Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1876-01-06
A HAPPY NEW YEAR,

drawn and the lamp wss lighted, and he ought
to have been snug aud happy, but he was not
He bad lust heard outside the window one pass
or by shout out to another, "a Happy New
Year - and he couldt get rid of the sound. He
didn't know what it mosnt he thought nngrlly
how shonld he Y No QUO ever said it to him
no one cared whether he WAS happy or sad.
He shifted his chair uneaslly. for It seemed to
him that voice answered him-a voice coming
ont Of the distance AN echo Of something heard
long sgo and half forgotten; "To BE- wise ia to
be merry in season, and TO be good Ia to be hap
py." -u
"Happy - said tho old mau, with hi, chin in
his hand. ~ don't know what that means,
either, II there is any meauing in IT,
Yet time wss whom you were happy, and mer-
ry, too, Johu Garnet You we're not 40 rich then
a. you are now but what good 10 your money
to you2 Aud John might have answered,
"None," but that hs stuck doggedly to the max
inns with which he had hedgod around thesS ]
later years OF his life. 80
"It is mine,' said he "it is power. l have
no friends they arc all false, or dead, or
changed but my money remains aud take
care OF II" H.' .-N.
his ear, and be raised his head to listen.
They were singing . New Years carol.
Stun u said John Garnet, impatienty; and
he got up from his seat with the idea OF
sending them away but then he knew
that they were singing at the next house
not at his door. There WAS no fear OF
their doing that he thought; he was too well
known. And the smile, which he tried to make
grim and mocking, had strange. bitter sadness
he couIdnt help hslp listening to the vo,css outside
couldn't help pondering to himself over the
words that bore the message Of good will shd
peace. Presently he CROSSED the room and went
out into tho hall. Then he opened the street
door, and all the while IL seemed to him "a II
some one else were doing these unusual things,
aud he was only looking on. ..ul ~ !,
His open door let out yellow CLEAN on the
snowy street, and he saw that the children had
finished their carol, and were coming toward
him. Again he thought bitterly. :. They won't
sing at nv door; not one OF them will wish me
Happy New Year" And the look which he cast
on each childish face had something in II OF wst.
fulnessa sort Of half piteons, half elf-scornfnl
lorging that one Of them at least would give him
this wish. But they only stopped talking, and
stared at him.
"Come," said John, with his hand in his
pocket /" penny for the man that can tell me
what \ A Happy New Year means"
One OF them grinned, and sung ont Justify, i"
pocket full Of money and cellar full Of beer"
John looked at Them all, and groaned. D..
"a pocket full OF money, chi So that's q
Happy New Year. Then all can say ia that it
is y mistake, and wants improving, Here, take
| your pence there's one for each. ...-a.
Perhaps he expected burst Of cheering to
follow such unusual lberality,, but II so he
didn't get it. The children were quite silent,
examining the coins suspiciousiy and one went
| no far AZ to suggest "buttone," but he WAS
| hssed down, for the half-pence were real ana
| very bright,
As they trooped of, John Garnet felt that
each footmark in the snow oppressed and sad.
dened him. 1t was little hard when he had
been ready with his gift that they had no
thanks, no genial response for him. nothing but
wonder. When he turned to go in doors, he
| saw that one of them had stayed behind, and
was sitting contentedly on the stone-step exam
lining his penny in the yellow light He WAS q
small child. fair haired, Pale-faoed little TEL
low With black rings under. his eyes, and clothes
that, though they were neat, might have been
| warmer and more abundant. ....... -.
"what do you say for il ?"
"I wish you q very Happy New Year"
The lad looked up smllngy ~ he said It, and
something stopped the backward step which
John Garnet had been about to take into the
house. A sudden pain it was; he had never felt
anything like it before. 1t stung hin,A half from
| the wistfnl eyeh Of the boy which w'fe 10 like
other eyes coming ont Of the past ~ reproach
him, and half from the sentence he had heard
at last addressed to himself.
"Come in and warm yourself. he said putting
out HIS hand.
Tho child looked at tho ruddy gleamsinside, al
the snowy street, then ut the penny, and from
that to the old man with sudden mstrust.
"You won't take it from 1t from meP he
said.
