New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-01

This day marks an era in the fight Of
time, and we enter upon g new year. The
cycle of 1874 has become book Of the
pasta record of our joys and sorrows
laid away in the archives of memory, and
on the new volume of life We write 1915.
What the past year has been all men
know. New unions of hearts and new
lives have found place, while death has
been busy IN removing from us those we
have loved. The same old story has been
told, written and closed. From the les
sons of the past much wisdom can be
drawn; but we can profit by them only
in higher res olives and better acts. The
years that go by do not leave us quite the
same. We grow older, and the marks OF
time are written upon US; perhaps ever SO
family, but they are there. Those Of
middle age find a silvered hair where all
was black, brown or golden before; and
the little wrinkles on face and forehead
have been deepened by the finger OF time.
The delusion of perpetual youth does not
occupy US, and these things bring no
sadness. We have only sorrow for time
misspent, for opportunities wasted, or
perhaps pang now and then for the
breaking of friendships that should have
proved truer and more lasting.
Astronomers can calculate to a nicely
the second and minute OF the suns or
moons eclipse years in advance, for the
heavenly bodies move by the laws of
their creator, which change not. Events
of human life, death and acts, can not be
foretold, only as we guess at results by
apparent causes. The future comes to us
as a sealed book, and only day by day are
we allowed to turned leaf and write our
lives as we read.
d. Of itself, the first day Of new year is
nothing more than other days. The
churches remember it as the nativity, or
the day of the circumcision, and it marks
the Christian era. The colored race in
the United States have cause to remember
it as day Of freedom, for it was on the
first day of January 1853, that President
Lincoln declared by proclamation that
human beings could no longer be bought
and sold as chattels, or wear the chains of
slavery in the States composing the
American Union.
For many years it has been the custom
on New Years day for ladies to receive
such gentlemen friends as call to wish
that the coming year may be merry one;
and the occurrence is pleasant event,
when real friendship and not formal cere-
mony suggests the visit. Fashions set by
the frivolous have decreed elegant toilettes
and costly refreshments on the part of
entertainers; but fashion is cold to the
poor, and the following of it brings more
pain than pleasure. Besides, upon such
occasions wives, daughters and sisters,
whose very happiness for life rests
upon the conduct Of men, often become
unwilling sbettors of the suicidal folly of
intemperance The beginning of the new
year is the time when many young men
resolTe,to lead truer life. They buy a
diary, and as it were, turn over new
leaf, recording that they have 'sworn off,
from many bad habits. A glass of wine
held out by fair hand because of the
eustom Of the day, changes all of this.
The young man goes out gorgeous in the
morning, with new clothes, rose in his
button hole, and the best of intentions,
and he comes back at night in a cab, with
a crushed hat, and finding himself no
better than he was last year. He has
drank eyerybody's health until he is sick
himself, and wishing happy New Year
to so many people has made him perfectly
inlseEaDie's sss trf ssaeEa
Let the good girls and their mothers
discard the bad fashion The gentlemen
will look for welcome, and the ladies
may look as pretty as they please, but the
callers have no need for eating and drink
ing beyond the wants Of other days in the
year. satins, Diamonds and wine add
nothing to the ties Of friendship, they
convey no sense of feeling, Plain caicoes
and bright smile for the true man is as
good, If the dear heart comes with them.
So then may we have 3 sensible, ss well
as happy, beginning Of new year that
shall prove TO be one Of kindness and
peaee. and bountiful prosp4rity for all.