The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-12-30
The Close Of the Year.
EY KATHARINE II. GREENE

H.. r..
Christmas, with ifs asscciating memoir
les has come and gone! How the very
name carries me back to days of my
childhood-over years and years each
with golden circles, of love, hopes memoir
les, Joys and sorrows, linked with other
golden circles Of that ever.lengthenlng
chain Of time and eternity-and tie
strange inexplicable feeling that stirred
my heart then sways my spirit now with
its sweet. indescribable charm. In fancy
do still listen to the sweet confusion OF
the bells-the star-bells, the sphere-bells,
the wonderful Christmas bells-clanging,
changing, tanglins their mystical tones
together-liquid, gushing, sun-like MIL
sic, whose magical vibrations thrill the
human heart to its very centre. Oh!
those precious by-gone days, long since
crumbled to ashes and to dust! How
unutterably beautiful they appear
through the delicate rose mist Of memory.
How tenaciously they cling to us in their
rare, peerless beauty and softly whisper
Forget me not
The old days are best!
And the dear familiar faces vanished
from the household, seem to shine again
upon US in their old accustomed places, ~
the dear home-folk gather around glow
ing hearthstOne of the present memorable
day, and "Christmas past seems to
abide IN our midst once again in all its
peculiar glory:
Another year, with its joys and sorrows,
its losses and gains, its sweet and bitter
memories, has passed away! How silent
ly, yet how rapidly has the last year gone
by, with all its scenes and changes. 1t
seems but yesterday since VIC hailed its
birth, as it came into life crowned with
the sorrows of winter, and now it Is laid
in its grave and numbered with the ages
OF the past. Another year gone. and u
new Oae welcomed with all its light AMI
JOY and hopes. wsuld not cast shad-
ow over one heart today. nor seek to
throw single cloud over its golden tu-
ture. Yet remember amid all the jov
and happiness which fills the soul, that
it IS not all Of life to live, and that there
there are nobler and higher joys than this
world can give to which one should as
pire. How full life is of unwritten trage-
dies! There are sad histories beneath
this gay world-lives owe: which doth
brood the very shadow Of death! The
day is short for US all; but for some it
will be pleasant thought when we come
to lay down our heads at last, that We
have eased a few aching hearts. have
brought peace and new hope to many
darkencd life, ana raised the :'cup Of cold
water" to lips athirst.
The years, which in our childhood
seemed to DRIFT so slowly along the river
Of time, in our later life fit all too rapid
ly by; and we involuntarily stretch out
Our hands as it to stay them in their
flight, lest they slip away and leave un-
fulfilled the plans we are daily, hourly
unfolding.
Stay, o Time in your onward fight!
Stay, ye Years, for awhile, oh! stay!
Soon.io soon,wil descend the dark night,
And undone be the work OF life's day.
We would clasp you close i'll Our outstretchei
hands
We would hold you back from eternity.
Too ,apidly slip Life's golden sands
Into the Nevermorc.
So much OF life behind lis lies
SO little lies before!
Stay, 0 Time, speed thou not so fast
Too swiftly our precious days glide ou;
SO many years lie in the past
So few are to be won.
L:nger, Oh, linger awhile, We pray;
Till our work is finished, approved OF and
blest-
We care not then how soon the day
May close and bring US rest
Bring sweetest peace to tired eyed
To heart and brain oppressed!
ST. Louis No. Jan l. 1879