The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-12-26
The New Year.!

| '"o away sceIlcu 10 us an in.
stance of exquisite symbolism that tho
Roman Janus, the guardian of gates
and doors, should be made the presiding
deity of the opening year. This deity
was represented with two faces, one
looking forward and the other back.
ward. And who of as can stand upon
the threshold of this opening doorway
and not thoughtfully muse over the
past while with eager eyes we hopeful.
" gaze at the future? A poet saws {:
at is time for memory and for
tears; and if we do justice to our re-
Elections We expect he is very nearly
correct. Surely it is a time when
thought is busy | and the beautiful star of
hope glows radiant in the azure of the
soul.
Our lives are, after all, like books,
bound in yearly volumes. Their pages
vary in tint, It's true, as we pass along :;
even from the rose to the ashen, from
gold to gray. With most of MS they are
laid on some dark upper shelf, till grown
older and graver we send our thought
back over the sunshine and the snow
and bid some Old volume awake to our
call, AS We brush away the dust and
turn the silent pages of these volumes
which each of US binds and lays by for
himself, what visions come, what emo.
tons stir and thrill US. They are our
treasures, and how glad We are that
they are secure from stratagem or raw.
age-that the mind is storehouse in
to which thieves cannot break. Our
property, our liberty and our life can
be taken from US, but no man carries
the key which will unlock the gates, nor
Yields the force to demolish the wall,
and drag from the citadel of memory"
her possessions.
In the year that is nearly gone all Of
us can find here and there a clearing.
where flowers bloom fresh and the dews
always lie bright and cool. To none of
US is ii wilderness. Upon our quiet
town and its good people the passing
year haa of course left its trace even
that Of the cloven hoof but the general
result when summed and averaged will,
we trust, I've cheering to all.
In the matrimonial race some may
have been pursuing what a casual OBJ
server would call an "ignis fatuus,"
and they may still be desperately trying
to paddle their light "canoe" by the
FREELY" lamp" But others we know
have made good time and won the prize.
There is no doubt that actual progress
has been made. The little eyes that
couldn't tell rattle from. its father
year ago now sparkle with delight or
all with tears as he comes and goes.
The youth who talked to us then in
modest treble, now waivers in shattered
ieml'quavcr between alto, bass and
tenor. Upon the lip that once showed
70 little promise can now be seen, under
favorable circumstances, faint signs of
'nture harvest.
What changes the year hath wrought /
It has driven our Misses into the
ranks of young ladies, and crowded
he ladies of a year ago further on into
he line of life's promotion 1t has
bowed the forms and sprinklcd with sill
yer the locks of those who have
borne the burden and heat of
he strife, TO some hath come
diversity, to many prosperity, and to
MI an experience that should make US
stronger to guard the future from the
Of the past.
The bells that ring out the old and
ing in the new will soon give us oppor.
unity to speed the parting, and vel
zone the coming guest" if such is our
mood. Some will cling to the old with
Ill its hallowed memories, while other.
with bounding hearts will hail the new.
However prone the young may he to
urn away from the old year, the ten
lency will gather force with the passing
'ears to live amid the scenes and remi-
liscences Of years long flown.
But while we write the year is pass
ng, and before we see the next Home
Journal the dear old year, with all its
'rief, and strife, and care, and pride,
yill have glided into the great ocean of
he past. To all we shout q Happy
New Year." and join with Tcnnyson as
lie sings
Ring out the old, ring in tho new,
Ring happy bells across the snow;
The year il going let him GO
fing out the JaL'e, ring intho true!
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