Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20

comical puns and rollicking songs
called forth roars of laughter and ap-
plause,
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
torm-each year, for many years thcreat-
ter, at the mystic hour when the old
year meets the new, this picture rose like
agbost before them.
"It's deucelly hard to cut the iolly
old life, and tine Jolly old chums!'
Harry said with drunken hiccoughs
but its got to be done. This is the
last time, boys, that I'll be with you,-
the last time Of all, so fill up the glasses
and well drink the old year out boys,
Well drink the new year in
The little French clock was on the
stroke of twelve. They all rose simulta
n%couSly, except Harry, who had to be
helped to his feet.
" Here's to the Jolly, old year, and
the Jolly, old life, :" he hiccoughed as
heheldthe trimming glass in his unsteady
| hand!
There was a clash of glasses, a gurg.
ling contuSions of sounds then the
empty goblets were hastily reflled
Here's to the new year, and Hal,
new li'en" proposed one OF the young
men with a knowing wink,
The last clear, musical stroke Of the
silver bell was on the air. There wa,
an Involuntary pause. The old year
was out and the new year was in.
Some two hours later the club broke
up. Harry had hidden all COED byt
with drunken fervor and maudlin tears
and continued to repeat the operation
two of his more sober companions
trundled him up in his overcoat ant
warnings, and set out with him for hi
lodgings.
" There's your house, Hal. Hurr,
and jump into bed. It'sdeucedly cold =
one of them said as they took leave o
him at the corner.
1t was indeed cold. The stars twink
led through the frosty atmosphere
the pavements crcaked beneath ever,
football, 1t was not the clustering col,
that carries its own warning of danger
but the still, insidious cold, that silent
ly numbs each watchful faculty, an,
then lays its icy fingers upon the citadc
of life.
When Harry's two companions lef
him, it was near three O'Clock in tn
morning, and the great city was hushc,
in profound silence. How long tn
drunken youth fumbled about the doc
Of his lodging-house was never known
Evidently he had lost his night-key, an
had finally gone around into the alley, t
: find an entrance at the side door. II
had sat down on the step. The stupor
Of iutoXication and of cold worked t
gether and secured their victim.
There they found him, when the morr
| ing dawned, quite beyond a|llIhuman ale
, as the hastily summoned physical
? grayeIy sail.
x y
; 1t was the new year, bright and beat
titul the sun coming up in undimmp
e spIendor the frosty air like a mist
; pearls.
The glad new year, white and puI
r and rich in golden opportunities an
S possibilities Tor so many but for this III
Y fortunate boy there was ono work, u,
. device, nor knowledge, nor WISDOM
, His iandlady had beheld many a wo
T. full scene OF disaster and sorrow durir
her long experience in letting chea
= lodgings; such things were not rar,
K but somehow she could never quite TO
5 get the dumb despair of those parent
e nor the white anguish Of a fair, girl.
race that bent above his coffin.
/ His remains were taken by his frien,
to his rural home and laid in the simp
T. woodland cemetery, where, years belor
: pretty Maud and he had wandered mar
I, a sunday afternoon among the gras
grown graves, and spelled out the i
7N'ip'I'''H uIpu tlt utdCSLOlltS WI
T. childish awe and later they had strollc
t there together with the lovers raptu
+ in their hearts. They laid his boo
u there with bitter MORNINGS, and wi,
e earnest prayers they left his soul wi
God.
+ There let it rest. God knows Il
temptations-the full. strong tide
G youth that carried the hapless boy O
n into unknown ,eas-and God is mercif
# ah, well for us all that this is so! t
" who among us has not sileuced his CO
science by some promise of future
l. form and if that future time ever dc
V come for us. it too often sees but t
a wreck of that promise. Surely t
y angels must weep over the wrecks
good resolutions and fair promises wi
1t which the early weeks of every new yc
., are strpwn