The Van Buren press., 1877-02-06

y
ran SO high in their midst, nor the rich
had young Harry Niles been so witty
and gay, He overflowed and fairly
sparkled with mirth aud jnllty; his com.
ical puns and rollickings songs called
forth roars of daughters and applause
As he sat in their midst that New
Years eve, the very life and spirit of
that gathering Of riotous life and spirit.
his appearance was photographed on his
companions memories--the fair, flushed
face, the bright rings Of damp hair, the
laughing blue eyes, the stalwart, young
form-each year, for many years thereaf
ter, at the mystic hour when the old year
meets the new, this picture rose like a
ghost before them.
"lt's deucedly hard to cut the Jolly
old life, and the jolly old chums " Har.
ry said with drunksn hiccoughs; "but
its got to be done This is the last time,
boys, that III be with you,---the last
time Of all, so fill up the glasses and
we II drink the old year out boys! Well
drink the new year in" ,..e..s zz=i#
The little French clock was on the
stroke of twelve, They all rose simulta.
neously, except Harry, who had to be
holped to his feet. f#s
"Here's to the jolly, old year, and the
jolly, old life!" he hiccoughed as he held
the brmming glass within his unsteady
hand >
There was clash Of glasses, gurg-
ling confusions Of sounds then the emp.
ty goblets were hastily refilcd.
"Here's to the new year, and Halls
new life!" proposed one Of the young
men with knowing wink
The last clear musical stroke of the
silver bell was on the air. There was
an involuntary pause. The old year
was out and the new year was in
| Some two hours later the club broke
up. Hurry had hidden all good bye with
drunken felvor and maullin tears, and
continued to repeat the operation, two OF
his more sober companions trundled
him up in his overcoat aud wrappings.
and set out with him for his lodgings.
There's your house, Hal. Hurry and
jump into bed It's deucedly cold r
one of them said as they took leave of
him at the corner.
1t was indeed cold. The stars twink
led through the frosty atmosphere; the
pavements creaked beneath every foot
fall 1t was not the clustering cold that
carries it's own warming Of danger, but
the still, insidious cold, that silently
numbs each watchful faculty, and then
lays its icy fingers upon the citadel Of
life.
When Harry's two companions left
him, it was near three O'Clock in the
morning, and the great city was hushed in
lproround silence. How long the drunk.
~, katH b. h.f,.sebladehaot ~tl.o,Annr ~ HE
IDENTIFY be had lost his night key, and had
finally gone around iuto the alley, to find
an entrance at the side door. He had
sat down on the step. The stupors OF
intoxieation and Of cold worked together
and secured their victim
There they found him, when the morn
ing dawned. quite beyond all human aid,
as the hastily summrned physician grave
10 sald. -a
1*
1t was the new year, bright and beau.
tful the sun coming up in undimmed
splepdor; the frosty air like mist Of
pearls
The glad new year. white and pure
and rich In golden opportunities and
possibilities for so many; but for this un
fortunate boy there was mo work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom"
His landlady had beheld m.ny woe
ful scene Of disaster and sorrow during
her long experience in letting cheap
lodgings; such things were not rare
but somehow she could never quite for
get the dumb despair Of those parents,
nor the white anguish of fair, girlish
fuce that bent above his coffin.
His remains were taken by bis friends
to his rural home and laid in the simple
woodland cemetery, where, years before.
pretty Maud and he had wandeted many
n Sunday afternoon among the grass
grown graves, and spelled out the in
scriptions upon the headstones with
childish awe: and later they had strolled
there together with the lovers rapture
in there hearts They laid his body
there with bitter monnings. and with
earnest prayers they left his soul with
God.
There let it rest God knows the
temptations-the full, strong tide oi
youth that carried the fnpless boy out
into unknown seas-and God is merciful
ah, well for US all that this is so! for
who among us has not sileuccd his con.
science by some promise of future re.
form and If that future time ever does
come for us, it too often sees but the
wreck of that promise. Surely the an
gels must weep over the wrecks OF good
resolutions and fair promise with which
the early weeks of every new year are
| strewn.
Says the Denver News: A new tribe
of aboriginal Indians has been discov-
| ar,I ,.a. IN ha N ,yato nf tho Rrayns