless and slcnpless as
himself Close al hand was his grave,
concealed only BY the snow OF old age
not the verdure of youlh-thc only
fruits ol his whole rich existence. his
errors. his mlslccds. his infrmitics, a
ruined body. wilhercd soul, a heart
nile" wlfh poison. and an old age of re.
m"rse. Now the days Of his beautiful
youth passed before him ais ~ snectre
tram, and carried him back to- ,Irut fair
morning on which his father tirs, placed
him at that starting point in life from
which two roads diverge: The one to
the right. leading through tn. sun. n.patl,
ot-virluc INTO wide an quiet land, the
dwelling place Of pure spirits, ever
bright ever glorious. where the wearied
pilgrim meets his reward That to left,
leadlnG thro' the molc-.racks of crime.
INTO that dark pit. adown whose sides
deadly posons continually ,lislll where
venonrG serprnts coil around their vic.
inns with deadly fang amid dense and
gloomy eNhala'ions. All !now The ser:
pents hang upon his breast, and the pois.
on1,d:ops fall upon his tongue, and ter
rihle certainty Of his late seizes him
Madl.y, and with unul,erable grief he
cries TO Heaven Give me back nv
youth! Oh! Either, again place me
where can choose the better path"
l3nt his father and his youth had long
since passed away. Flo SAW the lanes
tatm iitiing DER the bogs and finally dis.
appe ring amid the ,ombs, and cxtlaim.
ed, "These are the days of my folly"
A star tell from the heavens, glitter.
ing IN It's fall, only to lie dissolved upon
the snowy earth. Such am l." burst
from his bleeding heart--and Remorse,
with his teeth, dug yet deeper into its
wounds. His excited ina glnation con.
Jnrrd mp before him the stealrhv night.
W ,lkcr upon the houselop; the wind.
mill, with its ponderous arms threaten.
my to crush him, and mask which had
been lrit in the empty charnel.house,
gradually assuming his own features.
In the midst Of this terrible conflict
snddrnlythe sweet music for the New.
Year chimed down from the stetples.
Ike the anthem.strains OF some far off
church; he was soorhrd again he raised
his eyes to the horizon, and gazed around
upon the wide carih; and memory bu.
sled itself with the friends ofhis youth
they were now leaders and cachcrs Of
their race-tathers of happy children
and blessed among men:--and he said
"Ah had chosen, ] could have swcetly
slumbered ms yon do on this the first !
night OF the ycar-with no tears to
break my rest--ah ], too. could have a,
been happy, We Sainted parents, had |
obryed your instructions and listened TO
your WISHES iora t"happy New. Year." |
Amld these fevcrish "reminiscences Of
his youth, there again arose before him
the mask, with his own feathers in the
cliarnel.housc, ard at last, llro' that
superstition by which one New.Ycars
night can behold spirits and look
into the future, it was changed into a
living youth. ."T can bear no more"
aud he covered his eyes; hot, burning
tears s'reaned down, and were dissolved
amid the snow, and he sighed forth only
the more piteously, franticaiiy, -"Gh.
youth, yoath, return unto me again."
and his youth returned, for he had only
dreamed fearful dream on New Years
night he was still young but his wan
derings were no dream. He thanked
God that he was yet young enough to
forsakc the dark, thorny paths of evil
and of crime; and to turn back into the
snnny path which leads 10 the land Of
purity and bessednrss. Turn with him.
youthful reader, il thou, two. hast wan.
dcred, lest this fearful dream shall be
Thy future Judge and Accuser, when
hon shalt.in Thy extremity cry out
20 /! come back, come hack-Smy beauti,
Fnl you'll" and the mockiDg echoes shall