Wilmington journal., 1874-01-02
I g = 8 .


trial, its contentious and strife, Its
empty vanities, false professions, and
cold and hollow sel6shness, from which
the heart of the good man turns with
lsathing and disgust. We speak not
of it's profits they are unworthy OF
being considered "while the hours OF
holy stiffness reigns sad in the soul"
Still less do wo think of its pleasures,
ikethe smile of tho hypocrite, they are
false-ike bis promises. feetins and
worthless. Tho smiling face and the
unwrink]ed brow are not always tho
reAex Of the soul.
"Wbers sorcw, IKE truth 1, oe-tsated TO
dwell,
"Cold, clear end nEsee, IA no spirits dSep
we'll"
Neither is the voice OF nature al
ways in unison with the spirit Of man.
~Man may sigh when eaa tn laughs IN the rays
Der .he dreams of ambition. whose race has
"Man may weep when the moon In her CORY
comes forth
"o'er the parted memories Of friendship and
WORTH
But it was not our intention to an
ticipate there year. We desire rather
to indulge in a short retrospect OF that
which is about to close.
That all mankind are not utterly
and thoroughly selfish does not, for a
moment, admit OF argument. But
what says experience. that bitter
teacher of poor, frail mortality. How
often has the word of promise been
made to the ear. but broken to the
hope-how many have put upon them
selves thegarb of friendship and doffe1
it incontinently "when self the waver-
ing balance shook" The world is full
of Scribes aud Pharisees, and each
wear that passes over our heads but
convinces us more fully that "ail that
glitters is not gold" and that brass IS
so nicely polished in this age OF mar
vslious progress that it passes equally
as we'll as the genuine coin.
This we know is far from being C.
pleasant picture OF the world, or OF
man, but it is nevertheless true one.
We have found it 40 in our experience,
and if that experience were the only
trouble which the past year had
brought forth we would not complain.
But it has been sad year in every
respect, AMI We cannot be otherwise
than sad when we review it. 1t has
bs~n sad,le-t in that which hes nearest
the heart of man Death has been
busy amongst Us, and the pure and
beautiful, the youth and the old man,
and the little child, that nestled sc
! closely to its mothers heart in the quiet
! happiness Of home, making that home
redolent with love, have ell fallen vic
, tins to the grim destroyer. There is
grief around many once happy fire
side, and the bells that ring tie ole
! year out and the new year III, will ht
| funeral bells to many an aching heart
| Where are the familiar forms of many
who few months since, were AROUND
us in vigorous health and buoyan
/ with the hope Of a long and briliian
| future. We call, but they answer
not-no response is heard save th'
echo Of our cry as it dies away in thu
distance. One by one they have dis
appeared to join the countless arm,
of the dead, and the sculptuTed mar
BILE, like lonely sentinels, keep watcl
around that silent camp.
The dead of 1873 vast and noise
| less multitude, with neither flag, 30
shield, nor glittering spear, but terri
BILE from the very stiffness which sur
rounds them, as they silently sweel
around with a never scea.ing, neve
ending tramp, tramp, tramp, toward
the gloomy shores Of that unknow,
world. No trumpet note is heard, NJ
martial strains ring out upon the air
no xoico, save the chuokling carol 0
the grey haired sexton as he shovel
up the earth for each new recruit.
| 81 gather them 1n.''-"I gather them in.'
The year goes out. But let us ceas
brooding over the past and take
bright view of the year which is t.
come. Let us strive to do our duty
to "act well our part" and leave til
results 10 Him who doeth all thing
well. 1t is useless to repineAwors
than useless because sinful, to loo
only on the sombre side of life. Wha
if our "days have been dark an
dreary." there is silver lining t
every cloud, it matters not how threat
ening it may seem, and though on
pathway in! life may be shrouded i
gloom, yet there are flowers, brigh
flowers, scattered all around as, if "
only but stoop to gather them.-Dail
Journal, December 81.