, some sign Of that sharp pain winch came sEair
to Johns hearts for his small, cold fingers coilet
! up round the lonely mans hand ut once, and IL
another moment he was seated. tiny atom, II
the big easy chair OF the so-called miser stretch
ing out those same cold fingers toward the tire
and staring into it with solemn eyes. They dit
not speak to each other, this oddly assorted pair
but presently the child, drowsy with the suddei
change into the warm ire-light, dropped his hea'
= and let it fall on tho arm OF tho chair; and thei
, John shading his eyes with his hands, sat watch
: ing him. ~.
t very, very like "
grow full Of ghostly eyes that looked at Johl
. Garnet in mute reproach out OF past the mem
ory OF which he had tried to klll. but could not
| Why WAS 1t that he sat there solitary, with m
u interest in life, counting the joyless days IN
> deed HI they passed. behind him. but only t
O wonder with dreary wonder how many NOR
u he should have to count? And what were a
n these shadows in the room with him to nigh
:, haunting the Now Years hearth which no hoE
u or promise brightenedp
r, "pale ghosts" said John, tall Of them"
|, But he made no effort to baDish them. Thel
:. was that at hla heart which made him court I'll
:, | presence OF these faces once so familiar to hiu
ii and the voceless words that seemed to,be alwa'
10 on their lips:
- We have gathered round your hearth at mar
~ Chrlstnlas-tide and New Year. Whose fau
N is it that We do no no longerp You know. lt
j. did cruel deed, and the copeclousness OF
a spread like ice through your veins and chile
tnem. You would have done worse than "
iy did 1t was not will that falled-only powe
,h Because you thrust away your son with cur
be for his mauly truth and honor and becau
- you know that You were mean and base, Al
u that We should know it too, you hated us. Y
ry shut yourself. in your obstinate pride-t
", worship OF gold was II AWAY henceforth frt
~, all who had known and believed you ditferei
o You closed your hearth to all kindly intuept
III to all pity and charity and human ahectit
CT So shall the Christmas and New Years hear
be cold and mirthless for you SO shall
holy time that brings to men tho shadow ol
great peace on earth speak only to you o'
gnawing unrest and discontent 30 shall y
die unpitied and aOne.'
lar The hand over tho old mans eyes tremb
rty aud his lips moved, but no sound came fr
no them. Was it all dream, or why did they tai
~ him thus, these voices out OF world which :
ns 70 far away, and yet 30 strangely near to-nigl
Re- "He was my own son !" 80 spoke the st
u,i. born man 8 heart, pleading against itself. :"
HI. had no right to dsobey me. l had gsthe
O0o riches for hi- FAKE but they too, were min
he not his l did him no wrong. l bade
~ choose between me and the girl whom l
w. chose. That was his own doing. When
MY smash came, and know that she would 6
rch him back his promise, i. he chose to disc
,er. no. he did it with his eyes open, and WAS ri
~. to cast him OF and-he is dead "
'o'o A strange awe and dismRy seized him at
the word. IL seemed as il all the phantom vo
,aid had Joined together to whisper it through
to room a. II he had hardly realized its mear
1860 until now -.Us- - ...-
one "Dead-iu far-off land, and in power
lent What have you done with the letter that
1877; poor lad wrote to you on his death bed? WI
lcu- is the wife that he committed 80 piteousl,
less your charge Was It her fault that he kept
:, is plighted faith when you would have had
fully break it? When you thought she would
sti- rich you Joined their hands whom you /
,nts. that she was poor you would have parted tt
o,,- Because you could not do that you cast {
W., out upon the world helpless pair, for both
leln- been reared in luxury. You might have h
war from time to time Of their struggles, but
time would not you mlghe nave khowh-yonn p
III ing with the world, but you shut your
r or Where are the little ones he left behind ,
glish the battle was over You might hear him sr
fails ing to you through them IL you would bu
How ia dead and We cannot bring back the past.
ction part of your punishment IL hard to bear tn
y af- your icy front is-unmoved before men,"
'enti' sound from the easy chair reused him
ting, denly 1t was only the little carolsiuger ce
> our ing in his seep-A short painful cough, lik'
any that used to stab him with terror years Agt
mt Of made the old man lean forward with quick,
the tied eagerness, to look again At the face,
WAS thinner than ever In its rcpoae.
y Spy $50 like !" he said again $50 very like
.la He bent down and touched the boys