Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-12-29

W ucai tuS Sibht, VIC lioc anu PeOO shS
floor. We set back our chair from the
hearth and make thrust through the heart
of the fire to drive away these unreal sights,
these visions of a midnight> phantasy. But
unbidden, his face haunts US still like the
skeleton at the feast. The Old Year
is dying-already the sections of the viii
lagos and towns, cold and grey, are moving
like black-robed executioners mid the dim
and ghostly shadows Of the church yard
and soon his death-knell will pulsate on the
dry and frosty air. Poor Old Year how
we have wronged him what fields of love
and duty he opened up what pura and ex-
allied aspirations he gave birth TO; what
golden opportunities he spread out before us.
He brought US wise counsels from his fathers,
and called our attention to shining exam
Piles of steadfast virtue and earnest purpose,
too often in vain. He directed our steps to
the couch of poverty, want and suffering,
and we showed no charity-he pointed out
the outcast, the betrayed, degraded, defaced
woman, children grey in iniquity, men bru-
talized, we offered no sympathy, we led
them not from the path of crime and sin.
And now he has no more giftsIto offer-he
is dying He has passed through the al
lotted seasons. In Winter ht hung his
chaste and splendid jewerly upon the bows
of the leafess trees of the forest In Spring
time he sprinkled the green earth with wild
flowers which filled the baluiy air with
fragrance In the Summer time lrded
grain waved in luxuriant gracess1dI under
the mellow sunshine. In the Autumn time,
he dressed the woodandsin gorgeous robes
and flung out his banners of crimson and
gold, to CLEAN in the clear sunlight of the
years holiday, whilst rich burdens of sheaves
and fruits were garnered into our barns, and
noao, his race is rim. No doubt he does not
depart without many a sigh of regret, for
his reign upon earth has been compare
lively calm and peaceful. During his con-
tinuance the avenues of literature and
science have been widened and extended,
giving us purer philosophy, enriching our
minds and elevating our souls. An en-
lightened and liberal spirit has been gain
ing an increased power in the direction of
the affairs of men, and every department of
human concerns exhibits many encourag-
ing manifestations Of the presence of that
beneficent divinity, whom men seem now to
invoke ito shape their ends" The school
master has been abroad, and, hand in hand
with christianity, has assisted in enlighten-
ing the minds of the people, directing their
thoughts and eyes from the indulgence of
wounded pride, arising from the defeat Of
anticipated triumphs, to deeper and broader
sprint of christian philanthropy. A storm
of party feeling, bitter disagreements and
boisterous, angry discussion have but late
ly flooded the land, but as the boiling bill
lows of the sea of Galilee subsidized before
the presence of their Divine Master, this
enlightened and liberal spirit, which now
seems to be the spirit Of the age, breathed
over the face of the maddened waters, and
all has grown to be calm and peaceful.
The fire on our hearth is nearly out We
are young no longer. Hope belongs TO the
young-the old have only memory. The
Old Year is drawing his latest breaths, and
the New Year comes close upon his last
sigh. Under the clear, cold starlight "the
New Year cometh out of the East" Very
soon new volume will be opened white as
flake of snow, new leaf will be turned.
Is it to be scorched by the fires e price,
passion and prejudceP Is vice, d!9snor
and crime to blur its pagesP Is iAfidelity,
with rebellion as its creed and eloquent pro-
family as its pass word, TO affix its hdeous
monogram No, rather let us gather wisdom
from the past, and realizing the truth and
beauty of those divine words, "All things
work together for good to them that love
the Lord" press onward and upward
The fire on our hearth is dead! We fancy
that the silence of night wakes into song
and the ringing of BELLS Wide we open
the shutters and the dawn light is shining
over the land. The ghosts of the past are
all laid. Good resolves come futtering down
from heaven like doves of peace. The hill
tops echo the music of bells and the shouts
of children, and with new well spring Of
youth within our hearts, we join the joyous
cry that rings from homestead to home
stead-"A Happy New Year"
"Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells across the snow;
Ring out the false, ring in the true"
A Happy New Year" to the friends and
readers of the SENTINEL.