The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-02-04
THE OLD YEAR.

slowly Inc great hanuS OF Tie clock were /
nearing the hour of midnight. The lre>
light and shaded lamp cast fantastic fig
ures over the furniture in the dark corners !
of the room, and glitter after glitter of /
marvellous frost pictures grew upon the
window panes. Voices of the night wind
were moaning and sobbing among the
HrNnches and in the chimneys and case !
iheh's- "'thnut, though 1 saw not,
knew that great ofiC.s of SNOW were
whirling and piling in tie darkness.
During all the weary hours my thoughts
had been dwelling sadly among the graves
of my past. Again my soul had put OF
her sackcloth of bitter days that had been
lain away for mirthful .vestments. But
now strangeness came over me.
heard no football, but silently was borne
away from my firesde, and found myself
at the portal of wondrous cathedral
The walls were cruelty white, and covers
ed over with mysterious figures and hero
glyphics. The roof rose hundreds Of feet
above, and was supported by the scultur-
ed figures of angels. Long corridors cx>
tended farther than the eye can see. -
Masses OF vapor hung swaying from the
dome and on all sides, over the white
ness, there was a constant Pickering of
blue aud opal All was hushed save a
low sound, like :. requiem of sighs, that
came cchoing from the dim corridors, and
chilled the heart icily. Bewildered and
trembling. l wonld have hastened away
from the dazzling whiteness and weirdness;
but strange influences held me stationary.
Then behind me / heard voices, and
suddenly was surrounded by nImbevless
crowd of human beings. Passionately
they hnrried along thronging into the ca
thedral, till l was carried on Ike leaf
OF the surging ocean. On, on, but now
like a phantom throng, noiseless and
death>like, for even the football on the
stone pavements awakened no echo. But
soon the crowd moved slower, and saw
We were approaching a bier wherein
something lay. Nearer-and we stood
mule and breathless for before US, lying
low among faded flowers aud sere leaves,
wrapped in his winding sheet, was the
Old Year we had loved 81 well, rigid and
dead.
The weight of his last days pressed
heavily, and his face was furrowed and
sad to look upon Around him, in mock
cry upon the sombre pail, were scattered
the gifts he had given. All his wealth
and glory had perished, and the earth
angels gazed downward with plying faces,
ever and anon smoothing the gray thin
locks, for he was one Of their children -
From censers near, the blue incense curled
upward around the white stone angels,
and mado them seem stern and grand.
Il
surged onward. Some came eagerly as if
to see a joyous thing; others with hnger-
ing footsteps, and with sneering faces;
but as they one by one looked upon the
pale face, and laid some treasure or some
burden down, feeling that the year was
indeed dead, they turnnd away more sad
ly, and some with tears. They were
bringing their care, and sorrows, and
Eancied ills, and completed tasks. Each
striving for self, each heavily laden, think
ing it possible TO bury all sadness or sor-
row with one poor dead year, but passing
to find the burden little lighter and but lit
tie left behind. Some came with gloomy
faces, whose cares were in imagination
and some bore bitter griefs. Many,
mourning vestured, laid down carefully
handfuls of ashes. These were they whose
idols had been broken and beautiful shrines
crumbed in dust still they gather The
ashes to their hearts again, and went away
mourning. An old man tottered along
under the weight of q huge bag, from
which a yollowish dust was sitted as he
walked. With great etf,rt he reached
the bier, and, with a sigh, gazed on the
dead, still clutching The dust that all his
long life he had called treasure. But as
as be turned away he staggered and fell,
and when they had lifted him up and
brushed the gold dust from his glaring
eyes, he was-nead. Children eagerly
threw down their broken toys, and felt no
lingering sadness for the shrouded figure
Many youth brought resolutions, and
dead ambition, and lifting high his right
hand, made solemn vows TO redeem the
future The middle aged laid down many
an idle wish or holy thing, and called
them folly. One strong man, wealthy
and heavily laden, knelt on the cold floor,
cIasping the shroud, and prayed. When
he arose a light more than earthly broke
over his face, and he went onward with
the music of new song in his soul.
While yet they were urging 10 with
their yoiceIess WEAKNESS, bell com
menced tolling in awful tones, that woke
echoes in the corridors. and rent the vest
ment of incense that shrouded the angels.
Then the phantoms lifted and bore the
dead year through the portals of Times
cathedral. And the multitude followed
with their burdens Ere long they reached
stream, sedgy and black, where formless
Loatmen waited to bear the dead to the
ocean. AS l stood mournfully gazing, 1
remembered my own withered garland,
hope and dream or two twined in the
bright days when the year was young,
but now dead and worthless 80 | threw
it, thinking it might rest on the bier
The boat moved slowly off, and my
q ....nc, .nuL ~, tho kntf,,nnlasa HuatarS