The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-02-20
Crooked Tracks---A New Years story for
Our GArIA


"
Crooked Tracks---A New Years story for
Our GIrIA-
What was Alice thinking about, as
she stood gazing over the broad expanse
of snowy meadow, across the river, and
to the distant mountain tops in the yell
low sunset OF that still New Years eve?
The boys were skating merrily on the
little cleared ice patch above the dam,
but the days had passed when such
sight had attractions for her +; nor had
those yet come when she could live over
again In another generation the joys or
her own recent childhood. Yet, to some
extent, her thoughts were with the boys
or rather with the crooked tracks they
had made with their sleds over the pure
and otherwise unrufed surface OF the
snow.
just like my life, she thought. One
year aegean it be a year II stood at
this same window, looking out over
the new year, with it's twelve uu-ullied
months ~ pure and beautiful as the I'M
tIodden snow How bes uJiful and pure
/ intended them TO be How good
meant TO be, how useful, how efficient,
bow deserving of praise l meant 70
study 80 faithfully, 20 attend to every
home duty, to be the support o mother
LitH liklL VI iatAFi p z yc- -. Cti q - uE-
friend, such an example to sabbath
school scholars and companions
meant To live and do and be more than
any girl had ever lived and done and
been before, and to leave such shining
footprints on the sands OF time ;" ana
now, IA | look backward, oh, what crook
ed tracEsi
Her frst effort had been directed to
the education OF her younger brothers
and sisters; but the lessons had come to
grief in a few weeks, since the lutte
folks positively refused to submit to Il
delegated authority, which failing to
control its own temper could not com
mand their respect Household duUi-s
had been essayed, but Alice's careless
.foTgettulness so annoyed her house
Wifely mother that alter several repri-
mands received with no very good grace,
that lady resumed with sign that part
of her burdens which she had looked
forward so anxiOusly to sharing with
her daughter.
Then the care of her fathers books,
papers and accounts fell into Alice S
hands, but matters were still worse
here The reading clubs, the sewing
society, the Sabbath school, ETC., each
IN its turn received her attention, but
the same d &culty followed her here. In
CAludllOn AaLlACA lAAtAA hlAbF 4Al pS1ACA AAEA
choice an uncontrolled temper brought
her constantly into collision with oth,
ers, while carelessness and neglect poiled
every piece OF work which she under.
took. She meant to be very religious
to-, but there were some very crooked
lines along the paths OF prayer and bible
reading which she had marked out nor
in spite of all her resolutions and inten-
lions, could she find anything to help
her keep back the sharp word and angry
thought till it was too late.
So there she stood looking out ovel
the snow, thinking her own thoughts O
the disappointing past, and adding t
them hopeless fsrebOdings tor the future
For how was she, taught her own weak
ness by bitter experience, to enter upOI
the new year with her new load of care
the house, the children, her fathers com
fort, and the charge of her invalid
moIher--and expect success where only
failure had been before So tar as sht
could see, the tracks must continue to b.
crooked for all coming time
But as she looked loud, CHEEKY ballot
was heard, which called the boys bacl
from the pond, and round the corner O
the house came the man-of-all wOrl
mounted on the wood sled, TO which wa
attached old Hannah, the mare. Come
broken tomorrow is New Years day
and like to finish off all the old Job
with the old year" Soon all were n
work, and the steady old horse, guide
by the steady old man, marched drecUl,
on toward the gate The boys followed
tramping down the snow and beating i
hard, till Just before the shadows hid tn
outside landscape completely from he
view, where the crooked tracks lay BE-
fore, Alice could trace a broad, Ieve
road straight IA an arrow. Then, as an
turned rom the window, many thiHgs,h
had learned and heard be ore flashed wit
new meaning upon her memory and be
fore she went To see to tea, CAL in It.
children, welcome her father and max
her mother comfortable Tor the might
she knelt alone in her room, and in tn
quiet stiffness OF tn winter twilight pu
her hand by praN er and raiJh, into III
blessed Hand which has promised to lea
Alright, and impiored that heaveul
Guide To 50 streugsuen her in fJlOwin
closely in the footsteps of steady oil
fashioned duty, as that heRce'Orth ever
crooked thing in her lie should be mad
strsigl I.
Friends, as you look back along you
home-li records OF 1873, so you see an
crooked tracks? As you look forwar
over the lair, uutroddeu fields of 1S7!
would you like to reproduce them?
answer to the yes and no which I al
sure these questions viii elicit, I say
Do "a Alice did, and your path viii !
straight as that which leadeth directly
the perfect day - :. S. Times.