The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1873-12-27
Farewell. Old Year.

Another year has nearly passeh away,
carrying down with II to the sepulchre
of years bright hopes and aspirations,
sad trials and misfortunes, unlocked for
successes and failures; all, all sunk in
oblivlonl Farewell, sunlit pages,
bright with happy experience. Fare
well, cheequered moments, hours and
days, shrouded with unblest memories.
On thy rharbled vault is written what
has been, and, saddest Of all express
sions, what might have been. The
squaudered days ran slowly, imper-
-ceptibly, as the sand gides from globe
to globe in the hour glass; the last speck
dropping as the solemn funeral toll
will announce the departure forever of
the year 1873. We love to treasure up
in melnory's hooks the brieflets of the
past; aud oft we tell of some green
oasis In the desert of life tell of the
cooling draught from some gushing
rivulet, whose life-lnspirlng draught
quickened each pulse into happier tone
that proved the healing balm to weary
limbs; that infused new life and yigor
into the wearied pilgrim. We close the
book. but remember its lessons aud its
light and dark shades. The past can
not be recalled the present only is
ours; we cannot anticipate the future.
Slowly the leaves of New Year will
open upon whose form appears happi-
ness or woe. plenty or famine, riches
or poverty, and last, but certainly not
least, life or death. This has been the
experience of those who have seen the
hoary-headed spirit of time turning
over the leaves Of the buried past
ending one chapter here bya stroke of
his scythe, and noting the commence
ment of another.
The passing of the hour of twelve at
midnight of an old year is solemn Pc
riod, and is spent in different ways by
different people. Some participate in
the watch-meetings generally observed
by the Methodists. Others take so.
cial glass to the honor of the new year,
Others think it necessary to annoy their
neighbors by firing the old year out,
blowing tin horns and making other
noises but every one who thinks for a
moment cannot bnt feel conscious of
some error committed, offense given,
person wronged, during the past year,
and the mental determination of future
amendment. This, however, is usually
forgotten by noon next day. Charles
Lamb thus beautifully expresses this
thought:
EVERY 1st of January We arrive at
Is an imaginary milestone o0 the turn.
pike track Of human life. At once 0
resting place for thought and medIta.
tion, and a starting point of fresh ex-
ertion in the performance of our jour.
ney. The man who does not at lsasi
propose to himself to be better tlis yeal
than lie was last, must be either VERY
good or very bad indeed. And only t
propose to be better is something; i
nothing else, it is an acknowledgment
of our need tolbe so, which is the frs
step towards amendment. But in fac
to propose 10 oneself to do well is ii
sonie sort to do well positively, 70
there is no such thing as stationar!
point In human endeavcrs he who !
not worse to-day than hs was yesterda!
Is better. and he who is not better /
worse"
Therefore, Notwithstanding the frall
ty OF poor human nature, let US resolv
Bgain and again that the world shall b
made better to the extent of our in
auence during the year 1874. Let u
joyfully welcome its advent, and NO
only wish but endeayor to make for esc
other
"A HAPPY NEW YEAR"