The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-01-02
LOCAL MATTERS.


A HAPPY New YEAR AND MANY
trust that our readers and
friends will not construe this as mere for
NAL utterance, nor as written in the usual
style. We mean it; our heart
accompanies the wish.
The year of 1871 was more than ordi-
narily eventful. 1t witnessed nations wag-
ing fierce, relentless and cruel war 1t saw
fair fields desolated; beautiful homes de-
stroyed, and shrines of prayer desecrated.
Its days were the channel adown which
fioated the forms Of pestilence and famine
to eastern countries. TO individuals, they
were oft the usherers of grief, cares, and
sorrows its hours saw the strong resolute
man fail and blanch; the rose on beauty Is
cheek pale to the lily; the sparkle of bright
and merry eyes grow dim with the " leaden
stare" The venture, freightcd with its
precious cargo OF hopes and joys was
wrecked in its storms; hopes were dashed
to the ground and became of the " earth,
earthly !" forms were laid to sleep. Even
as we write, there comes to us the remem-
brance. that 49,
aThe messy marbles rest on lips thatwe have
.pressed, a14.f7s III N sI 's0e
In their bloom
i And the voices we loved TO hear, -
/ Ha,e been stilled by thee, old year, "a
In your gloom fGt-
But it has another and brighter chapter,
SITS lights are not iled,o "its garlands are
not dead" Its record is deathless, be-
cause it is filled with heroic actions, brave
deeds, tender sympathies, strong, earnest
words, useful intentions, and wonderful
discoveries making luminoiis the page OF
'i,ssstofy reeosssst;es and parpatr,ating fhem
That 1872 may produce more Of good
and less of evil than 1871; that, may be
the ffuiting time. of contentment, pros
perity, and happiness to each and all OF the
children of earth, is the wish of our heart.
y Once more accept our happy New Year,
and many returns.
A PATHETIC APPEAL TO AN ERRJNG
SISTER ID Home ~ the Household ,StiH
Letf.-Tle following letter was handed us
a few days ago for publication and as it
is possible the loved one, who has gone
astray, may be in the city, or, if elsewhere,
that it mayattract her attention, we cheer
fully give itspace.
Its appeals are irresistible, and Ns*.h
must, indeed, have grown careless Of the
results of he unfortunate misstep, if she
fails to hearken to this appeal:
DEAR Nxx#I---We want you to come home
we are very sal, desoiate. and lonely without
you; the old fome where We were born, the
sceneAof all our innocent childhood sports, and
where we have een the dear ones scken and die,
don't seem like lone now; that we hear no more
your merry, ringing laugh, and clear muiscal
yoice singing thbse sweet home airs from room to
room. III seeinsas If great black cloud had set
tied over the homestead, and its gloom reaches
to the hearthstone; to the little garden spot you
called your ownj everything your hand has
touched, or that yltl called your own, while 1t
wears u sombre hre, has u sacredness in our
eyes We want yo,ito come back, N*x*h dar-
knows nothing of yolr sad misfortune; we dare
not tell her the truth, her poor old heart was
bound up in you, and it would snap asunder like
the delicate threads that hold her to life to know
what has bcfallen her pet. She thinks you have
gone on visit, and morning, noon, and night,
wonders where you are, and why you stay from
her, and home so long and in the fretfulness OF
her old age, she will sigh and say, II am afraid
Z she don't love her poorold grandma as she was
used to do. Our poor doteing mother has grown
twenty years older, in leoks, since you left us;
size no longer we;trs THAI kind smile that always
Made her look so happy land cheerful, but in its
place, there is II look so sad and woe begone,
fthat it makes the tears rush to my eyes every
time l look in her pale, thin face. She
no more sings those dear old songs with
which she used to 'liyen the duties of the house
hold. Ii she seeks to quiet our baby brother, she
only presses it to her bosom, and slowly rocking
to and fro, signs MS if her poor heart would
break. fancy she is going back dear Mash, in
thought, to the happy long ago, when, With
hopeful heart, she rocked that other baby, who
grown to womanhood, has left her to sigh and
mourn her life away. Father says but littles
once or twice he has essayed to speak of you, bul
u something would seem to come up in his throa;
and almost choke the words back, and, speaking
your name with all the tender words OF endear
ment a poor old doteing fathers heart could sugI
overlcharged heart find rent in sobs and tears
sometimes he seems to be dreaming with hi;
eyes open /; he has forgotten the present, and
rambling over walks freqnented in other days;
and it does seem as if my heart would break as
listen while he fincies himself talking TO his liz
tie child Nv *h. as W
g. Oh Nx#sh dear, by the love youdo, or should
bear him, by your hopes of grace in this world
and that which lays beyond the tomb | call on
you toiconle home there is but q hairs weigh
wanting in the balance to overthrow that reason
Of Which we We're SO justly proud. 4a 81
e You cannot see your danger us Others see it
You are in d whirlpool, each eddying circle o.
which draws you nearer and nearer to thetypr
tex which is certain destruction, not only of thu
body, but of thesoul think of this every eve
ming when ut onr saddened home altar, he pray'
for the. .;tbkent, - and that We may be an I'm
broken CIRCLE IN Heaven. sEl.ts5 s.sfsst
z I know that society has reared barriers Whci
seem almost impossible, and even those wht
profess to be followers of His example, who s;als
TO such an one, Go daughter sin no more,n viii
gather their robes closely about them and ayeit
you rs if there was contamination even in th
touch of your garments; but N4xsh, dear, a
home there shall be none of this; all that loving
hearts can suggest, willing hand ,oiH do to mak
You happy, and blot out this sad remembrance
Each d;iy is carrying you further from us, ant
making returning more and more difficult. Ou
hearts, full of tendelest pity and unseafish love
are open to receive you. DO come back 10 us
no word or act shall call to mind the past; bu
we will help you To bury it beyond sight, and i'll
mp your future With so much quiet joy, though
shah never 60 back to the tomb of long ago, ~
You have our earnest prayers that through TIN
goodness OF God, You may pc restored to us herr
ON earth, and, when done with its trials, find
home where sickness, SORROW, and death are I'M
Known and where faith is never broken, no
hearts ever crushed. En-. +