Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-12-31
TIE NEW YEAR.

Lu5t VIVA oySyN
ry Christmas" gives place tomorrow to
the equally cheerful salute Of I" Happy
New Year :" and to-morrow's festivities
and merry-makings will close the winter
holidays. There are those who look
upon these seasons of fun, frolie and
festivity with severe and disdainful eyes,
as mischieyous, or at the least, vain and
frivolous Inventions. It is not desirable
that such q view should prevail with
large numbers Of people. The inau-
snces of the season are salutary. There
is nothing like genuine cheerfulness for
clearing away the clouds from the social
atmosphere, aud there are but few bet
ter specifics for prolonging useful lives.
The great philosophy of these holidays
is that they bring the better and moro
genial influences Of human nature into
active operation in nearly every house.
hold, and into most Of tho channels Of
life. The exchange Of tokens Of affae-
ton in families and in the social circle,
the bestowing Of generous gifts on
worthy objects, the giving Of various
signs that the ties Of kindred and friend
ship, the kindness or services Of past
years, the development of merit, have
not been forgotten in the heart, although
their acknowledgment may have been
postponed amidst the press Of every
day affairs, all tend to the healthy sxer-
else Of some Of the best qualities Of the
best hearts, and do q still better service
in the periodical softenings Of human
natures. But the wholesome influences
Of the season do even q better work
than this. When the heart is once
oponed to crafty its immediate sur
roundings, whether in the family,
among friends, or among business con-
nectious, it is very apt to become sensi-
BILE Of the fact that it can give other
pleasure and do other good by s~nlsrging
the circle of benevolencs or generosity,
so as to include those who need LIBERAL
ity, and who are sadly in peril Of being
neglected on other occasions. When
the free and open-handed, and joyous
impulses Of the season extend that far,
q blessed work is done, for no heart
that has not felt it, and no Imagination
that has not witnessed the reality, can
understand the sad and sore experiences
of tho man, the woman and the child,
who see nearly oil around them made
happy by the thoughtful generosity Of
friends, while they find themselves for
gotten or neglected. Let those who
would reap the fulles. harvest Of pleas
ure from doing good deeds, extend their
holiday liberality to the homes Of the
Industrious or afflicted poor, and see
what joy they can take into a circle Of
little ones by a few inexpensive gifts
appropriate to the season.
New Years day is tho one on which
people are moro accustomed to look
back thoughtfuily upon the past, and
earnestly if not hopefully upon the fu-
ture. 1t is with some the day for re-
grets over what might hare been, if the
wise, or the just, or the g~enerou, act
had been done at tho right time, instead
of the foolish, the wrong or the uumanly
deed. With these it is the time for
mourning over 'hours misspsnt and
fair occasions gone forever BY" But
vain and pro6tless are such regrets, I'M
less they bring that wisdom which
guards against the commission Of such
follies and wrongs, and such waste Of
the precious hours Of life in the future.
The day is likewise the day for good
resolutions, and it is hopeful to think
that Notwithstanding the weakness Of
our poor human nature, and notwith-
stnnding the many sad backslidings
that come into the experience Of all,
there is still a noble harvest of good
always arising from the vigorous and
virtuous resolves Of New Years day. It
is doubtless better to keep good reso-
lutions than to make them ; but it i,
still wholesome to try to keep them,
even if the effort DO but partially sue
c~essful, than not to make them at all.
Even the change Of temper that causes
unhappy men or women to look back
remorsefully on the past and to turn
wistfully and hopefully upon the future,
has q healthful influence.
This is q time, too, for reviewing the
progress Of public events, to see whether
our country has gone back or advanced
during the year, and what are the signs
Of the times for the year to come. This
is q less attractive topic. We might
have been much nearer to the full resto-
ration Of the ancient prosperity and
amity among the States. Our national
affairs might have been in a much better
condition, but. then they might have
been worse, and how much worse had
the rebellion continued or ended in the
overthrow Of the grandes. fabric Of hu-
man government the world has ever
seen! But that great calamity has
been averted. We are on the road to
restoration, slowly, it is true, bat let US
hope surely, and hope, too, that it will
be we'll and wisely accomplished before
we have the next occasion to greet each
other with "a Happy New Year"
No PAPER Tomorrow. - There is
nothing like observing well-establishsd
customs. II is q usage among WELL