Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-01-01
WHOLE NO, 1896
The New Years Night,

Ah hscu PcINoh H'V""' "" ""'"
Years night. at the window, aud
gazed upward, with a glance OF ans'
ious despair to the fixed, cyerbloom.
ing heavens, aud downward to the
quiet. pure earth, wheron was now no
ono so joyless and sleepless as himself
For his grave was near by, aud It was
only covered with the snow Of old age,
not with the green of youth, lie had
gained from an opulent life nothing
but errors, sins and disease a de-
stroyed constitution. dcsolaic mind,
a breast full Of poison, an old ago full
of remorse. The beautiful days OF
his youth returned to day, in varied
visions, and dragged him back to the
bright morning when his father first
placed him ot the crossroad Of lite,
which to the right, in the path ct vlr'
tue, leads into wide, quiet country,
full Of light and hares's; and 10 the
left, leads away, in the mole'tracks OF
vice, into a black pit full OF poison
Kissing serpents, and dark, snl'ry va
pors,
Alas ! the serpents encircled his
breast, and the drops OF poison we've
on his tongue; he knew now where
here he was. With inexpressible
grief he cried out 10 tho heavens,
"Restorc me TO youth, oh Father.
Place me al the crossroad that may
choose different course !
But his father and his youth had
long since passed away. He saw
lights dancing over the morass, then
disappear in the graveyard, and he
exclaimed: "Those are my foolish
days. He saw shooting star gilt
tering its downward course, and dis.
solving on the ground. "That is my
self" whispered his bleeding heart,
and the serpent's tooth of repentance
dug deeper into his wounds. His ex.
cited imagination showed him on the
roofs Aeeting somnambulists; the
windmill raised It's arms ready TO
crush, and a mask left behind in the
house Of death gradually assumed his
features In the midst Of this strug'
gle the New Years chorus, like dis.
tant anthems flowed from the spires.
His emotions softened. He glanced
all along the horizon and over the
wide earth he thought of the com
pan,ous of his youth that were now
happier and better than himself. "Oh,
[ would like you have passed away
the New Years night III sweet slum.
Der, if 1 had been willing! Alas, l
would be happy, dear parents, if had
followed your advice
In the feverish remembrance of the
days OF his youth, it appeared to him
as if the mask iu the house Of death
raised itself and changed into youth,
ruled by the superstition that looks, on
New Years night, for visions of the
future He would endure the sight
no longer; he covered his eyes and
thousand burning teals melted the
snow; he would only utter the low,
comfort.ess sigh, "Return youth, re-
tum!' And it returned, for he had
only dreamed. He was still youth +;
only his errors had not been dream.
But he thanked God that he, but a
youth, could still turn away from the
road of vice, and re.enter the sunny
path that leads into the lands of har-
vests Return with him young man.
if YOU have followed his evil ways !!
This fearful dream will he yourjndna
but if at some future time you should
exclaim pi,ifully; "Return, beautiful
days of my youth !" they never can
return.-[From the German Of Jean
Paul Richter
a.:,ss.