The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-01-02
FEEDING The PAST.

ueL OF Jue BuhIunOus5 IN search OF con- /
cealed liquor. r.-Elmira Telegram.
FEEDING THE PAST.
The Hard Work That Father Time Has
to Do.
was walking alone at midnight,
shivery midnight, when met him.
don't like to meet strange beings at mid
night, 1t raises goose pimples on my
soul But make it a practice always
to let on that am not frightened for in
my long and varied intercourse with
spooks and goblins and ghouls have
found that when they cannot frighten
me they usually take fright themselves
There i after all, a good deal of human
nature about ghosts.
He wore a long, white beard on his
face and bore an old, sharp scythe on his
shoulder. That was about all he had on.
There was something familiar about his
appearance, too, but l have poor MEM
ory for names and forget where have
met folks. could not classify him at
first.
Happy New Year" said l. by way of
showing a friendly spirit and testing his
attitude.
"Same to you,' said he.
He seemed to be well disposed.
Haven't 1 met you somewhere be-
fore2' asked.
Shouldn't wonder. I've been going
up and down this earth for good while.
Once year come around these parts
and do business in a small way. Maybe
you've seen me now and then on New
Years cards"
"Ah," exclaimed, "are you the old
gentleman that picks up the last figure
of the date line and goes hobbling off
the edge Of the card with it while little
tot of naked boy runs and puts a new
one in its placer"
"rm that same old codger."
"And your manner"
"Time"
"Sure enough, Father Time. ought
to have known you at sight. I'm init
mately acquainted with several mem
bers of your family, 1 know Hi fust-
rate"
"WhoYn
"Hi-Hi Old Time, you know"
"Ah, yes"
Well, we chatted on pleasantly enough
until asked the old gentleman why he
made it point every year to come
around and carry off the figures 50 that
we had to set up new ones and spoil our
letter heads until we became accustomed
to the change.
81 admit, said he, there is a good
deal Of nonsense about it. I presume
people would live as long and be as happy
if there were no such thing as a change
Of years, l suppose you don't care a
snap whether this is 1889 or 1890, and to
tell you the honest truth am convinced
it is a very foolish thing to shift about
so much, but must carry out my con-
| tract, and expect to spring a new year
on the world every now and then as long
as live
"What contracty
"Why, my resolution"
"What resolution
"Did you never hear of my resolution?
Well, then, will tell you" and he leaned
upon his scythe.
you see, you people make New Years
resolutions, but they don't amount to
| anything You swear off drinking and
then get as full as ticks before night.
| You break off smoking and begin again
before the week is out. You resolve to
keep diaries, but you give up before
/ January is gone. Now with me it is
| different. When l make a resolution
stick to it. A long, long time ago
made 10 resolution that | would keep the
/ past chock full Of minutes and hours
/ and days and years, and l have been
| tossing them in ever since. 1t keeps me
| pretty busy, and don't mind conhding
to you the fact that if had it to do over
/ again / wouldn't make such a resolu-
ton, but there is no help for it now, and
1 shall have to go on forever, l suppose"
Father Time gave his scythe a swish,
and gathering up handful Of minutes
flung them into the past and resumed
"You have no idea how have to
hump to keep the past full. l no sooner
drop year, or a month, or a week into
it than discover that there is room for
more"
"What becomes of all these years you
feed TO the past?" / asked.
That's it; what becomes Of them? II
they did anybody the least good
shouldn't mind doing this work, but
they don't; they are dead waste. True,
they feed and sustain the past, but what
is the use of doing that2 If people knew
enough to make use Of the past and learn
something from it there might be some
excuse for maintaining it, but they
don't, so all this work of mine is in
vain
"Why don't you quit It? Why don't
You let the past rip and turn your atten-
ton to making more present. That is
what We need. People would think a
good deal more Of you If you would quit
carrying away the present and dumping
it into the past,
$50 they would, and should like TO
accommodate them, but my pride keeps
me at this work"
"Prideg'
'Yesi am probably the only person
on earth who has consistently and un-
falteringly fuldlled his New Years reso-
luton, and am proud Of the distinction.
But'-hs lowered his voice and spoke
earnestly TO me-''if had it 10 do again
/ should be very sure not 10 make a New
Years resolution"
Then he left me 10 reflect upon what
would better do in the way Of resolu-
tions on this FIRST day Of the brand new
year.-Deuoit Free Press.