Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-01-02
OPEN HOUSE.


IDENTIFY mslaid The sentiments it contains
i contains is excuse sufficient for its appear
ance DAY late:-ED. EAGLE.
a cry at nights weird hour,
heard from sleep awaking;
twas a voice ofpower
Nv easement Shaking;
The old year breathes his last
On winters bosom lying;
BE hushed, rude northern blast,
Nex not the dying
Yesterday, 1884. To-day. 1885. The ham
mer of time has again tolled into eternity
another twelve-month cycle, and warned US
that we must again strike off balance sheet,
blurred and blotted as II may be with tears
of sorrow, regret and remorse, or illumined
with all the bright spots and JOYS of life.
The knell that speeds the old year into
the grave of It's predecessors, changes into
a peal Of '.joy-bells' to herald the birth of
the new. and forgetfal already of the funeral
walls, the bridal greetings, the cradle-hymns.
the conscience chidings, the cherished hopes
that have faded away like fairy frost-pencil-
ings before summer sun We take up the re-
frain ..Lc Roi est Mort, Viye lie Roi," and
to-day is supreme ruler, while Yesterday
last years. borne away by shadowy hands
into eternity, and all over the land is heard
the greetings of "a happy New Year.
To-day, many of the brightest homes of
Wichita are adorned and beautifed,
and fair young debutantes, happy
wives and blessed mothers are keeping 'open
house, and both to them and the favored
ones whom they gree; with Happy New
Year and an invitation to partake of all
the good things of life, it seems that a ro-
seate cloud with very silvcry lining must
sun thai iiuminates the first day Of 1885.
And yet the whirligig of time may bring
around day when some of the happiest of
to-day may be an outcast, seeking in vain
for some one who keeps 'open house"
open house, with all that it might signify.
Not the first day of the year alone, but an
open house, ruled by an open heart, for
every day in the year, where kindly word
.,itly Spoken" to those who come 10 it in
the name of sweet Charity, even though it
be but cloak to cover up wicked heart
and face-what formidable rivals they
would prove 10 the gilded halls of wicked
ness, where free lunches are served out by
hands less fair and words less pure.
MANY shaft at random sent
Finds mark the archer little meant;
And many a word at random spoken,
Nav sooth or wound heart that's broken
What would it matter if ninety and nine
times one gave to the undeserving: The
angel Of Charity would sweep her wings
over the record of our lives, and the re-
cording angel would enter
GIVE, give, be always giving:
Who gives not. is not living;
The more You give
The more YOU live
Cold charity-contradicti tcrnl-sees u
possible burglar, a probable thief in every
applicant and invites him to partake of
cold bread, out in the hcalthful breeze of n
north wind.
''Sweet open-housc, open-hearted char
ity, gives him seat by warm fire,
spreads table, warns up the coffee, adds
an extra spoonful of sugar and even n
tramp" is in Gods land and at table
where Give us this day our daily bread is
fraught with meaning. Who can tell what
once may have been his home-life. Per-
haps fair, young girls greeted him with all
the JOYOUS SITUATIONS of the happy season,
and his may have been one of the happy
barks that has stranded on the rocks of adj
vcrsity during the year just dead.
Howmany ofus us last night at mid-night's
holy hour, lay in our comfortable beds and
thought of the weird solemnity of the hour.
As the last moments Of the old year licked
away, it almost seemed that one could feel
and see the siow-beating pulse of diving
king, with young successor lowering near
with outstretched hand ready TO grasp the
sccptre and snatch the crown from his faded
brow to begin life full of promise with
feasting and revelry, song and dance
\ few brief hours and handful of SOL
diers of the cross will go to Gods sanctuary
and bow their heads in supplication Toy His
blessing upon the new year. One day of
continued good will to men, and then the
stream Of life, the tide of humanity flows on,
as il did yesterday. last week. last month
last year. and after a few brief moons have
taken up. lie Roi est mort" and the now
New Years will be wan and old when he
too is laid away under the pail Of the solemn
past, but until then. and even until the
greater king who rides the pale horse shall
have added II. to his following hosts, lie; it
be our chosen, happy privilege to keep con-
rinually on open house, and may this tie
\ happy New Year to thine and thee:
And 4 happy New Year on this fc>tal morn
To every being. Of woman born.
Too brief j. the scene of this mortal life
For the bitter word and the cauSeless strife:
And NAV friends who have grown estranced
and cold
Shske hands with the hearty warmth of old.
The pas; had il, warnings we would no; heed
Better lives for the future. let all Of Us lead
Learn that life is shadow, a vanishing
breath
And bridge over with faith the dark gulf
stream of death
f. G. :.
Wichita. January lst, 1855.
THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP