Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-01
LANCASTER, WISCONSIN. THURSDAY. JANUARY 1880.
THE CLOSING YEAR.

sr GEO PRESTIGE.
It's midnights holy hoar--an6 silence now
Is brooding like gentle spirit DER
The still and puisriess world. Hsrki on the vinas
The belfr deep tones are swelling tits the knsll
Of the departed wear No funeral train
u sweeping past; Yet. on the stream a nd wood
With melancholy light the u,ooLb ans rest
Las pa'e spotfess shroud the air 10 stirred
ks by N III psr'- sigh and on yon cloud
That ats 50 stiii sud plncid'y through heaven,
Thesprit- OF the season seem 10 stand
Young ,prin 3, bright summer autumn . solemn form
Ana winter with its aged locks and breathe.
10 IN urnfui sad ncs that come abroad
Like the far wind hsrp's Wild and touching vail
melancholy difg- o'.r the dead year,
9one from the earth forever.
For memory and for tears. wi;h,n the dean
SIN chambers efthe heart a sprcter dim
Mh"ss tones are Ike the wizard voice OF Time,
Heard nom the tomb OF ages points its cold
md solemn finger to the beautiful
Ard holy visions that have passed awav
Aud ieft no shadow OF their ioveiioess
On the dead waste ~ life That spectsr I'm.
"hs colin lid Of Hope. and Joy and Love.
And, banding mournfuliF above tbs male
Ger what has passed TO nothrgnsss
Has gone and. with it, many glorioas throns
Oi happy dreams It's mark 10 on each brow
It's shadow Ia each heart. In the swiI, oopr..
1t waved its sceptre DER the beautiful.
And they not Il laid 10 psind hand
IL fallen. and the flashing eye 10 dim
IL tr d the hall OF reveiry, where ,hropg,d
The bright and jsous, and the tunefui wall
VI s'ricken one. 10 heard v here erst the song
And reckless shout resounded.
1t passed Ger
The battle ain. wis re sword aud spear and shield
Flashed in the light Of midday and the .tran gth
OF serried hosts 10 shiversd and the grass.
6rren from the soil OF carnage. waves above
Ihe crushed and Wondering skeleton. 1t came
xsa faded IKE . wreathe Of inist at eve;
Yer. ere II meiteo in the siewless air,
II hrralded itr millions 10 their home
In the dim land OF dreams.
fierce spirit 1.-THE gass and Soy thei what power
Can sta, him In his silent course or melt
His iron hssrt to pityf On still on.
tie presses. and forever. The proud bird
The condor Of the Andes, that can soar
Throngh hesvens unfsthom ,be depths, or brave
The fury Of Vie northern hurricane,
INT oathe his plumags In the tbuuder's home
Furls his broad wings at nightiall and sinks down
10 rest upon his mountain cr.g; but Time
Knows not the weight of sleep Or wesripess
And nights deep darkness has claim to bind
his rushing pinions.
Revolutions sweep
0eT earth like troubled visions DER the breast
VI dreaming sorrow cities rise aud SEEK
Lik bubbles on the WATER d -ry isles
spring biaz ing from the Ocean and go back
To their In sterftus cavernt, --mountains rear
TO heaven ,h ir bald and blackensd cliffs andbow
Their tail heads 10 the piain new empires rise
Gathering the strength OF aoary centuti.s
And rush down hks the Alpine Nv lane he
startling hs nations.-aad toe very staIs.
Yon bri hi sad burning blsz ,ory Of God,
diitter awhile ia their eternal deU ths,
And. ixe the P.eiad, love,i-st Of their train.
5 boot nom their glorious spheres, and pass av y
TO darkie in the frackiess void,-yet, Time.
Time the tomb. builder, holds lis H-rce car cor,
Dark, stern. irpisiless. and pausss MT
mid be mighty wrecks that strew hrs path,
TO sit and muse. like other ,nqaerors,
Upon the fesrfoi ruiz he has wrought.