Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-01-02
York Herald saws, the

It would be difficult to say, for each
has a charm of it's own.
What more unique or exquisite spec
tacle than that presented by youth
fired with ambition, painting his hopes
on the sky and looking forward to
their realization with something like
ecstacy? He has the delightful reck.
lessness of inexperience, and recognizes
no difficulties that may not be over
come. His imagination has an element
of necromancy in it, and he thinks it
easy to do all sorts of impossible things.
No winter blast of failure has touched
his cheek, and his trust and confidence
i'll his fellows is of tropical abundance,
for suspicion has never nudged his
elbow, and men and women are all
angels to him. The consciousness that
this is hard world to live uprightly in
has not touched his heart by SO much
as finger tip, and he sees in Others
the sweetness and light which fill his
own life SO full of sunshine.
al, Fl sfi$ the beauty of an untred soul.
@nks of greatness, but we who
sssg ssSl cannot tell whether he is really
until some mighty effort must be
Then the revelation will come
assN Ia and to US alike. When the
flalIies crackle and roar we learn what
stuff we are made of. But do not
rouse him from his sleep. Let him
dream on, dear boy. of.our household,
until the sunshine falls on his eyelids
and wakens him. Soon enough he will
learn his sad lesson soon enough dis
cover that not all his companions came
from the New Jerusalem with the
fragrance of heaven about them. In
the meanwhile his castles are quite
worth his building, though he may
never live in them. Give him your
blessing, but do not disturb his pleas
ant thoughts.
If you turn to ripe manhood what
different environment greets you. The
fire has been built, and the boy in
passing through it has become serious.
There is a dignity in his bearing which
circumstance has developed. He has
broadened and deepened since he
caught his first glimpse of his first
tragedy. Life may no longer be a
dream, for those old days have gone
and he has looked upon a new earth
and a new heaven. But in place OF
the dream has come struggle which
hardens every fibre of his frame, and
as he sits by the winter ireside-
whether in an humble or a luxurious
home, it matters nOt-some dear
woman at his side with whom he has
walked through stormy and through
sunny years, the children making the
welkin ring with their glee, dare you
say there is less happiness there than
was found in that mans boyhood days.
His enjoyment has a different flavor,
but is it not keen and sharp?
But turn from this magnificent period
of achievement to a calm and serene
old age. 1t has its earthly life behind
it, but before it is Immortality. 1t il
like gorgeous day in October when
bdO SiOuuo UNIV Slay SiduOWo Ou LHt
- lake and the forests are crimson. Yorl
may not compare such day with a
day in June, when the sap in every
tree flows like a mountain torrent, but
it has beauty and a glory of it's own,
beauty and a glory so sublime that
you look upon the landscape with
mingled tears and smiles.
Old age has beauty which does not
obtain with any other time of life. Its
pleasures are twofold-the battle is
and the future is near. The
trength of the body is like the ebb
e, but the strength of faith is like
tide on the flood. The things of
81 become a legend and the
cts of the Celestial City glisten
he rays of the setting sun. The
Fey is done. There are but few
more steps to take and then comes
fsleep--a sleep from which the angels
will waken you
There is happiness to be found at
every stage of our progress--bc yhood,
manhood and tottering age-but which
is deeper and larger we dare not say.
1t is pleasure, however, to whisper
something about "a Happy New
Year"-whether it shall be spent here
or among the stars.