The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-01-08
Selert poetrp.

Selert poetrg.
Prom Ne BTrisonbrg, Va. Commonwealth,
ANNUAL ADDRESS
. the Patrons Of he Old Commomredlt
ny JANgs u. DiTgEsBAucH.
The year was old the year Il dead
Hall. friends the New Years happy birth
And blessings on his fair young head,
And blessings may he bring TO earth
lie comes, an lnfant king. to claim
The worlds possessions as his own
Mid smiles and praises Of his name
He trips on pleasures to his throne.
And sparkling mirtl In every eye. III. 4.
And dancing JOY In every form. 3, f! ~. &
Aud fruits, and flowers, and feasls piled high
Proclaim the New Years welcome warm,
And books, and toys, and irinkets bright
And glittering gems and dresses gay,
And presents rich and rare unite
To deck his coronation day;
And rosy Chlldhood's rippling glee,
And Youths and Manhoods keener joy,
And cen Age on his tottring knee
Is fain to dance the laughing boy,
Aud courtly trains his steps attend,
And numerous servants on him wait
Four secretaries are at hand
And twelve good ministers ofhtaie.
Weeks, days and hours the vision crowd,
Like snow flakes when the eye Is cast
In winter to the angry cloud
That filings It's fleeccs TO the blast,
The young Years life is parcelled out;
Ofevery tide the ebb and iiow
The shifting Of his stars about
And when his moons shall come and go,
The working OF his seasons through
The days and nights swim gliding back,
Are counted out In numbers true
And set down In the almanac.
His schemes OF fortune, too, are laid,
And speculatlon's smile how bland!
Her promises Of gold are made
Believe them mott they're writ In sand
Above his throng Hope sweetly beams
Like stars beam on the restless sea,
And gives to Fancy's heavenly dreams
something ofrcality.
He sports, he gambols. guIltles yet
As any babe that knows not sin
But fear we blood viii soon be let
For his young hands to dabble in.
Here stopl we must not seek TO peer
Too far beneath the futures wave,
Lest we discern The sadd'ning bier
And near to bridal wreaths the grave.
No no be faith our guiding star,
Then II the year bring foe or friend,
The bloom Of peace or dearth Of war
or whatsoc'r kind Heaven may send,
We win rejoice In that we know
There iSa Power who leads us forth,
who every sparrow's fall doth know
The Power that gave the New Year birth.
We trust to Him our hopeful souls
Thro various ways OF light and dark,
And DER the shoals, II there be shoals,
His hand will guide our trembling barque
The year may come with dangers dense.
May sorrow bring, and doubt and dread
our Father Is omnipotence
There's nRught can make our souls afraid
Wen question not the song he sings,
We would not change 1t five could.
Wen take the million gifts he brings
Called Opportunities for good"
We bless him for he has grace
Which round his brothers never shone;
A smile to brighten every place,
voice peculiarly his own,
Which tell how siealthlly have crept,
Like winds steal DER desert lands
Leaving no record how they've stepped
Save their own footprints In the sands.
A hundred years into the womb
ofthe inexorable Past,
Since Liberty strobe DER the tomb
ofTyranny engulphed at last
Beneath the hatred Of mankind,
When men determined to be free,
And with the giant might Of mind
They so declared themselves to be,
4 hundred years have wingd their flights
Since that eventfil act sublime.
Leaving myriad shing lights
As footprints on the sands Of time:
4 deeper love, warmer heart,
A wider Brotherhood Of Man.
4 higher life, larger part
In Gods sweet Christanlzing plan.
Come, earth's rcmotest nations, come,
Yea, men Of every cline. come here;
Come view the free mans happy home
And crown our glad CEsrEssIAL YEAR!
Come join your hands around the right
And bid your pickering malice cease,
And let your nobler selves unite
To sing the JuBiLEE or PEACE,
THE year Is deadr - and shall II lie
Neglected thus with words 20 colds
Was II less charming TO our eye