The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-01-25

N0ts'sf
niles Is bound TO go to the dogs" hi,
employers said. with a shake of the head
dts too bad! He wax a promising
young man. Wen have 10 discharge hin
at the end,of the year"
On New Years eve, there was a gay
party OF young men at their club room
watching "the o. ! year out and the rev
year in" Never b. ore had'conviviality
ran no high in thei' midst, nor the rich
wines flowed 30 freely and never before
had young Harry Mite. been No witty
and gay, lie overlooked and fairly
sparkled with mirth and jcllity hi
comicol puns and rollicking songs
called forth roars Of laughter and ap,
plause,
AZ no 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
iorm-each year, for many years thereaf.
ter, at the mystic hour when the old
year meets the new, this picture rose like
aghost before them.
CTS deucedly hard to cut the Jolly
old life, and the Jolly old chumsl y
Harry said with drunken ~hiccoughs
"but its got to be done. TRs is the
last time, boys, that I'll be with you,-
the last time of all, nc All up the glasses
and well drink the old year out boys
Well drink the new year in.p
The little French clock was on the
stroke of twelve, They all ros simuIta.
neously, except Harry, who had to be
helped TO his feet.
Here's to the Jolly, old year, and
tho jolly, old life !" he hiccoughed as
hehcldthe brimming glass in his unsteady
hand
There was a clash of glasses, a gurg.
ling %confusio1s Of sounds; then the
empty goblets were hastily rcflled,
Here's to tho new year, and Halls
new life !" proposed one OF the young
men with a 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 wm in
Some two hours later the club broke
up, Harry had hidden all gosd bye
with drunken fervor and maudIin tears,
and continued to repeat the operation,
two OF his more sober companions
trundled him up in his overcOat and
%wrappings, and set out with him for his
lodgings.
There's your house, Hal. Hurry
and Jump into bed. Itsdeuccdly cold %
one Of them said Ms they took leave Of
him at the corner.
1t wa indeed cold. The stars twink.
led through the frosty atmosphere ;
the pavements crraked beneath every
football. 1t was not the clustering cold
that carries its own warning Of danger
but the still, insidious cold, that silent
ly 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 profound silence, How long the
drunken youth fumblcd about the door
of his lodging.housc was never known.
Evidently he had lost his night-kcy, an
had finally gone around into the alley, to
find an entrance at the side door. He
had Rat down on the step. The stupors
Of intOxication and Of cold worked to-
gether and secured their victim.
There they found him, when the morn
ing dawned, quite beyond allIhuman aid,
as tho hastily summoned physicians
gravely Taii.
=
1t was the new year, bright and beau
titul the sun coming up in undimmed
splcndor the frosty air like a mist Of
pearls.
The glad new year! white and pure
and rich in golden opportunities and
possibilities Tor 50 many but for this I'm.
fortunate boy there was "no work, nor
device, o knowledge, nor wisdom"
His !andIady had beheld many a woe
full scene o. disaster and nrrow during
her long experience in letting cheap
lodgings; such things were not rare
but somehow she could never quite for.
get tho dumb despair of those parents,
nor the white anguish Of a fair, girlish
face that bent above his coffin.
His remains were taken by his friend.
to his rural home and laid in the simple
woodland cemetery, where, years before,
pretty Maud and he had wandered many
a 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 their hearts, They laid his body
there with bitter MORNINGS, and with
earnest prayers they left his soul with
God.
There let it rest. God knows the
temptations-the full, strong tide Of
youth that carried the hapless boy out
into unknown seas--and God is merciful:
alb, well for us all that this i, so! for
who among us has not silenced his con.
science by some promise of future re.
form aud ii that future time ever does
come for us, it too often sees but the
wreck Of that promise. Surely the
angels must weep over the wrecks of
good resolutions and fair promises with
which the early weeks of every new year
nYp drawn