The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-01-25
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New Years Eve.

Psyche and sat up to v..tch the Old
Year cut; not that we cared much about
the old year; but we thought We would see
the last of him So drew On easy chair be
fore the hearth and sat down.
The house was very quiet; for every
body else had gone TO bed. Outside the
snow was falling, soft and white; bnt that
! made no noise, and the only sound heard
was tick, tick, lick.
looke,. at the clock. ]; was just eleven,
50 | had yet an hour rith the old year. !
| looked at the ire 1t w,nkol arl bEnkcd
at me in familiar way, as much as to say
Never mind nc, l am all right, and
plenty warm enough" Then after little
while closed my eyes, though didn't
mean to.
Psyche kept hers wide open all the time.
Psyche never sleeps. | do that for both
of US. Sometimes when 1 wake she tells
me where she has been in the night, and
what adventures she has encountered. She
does the straugest things when | am
asleep and can't attend to her.
AZ we were sitting there before the fire,
and the short hand of the clock was slowly
creeping oyer the little space it had to
travel before twelve, and the long hand was
steadily gliding round its hourly circle, the
door opened, and in came an old man. His
long. slvery hair and beard gleamed in the
Pickering freight. lie was closely wrap
ped in great cloak which he seemed too
feeble to carry, for rs he walked he leaned
heavily on his staff, and his knees trembled
under his weight.
"Oh, it's yor r said Psyche, who seemed
10 know him very well.
The old man looked at her sadly, and
said: You don't seem to like me much.
Perhaps not, returned Psyche, with
touch of bitterness Why should |? Have
you given me health, or wealth, or position!
Have you not even deprived me of many
Of the good yhin.a he'd before you came?
T5en she oi; fnan siasiy made reply:
have iutee; tasen away some 't.incs
that you e;.l!e! blessings, knowing that they
souij prove Otherwise to you. 1 have
brought some clouds over your life; bat it
was that the rain which fell from them
| might make the harvest more abundant.
have sent the frost to destroy some OF yonr
! faircst buds Of hope, but it Was that l
| might give you better things in their place.
| Oh would have done much for you, nv
child. You forget, perhaps. how many
| days made the sun to shine. / haYe
been with you twelve months to night /
taye brought heat and cold, Summer and
Winter, seeltime end harvest; but where
are the sweet flowers and aromatic spices,
| the pleasant fruits and waving grains with
which | should 90 laden to the Master?"
Psyche only wept, and answered not =
| word.
Then the old man looking plying upon
i her ard said in softer accents: 81 would
y, ho-.l ,,,o,. rn,: ohill Here ara in
deed u few imperfect blossoms which, fresh
! cIei by these tears, will be received by
Him who knoweth human frailty.'
Then Psyche fell upon her knees and
prayed, "Oh, give me one blessing ere you
gc!' And the old man, placing his tremb
! ling hand upon her bead, said. II do bless
thee, my child
Psyche looked up through her tears, but
he was gone, and she saw him DO more. In
his rlice there stood another guest, youth
robed in ermine and g!ittering with dia-
m0nds.
''H'ho are yoo?" asked Psyche.
az am the New Year" he answered,
while a bright smile played OYER his fair
young face "Shall we not Je irlends?"
"Since fate has brought US together, SC
let it be-" she answered, taking his offered
hand. yet" she added with sigh, 'yor
cannot bring back the past"
May" said the youth, "bu, are tbs
opportunities Of the future worth nothinsi
! may no. tell what lies in store for YOU
but this secret | viii unfold. Give mt
every day some sweet flower OF love, some
lowly blossom of patience or content, som.
fragrance Of gentle deeds. and YOU will tind
me become more beautiful as / grow Older
and more lavish in my gifts to you, and il
the end you will say, 'That was the bes
year | ever knew"
Then Psyche said, 80 New Year, sill
follow your bidding; and will go with yo,
trustfuliy, hopefully, iioyfully."
There WAS sound of glad nansic in til.
air. opened my eyes, bat saw TO one.
peyer see Psyche. Outside still noiselessly
fell the snow, ard heard no sound bu
tick. tick, tick. looked at the fire. i
was winking and blinking at ne with +,