The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-01
2 IlEIllIKIlIVFa ~
NEW YEARS ODE.
THE SPECTRAL GUESTS.

Whilst musbE last night 10 my old easy chair,
After reading some hours Ia volume quite raIp;.-
! pNntiye became, and 10 the crate gaISd
On the dull dying SmlerS thai recently bllIed.
| added some fuel, and drew my chalr near,
And calmly reelected -FoTiOWSd the old year.
! stirred up the ere, and me thought Il The best
10 warm lly tired limbs before going % reat:--
A. the Night was quite keen and bitterly cold
And ], like the year WAl gr0Wlng-yes-old.
Thus gSIing, my dull eyes would wink and peep;
plseaIdlbg their warnings fell fast asleep.
Deep aleep came easy In zen that old chair,
Quite little fsek'd l for the old or new yest.
How long was my sleep BY the stroke Of the CLOCK
know not, but Know that thought AWOke,-
For right IN my chamber stood strange bSinH two;
felt quite talIhxed at the singular View
But observed rs the time AeW must rapidly on,
They kept coming nearer my primitive throne.
The older came aist, with hobbllng gait;
The younger vas following, with spirits elAte;-
dc wa handsome, aud y0uthtul-ths picture o.
Well clad, and seemed blsss'd With the sunlight Of
wealth;
Was all that refinement or grace could eVince.
His companion, AllI lcant1 hard on 4 CrulEh;-
Sincerely, PltiOd tn old invalid much; F.
Clothed IN old ragged garments from head 10 feet
He seemed a. u home " him was merely the street!
All shriveled his features, Gglaze' WaI bis eye;-
Saw Death lurking there, ~ heaVed deep Sigh,
Quoth "haple!A stranger, whence came you 20 late
The night q t9o bitter for one In your stats,, ~
You must larry With tc-you arr III and quite oldn
Quoth thus the III stranger IT matters not now
Where sleep the spent night, for on my old brow
DEATHS black seal 4 set there-I surely DO iFOwj
He desires II, know, ~ for me, I will hide
Ny old wasted form 10 the dense and dark gloom
OF vain mans Inheritance cold silent tomb"
Amazed at his manner Instantly cried, -
This must not be stranEgT,-you cannot abide
This bitter cold night-you're quite III know,
lou certainly VIII not, must not, shall not 70.
Death thus TO Invite (when he COMES Az too soonl
Were 70 anger your Maker, who gives life rs boon
Recovery Is pOIIlble-then waste not your breath,
But patiently walt you the eOmiR1 OiDcath,
Your hale young fend surely has brought YOU 10 me
sSIii ,Si1ss g.Stss!iUn and lind
For him shall have done, all that god care and skill
CAn do, 10 such touching extremity dread
ksprels thy daIk purpose and BY me b led.
" ,SSI, nay : bis somPanlOn Previously cries.:
For on bis departure, l'A tATy with you
~ house With you dine with you, sup with you too
Mhat needs more ado, ior even nOT zee he dles;-
Ills old Vithsfed features, and Torn helplessnesS-
His lean crippled b0dy-his sheer WOrthleNness;-
Ireaty lack nEuagS,-'tWere vain to attempt
I9 express the full measure Otmy Contempt
why hafbouF him here, even brief moment more -
Dehrous to pay some sad conn mans ScOFe7W
Indignant and furIOlS'St such foul speech
DtFote Is far out a. l could possibly reach
To seize bis vile throat and At oncethen and there
Each foul limb from foul llm6,-but Was held hack
By somethlng,-SO hTmly,-I could not attack,
He deas. the old man feul, muFdeFOus blow,
That stopped Ihe weak pulse that had beaten 40 slow
And ceiling the body from which life had He'd
Threw high up sIlh and cast out the deadI
] cried 10 may anguish, 20 Lord, In Thy Ire,
Wilt ThOw not aTenge this most foul murder direr
Send, send this arch aend to the regions Of woe
Deep tathomS unnumbered-below-IO low
That he snail be punished With full meted palm"
After this leTTent prayer, tuGgOd might aud man-
Unable 70 TiSs, I then lurlouIly cried,
"LeaVe quickly this house. hend-I cannot abide
Thy presence Internal, then foul imp Of hell
BeSops, and leave quIckly-thou peStllence fell |"
With grin worthy demons he cameto my chair
And StralShtWay most aercely clutched me BY the
hair, IN
Which shocked me 50 much that II worked like
charm = =
For i ,ranased 10 make hold grasp Al bis aFm;., %
And boul.ced from my chair, when 10 readof-lol-
stood on the no.! With-neyer ioeI!
Ny tormenter had rau..shed, and looking around
Heard then the last notes OF :dull, dying sound.
What think you Il wAs,.-A gOblln, Q! tphtel
Twas but the clocks record, on ETtstHo aIIdHigh!
SO shadows did form my EondIous dreams Ia due,
Twas exit SEvESTY-EIoHT, and euIeT SEVENTY
EINE. ",