Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-09
OPEN HOUSE.


ance n day late:-ED. EAGLE.
a cry at nights weird hour,
heard from sleep awaking;
1t WAS a voice of power
NY easement shaking;
The old year breathes his last
On winters bosom lying;
Be hushed, rude northern blast,
Vex not she dying"
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 it 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 its predecessors, changes into
peal of '.joy-bells" to herald the birth of
the new, and forgetful 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 '.Le Roi est Mort, Vive 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 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 greet with a 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
be the darkest shadow that can darken the
sun that eliminates 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 Gay in the year, where a kindly word
fifty spoken" to those who come TO it in
the name of sweet Charity, even though it
be but cloak to cover up a wicked heart
and face-what formidable rivals they
would prove to 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 n word at random spoken,
MAY sooth or wound heart that's broken"
Whist would If 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 livings
The more you give
The more you live"
Cold charity-contradicting term-sees
possible burglar, probable thief in every
applicant, and invites him to partake of
cold bread, out in the healthful breeze of a
north wind.
'.Sweet open-house, open-hearted char
ity," gives him seat by warm fire,
spreads table, warns up the coffee, adds
an extra spoonful of sugar and even
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
he joyous salutations of the happy season
and his may have been one of the happy |
sersity during the year just dead.
How many of us US last night at mid-night's
holy hour. lay in our comfortable beds and
bought of the weird solemnity of the hour
As the last moments of the old year licked
,way, il almost seemed that one could feel
md see the slow-beating pulse Of dying
ling, with young successor lowering near
With outstretched hand ready TO grasp the
ceptre and snatch the crown from his faded
PROV to begin life full of promise with
casting and revelry, song and dance.
A few brief hours and handful of SOL
Tiers of the cross will go 10 Gods sanctuary
md bow their heads in supplication for His
blessing upon the new gear. One day of
continued 4good will to men" and then the
tream of life, the tide Of humanity flows on,
Is it did yesterday, last week, last month,
asst year, and after few brief moons have
passed and waned the refrain will again be
aiken up, lie Roi est mort" and the now
New Years will be wan and old when he
90 is laid away under the pail Of the solemn
,ast, but until then, and even until the
,reater king who rides the pale horse shall
nave added us to his following hosts, let it
,e our chosen, happy privilege to keep con-
inually on open house, and may this be |
\ happy New Veal to thine and thee.
And happy New Year on this festal morn ,
TO every being, of woman born. t
Too brief is the scene Of this mortal life
For the bitter word and the causeless strife; ,
Ind may friends who have grown estranged t
and cold $
,hake hands with the hearty warmth of old. I
he past had its warnings we would not heed |
letter lives for the future, let all of us lead y
earn that life is a shadow, vanishing
breath I
md bridge over with faith the dark gulf i
stream of death. \
Wichita, January LIST, 1885. h