Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-01-05
NEW YEARS GREETING.

IL HAS DeGu d Qui6G CuIlSthdS al
society circles The swell party, and
large gatherings Of other years was re-
placed, ina measure by family reunions,
and but few large gatherings watched
the old year out.
In the churches the Christmas SER
vices were somewhat elaborated, and
the Sunday schools were treated with
christmas bonbon8. The Moravian
church being the only society in the
city that made conspicuous efforts at
LIBERATION. Nevertheless it has been
eventful in quiet way. The gift
giving has been extensive, and on
munifcent scale Social gatherings have
been eventful and JOY bells have rung,
and Christmas carols have been sung,
beside hearthstones and affairs whose
echoes will come back in days to come
sWeeter and clearer as time goes by.
The year went out in gladness, and
rejoicing, in promises of joy to come,
and with tokens of abiding friendships
and tender It carried with it "Manv
a glorious throng Of happy dreams;;"
''Its mark is on each brow, its shadow
on each heart;" "Its exit was time
for memory and for t. ars" Memory
of fair hopes laid low; promises un-
fulfilled; good resolutions unkept; brave
efforts wasted; works planned neglected
and tears tears for the dead, a long
list is written on memories walls Aged
people who for years, and years have
been the makers of our histories.
Their names stand out pre- eminent with
the old years. VIM. 5. Miller, Harry
Bishop, John Arpin, George Shorey,
\. NJ Aber John Phiel, John McCor-
mick, {. A. .Damitz, John McElrea,
j. K. Scarf, Henry Lucier, Mrs.
Zenie", Mr.. Hamm and Mr.. Corcoran,
and as we read the list grows
until we can scarce mention all. 'Ti8
also time for rejoicing and glad on
looking. The year has lost us friends,
but has brought us others; has doomed
hopes to failure, but promised greater
ones; has shamed our unworthiness,
but opened a way for better things;
brought prosperity to our doors, and
scattered broadcast the seeds of a
future golden harvest.
The old year is gone, we have no
word Of reprOach for what it brought,
or took away. We are the better, the
| richer the wiser for it, and we bless the
time, and count it gift to be treasured
i'll our life's history. Good bye, old
year, good bye! and we welcome in the
new, and in common with millions of
others bring our resolutions to offer at
the shrine of the New Year. How
many will swear off evil habits-tobacco
and buy Il new box before taking final
leave of the fragrant weed; how many
prOfane will swear off using oaths only
to change their forms; how many will
swear off drinking and like Rip Van
Winkle treat the resolution by another
glass. How many will cry ''forgive"
and find sort of absolution in the
sound to hate little longer; how many
hobbies will be brought out, reharnessed
and put upon the years highway to run
the rounds another year. How few,
alas of all the good resolutions we
formulate, will we keep and cherish
and grow strong upon. Everyone kept
| is one step gained, and to gain one step
at time is to live worthily, each sue
ceeding step growing easier.
The REPORTER has visited each one of
you weekly, and hopes for the same
welcome during the next ffty-two
weeks that it has had in the past, when
our patrons will have chance to see
| how well we keep our first good reso-
luton to give them as good a paper as
our time and money will afford. We
have many improvements to make in
the paper this coming year which we
hope to be able to carry out. We
sincerely believe that 1898 will record
the greatest improvements in the twin
cities they have ever enjoyed before.
May this prove true is the wish of the
WOOD COUNTY REPORTER the oldest
paper published in this section of the