The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1881-01-19
THE NEW. TEAR.

zone drifting out among tile Islands
IF the past. 1t will have no eXis
tance in the great future, save in the
'aenory OF the present generation,
"r as an epoch til VII mark Che
late Of suc, occurrences as it has
Witnessed that are worthy to he
transmitted to pos'eriiy. That yea;
will remain inde'ihly stamped upon
tile memory Of many who compose
the preset generation. Some haze
been made happy and otilere mise
rablc. Some have been enriched and
others beggsrcd. Some have pro
5fessed in moral culture, others have
'unken deeper and deeper into the
cess pool Of vice. How many thou
sands in the distant future will look
back TO 1880 with pleasure and de-
light! Then many Of them were re
claimed FROM sin and ruin-hurles'
the cup Of the cnchanter from the;.
lips and severed the chain Of the
enslaver. Then many had their.
brightest hopes in life fully realized
reached the acme of human happi-
ness. They led to the hymeneal al
tar the blushing bride, who had been
fairly won in the race of love-two
loving hearts, made one, launched
their barque upon the connuhial
sea. 1t is also sad and melancho-
ly fact, that many thousands will
look back to the year that has just
passed with sorrow and remorse.-
1t is an epoch from which they will
date their disappointments, their
crushed hopes, their downfall, their
final degradation and ruin. There
are young men who, when 1880
dawned, were bouyant with hope;
perhaps they had just entered man
hood. The future was bright and
clear; the path that led to the pima
Gle of fame appeared to them even,
straight and smooth; the beautiful
snow flower of honor and renowu ap-
peared just above them, upon the
brink OF the mountain; they had but
to Chamber up q little, reach forth
their hands and obtain the prize
Alas, where are they to da;? The
path to fame, upon which they be.
gan their journey so auspiciously,
was beset with hidden difficulties
and dangers; the ascent of the noun
tain was besct by enticing phan-
toms. They failed to resist the
charms and allurements of the temp
ter; they turned aside, as it were, to
enjoy the pleasures of sin but for a
season. The sting of the adler was
planted. The seeds of vice were
sown; they terminated and took a
deep hold in their hearts. Some OF
them, ere this, are plunged into ir
-evocable ruin, others are Fastening
with electric speed to the same fate.
But this is enough for the past.
Let the dead past bury its dead"
The scene changed when this day
and this year were ushered into ex
istence. We will look to the pres
ent and the great future, and remem
Der the past only to profit by its cx
perience. To-Day, the first day OIL
1881, how many "ncw leaves" so te
speak, will be turned over2 How
many new resolutions will be takeni
How many pledges Of reform made
and how many Of them will last
month, a week, or even day? TIL,
red-eyed, bloated- faced inebriate
l
who has brought his family to. pow
erty and misery, who has beef
spending the Christmas holidays il
drunken debauchery, will, perhaps
sober up to-day, and will, upon ben
ded knee and with penetential tears
solemnly promise his beloved wifi
never to drink again. Will be kee)
his promise3 Let US Lope that b
will. There is young man VIII
has taken his first spree. Durin
the gayeties of Christmas he was in
duced to drink. The effects wer
+
charming. He felt happy and ricl
He tried it again, and to becom
still happier, or to feel still better
he drank more and more; his brai
was fired; he became intoxicated
To-day he will solemnly VOW neve
to taste the cup again. Young mar
keep your VOW. The poor, unfortu
nate debtor, who has yielded to til
charms of extravaganza and find
that his expenses have far owe,
reached his income, will to-day ope
a new exDense account. with q deter