The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-12-21
The ExpEcTAST YgAn.-Before anotho,

issue OF our paper the year 1871 will have
been added ire soverably to tile Past. We
feel just Il little sad in thinking upon the
flight Of time. 1t reminds US ofdeath, and
who can contemplate so dark a sabject and
he unmoved? We shrink, involuntarily,
from the idea that the multitude, in whose
ranks we press on to-day. may tread rcck-
lessly ere long over our unknown graves.
We are unwilling to give up our parts in
the gran drama, whose successive scenes
and changes ale sweeping by OH the uni
versal stage Of the world. Life, with its
great mechanism, its perfectness Of art.
science and pleasure, seems to govern and
develope itself. How can we close our
eyes and sleep forever, when such fierce
life is beating around us? How can we
become d~isembodied spirits when we are
so intensely human? How pass into spir-
ltu'il life, when We are thrilling with hu-
man emotions, human desires, human
loves, human passions? To the happy and
unhappy, the rich and the poor, the prince
and the peasant-to all alike it must be
terrible, the thought of going down into
the cold, damp grave, to become food for
worms and all kinds Of loathsome yermin.
And to think there is no escape-that all
the paths we tread converge to this uni
versal. dark estate !--oh. it is a fearful
thought. There Is an undcfinable horror
In it beyond the power Of language to dcs-
cribe. And we strive to drive back the
thought--we hold our heart in a catalepsy,
as it were, with the hope that reflection
will be turned upon something of a less
fearful aspect, But all in vain. Every
object typifies the great change. We see
the inanilnate creation fading and dying
at the approach of stern Winter; we see
its grand renewal, its glorious palingene-
sis. when the tender breath Of coming
Spring calls it back to Lille. The influence
of this nature passes into our spirits
death seems merely a change, a passing
into another state of being
"a path that must be trod
Ii man would ever pass to God"
Nevertheless, we dislike to give up, des-
pite our will, the present aims and strug-
giles of life. We strive to find some con-
ISOLATION In the thought that like the little
worm which comes out from its cuccoon
with a glorious generation stamped upon
it, so we shall be exultanlly happy beyond
the dark river Of death over which Charon
has carried so many, and never carried
one. perhaps, who was not mourned, for
even Nero, they tell us, had a friend who
wept for him and planted flowers upon his
grave. 1t is a fearful passage--tie soul
shrinks from it. And before 1872 shall
glide away, how many who now walk
proudly the paths Of earth--how many
whose familiar faces make Winchester IA
home--will have gone to the bourne from
whence nc traveller has ever returned"
What father. what mother, husband or
little bright-eyed innoce mt ba-
by must whisper, Nov | lay me down to
sleep ~forever?' Who shall feel in an ex-
of anguish for some loved one:
Great God! how could thy vengeance
light
So bitterly on one so bright?
How could the hand that gave such charms
Blast them again"
Alas! our tales of human love are only
the tales of human tears. The sweetest
vintage of the wine of life tastes bitter at
the dregs, and the fading rose and falling
leaf are symbols Of all our fondcst hopes
and tenderest feelings. And why, some
one has asked. should we hate each other?
Oh. God! there ought to be more love in
our hearts. why is it we take our friends
to the cemetery. gaze into the graves in
which we place them. and not shudder at
the thought Of going sway to indulge
wildly in IL struggle for the major portion
Of this worlds goods; indulge in decep-
ton to carry ignoble points, and make
hard bargains with fcllow-mortals? Why
should we go away to spend a little time
in slandering, in cursing and craving?
How desperately wicked, indeed, is the
human heart, and how utterly futile seem
all the plans of salvation to turn it from
the paths of sin!
And 1872 will sooE be here And there
will be NV resolves made only to be bro
ken. Mans %inhumanity to man" will still
bring mourning. There will be dark
hours 10 saddened hearts hours when our
hopes will appear delusive, and
every aspiration seem worthless. The
good things OF life will still tall in une-
dual shares. Sweet flowers will bloom
tor some. and some the thorns will pierce.
Friendships will fade, love grow cold, hate
be e%ngendered and crime perpetratcd.
There will be disease and death and tears.
There will be mourning succeeded by
smiles and forgetfulness. Reckless ven
lures will sweep away the gains of years.
Men will preach future rewards and pun
ishments. and yet 60 OH In ignoble strife
for dollars and cents, and luxuriate while
less fortunate ones are out in the cold,
heart broken and homeless. money will
buy out the law" the innocent suffer and
guilty go unpunishcd. But, oh! there
will be indictments in Heaven against us,
and who shall plead our cause when we
are compelled,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our
faults,
To give in evidcncc!"
ELECTION or MAGIsTRATE.-On Wednes-
day, the 18th inst, an election was held at
the two places Of voting in District No. !
of this county, for the purpose of electing
a Justice Of the Peace to ill the vacancy