Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-01-04
a. RUTLAND HERALD
The Closing Year.

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The Closing Year.
TIE hours of the closing year are naS'-
onward. Another year OF nope
- ! ,ssr. ioy and Borrow, is nearly at an
4 and we are eg ain upon the thrssh-
} Il Of new. Though the year that Is
,ttipQ Its doors has teen brief, yet now
Il the changes it has wrought. Look
ppnd your own circle and call to mind
manv whose voices rang out the glad
Tannv New Year" and whose hearts
n bigb az ours, that have passed on
"a into the land of shadows. A year
br. short period in Times calender,
what multiplicity of care, duty and
row are wrBpsd up in it. During the
ar drawn 2 to close many households
I been made desoJate. The hand of
sth has sundered many family tic,
Inv Of the great and good have fallen.
Easter afte1 disaster have followed each
Ter in quick succession, teaching man
IA DSnwful and solemn Lesson that
~ I" God moves In myiE53riOus way
H. wOnde% Co perform
H plants HIS footsteps in he sea,
And rides upon the storm
ghe last. day ri year always brings
G it feeling of mingled gladness and
aAncholy-of gladness in the antioi-
.tion Of brighter days to come with the
Lvent Of the new year, and melancholy
redectiona1on the fleeing nature of
d., and the gradual approach to the in
htable goal ia tbs race of life. At such
tme psin@9r, h4oti5ns of time misspent
nopportunities neglected, and that ere
sny mere years have passed our joys
IA sorrows, our hopes and forebOdings,
b.. all, with onrselvas, have become
Gnx4 of the PCT. Such is the dark
Il of the question, but it has also its
tny side ard silvar lining,
eH3r Qpa SHAH brighten days tHOome,
And memory gid tbs past
Th9revoIsEi0ns of the year which seem
yhiog 20 tho globe, are full of signta-
20, to az. dAuothar milestone is passed
5the journca Of nfe-another reco d is
% not 09g,in TO be opened un'ii it
mFrout us in that unseen world to
htoh we are advancing with increasing
rpaSt@ We carry with as from the old
ear tn the new, not only the Pilgrims
arden, but the manifold blessjugs and
recious ASSURANCES OF the Fathers love.
ct "A improve the lessons of the past as
6e1Cber upon the aew. We cannot bet
Ii conclude these thoughts upon the
fosin3 ye9z, than to give Fraucis De
l4es Janvier's Death of the Year"
Nssb'e, and +1int, and grim, and gray,
hla last ds7ls hosr the Old Year lay;
ra he Wy came bis parting breath,
nd l3 e! es g2sw 1m in the mrSts of death.
ct a f&w Oao,iaaE past, wh-n the spriug-ttue
Id rm led,
I bis gray 0 d Y-ar tsAs merry chjld;
I'D he riyal-d the lax a it cleft the air;
zoe tvinei bright ou IL his golden hair.
ben tb& Summer came, ard the Dads were
y howIs,
nd the nightinga,. aag in the blooming bow
q ersG
n, a pFuhtE' ytS9 IT, re iONeu the Asul'
I'd the silent stars. AID . g Ia'e moon ,'ght.
Oh mon htNrolled nv, IN thu Autumn, now,
ay,lts golden fruit fron each bending bough
nd w'G mihil mature, hs had reac' ed at length
b. run perfection Of manly strength.
VI tire leaves grew near, and the u'umn p 4ssed
% the tall trees bent to the W Dtry b'a>t;
o. ~ days wore On, and the end drew iyh,
ID the wea Old Year lay down to die.
a,tls sni faint, end grim, end gray.
: AIS last dla15 ho@g the Ola Year La;
ud asavily came his parting hT' n,
I'D MI eyes grew eiCn in the mis- of death.
et not a1oue-for On Time stood there
q watched ~ his side with psterual care
sd he gayed on the glass in his withered hand
al is ,lous counted each ebbing sand
AZ. not a'oue-fO for a company vast,
a- shades Of the nu9berle'a Years of the pa
loro'ed the couch where The dying lay,
ad mounp9ly beck ned his spirit way.
zen sullenIy toled from a crumbling towrr,
ie solemn strokes Of he midnight hour
al tha ghost o. the gray Ola Year vas flea,
pth he rhsdowy past, in eternity!