Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-01-14
A WARNING WISDOM
IN. New YsAsp Night of Conscience.
7 Htasksn, and unhappy Nan. ii

Ths New ran Night Of . Conscience
sulsksn, aad Uhhappy Man. |
An old man stood In the. New Years
night ut the window, and gazed with .
look Of restless despair upon the I'm.
mutable. ever-blooming heaven. anu
out over the still, pure, white earth,
whercupon therv was no one so ioylcss
pnd slccpless as he. For his grave
stood near to him. 1t was covered
only with the apowyoiy sgs not with
the green OF youth; and no brought
with him thithsr out Of his whole rich
life nothing but errors and sins and
sickness--a ruined body, q desolatsd
soul, q breast fun Of poison, IN old age
full Of rcmorse. The fair days Of his
youth wandered about him now like
ghosts, and they bore him back again
10 tina, clear morning when his father
first placed him at the cross.rcad OF
life. the right hand leading by the
sunny ways Of virtue into q Wide.
peaceful land. full Of light and OF har.
vests; the left, down into the moleways
Of vice toward black cavern, full Of
housekeeping poison, full Of darting
serpents and dark, sultry lamps. All!
the serpents hung about his breast, and
the poison.drops upon his tongue. and
he knew now, whore ,hv, WAS. a
y :.
Knowing not what he did, and with
unspeakabc grief, lie cried ont to
Heaven. give me my youth 9nce
morei Oh father, place inc once more
upon the cross.road, that may choose
otherwise!" .....
But his father and his youth were
long gone. He saw wandering lights
dancing on the marshes and dying out
upon Gods Acre. and he said: These
arc my sinful daysw He saw star
fly out from the heaven, 10 glimmcr in
L. fall. and to be eStinguished on the
earth. THAT is l." said his bleeding
hart, and the serpent teeth Of rcmorse
gnawed again into his wounds.
His burning fancy showed him Creep
ing night-wandcrcrs upon the roof, and
the windmill threw up its arms threat.
enlng to crush him. and mask left be.
hind in the dead.housc assumed by do
grees his own features. Suddenly, in
the midst Of this tumult, music for the
New Year foated down from the
towcr.-iikc distant church songs. He
swas deeply moved Iie looked around
tho horizon and over the wide earth,
and Thought Of his youthful friends,
who now, happier and better than he,
were teachers for the world, fathers of
happy children, and favored men, and
he said: "Oh. I also could be happy,
dear parents. had I fulfilled your New
Years wishes and instructions.
In the fevcrish memories OF his
youth. 1t seemed to him that the mask,
with his features. raised itself up in tho
dead.house; finally. through tho super
stition which discerns spirits and the
future on New Years night, 1t became
a living youth, in the position of the
beautiful boy Of tho Capitol pulling
ont thorn, and his formerly bloom.
ing face dance weird and bitter before
him.
He could look no more; he covered
his eyes; hot tears strcamcd down upon
the snow; again he softly sighed, hope
less and unconscious: Come again, .
youth, come again"
And 1t came again; for on that New
Years night he had only dreamed thus
fcariully. He was still Il youth; sc, his
errors had been no dream. But he
thanked God that he, still young, might
turn aside from the foul ways of vice,
and could follow the sunny path which
leads To the fair land of harvcsts Turn
aside with him, o youth, IL thou stand
est upon his wandering way! This
rightful dream viii in future be Thy
Judge; but IL thou shouldst one day
call out. full OF grief: "Come again, q
beautiful YOUTH so shall 1t never rc.
turn again.-IPa, Wisdom and PhiIOso.
ply Of Richter.
FlNLrlhO rNNA