The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-12-27
NKW YFAR,s DEY.

NEW YEARS Day.
As the mo0n-ciock unerring records
the ebb and flow Of the ocean tides, SO
the sun-ehronOgraph writes down the
days and seasons and determines the
time of their recurrence. Man has given
names to the latter and set apart GER
tain of the days as commemorative of
heroic lives and deeds, or as suggestive
of a sentiment that may bs valuable, or
otherwise, as it is taken. The Fourth
Of July teaches Of patriotism. Christ
mas of the blessing of home and the
beauty Of the Christ-life, while New
Years tells Of the sculpture Of one and
the genesis Of another cycle Of earth.
Celebration of the latter anniversary
is sentimental, but sentiment pierces
the heart that is callOus to logic. Patri-
otism is sentimental, but it impeis men
to the mouths Of death dealing cannon.
New Years might have been as apprO-
priately on May l, or any other day,
but time has honOred the selection and
there are besides no means of fixing
the period when, according to the sub
lime Mosaic account, ''the evening and
the morning we're the first day"
This anniversary is suggestive Of
things that have been. Mnemosyne
whispers of ships that pass in the
night-Of opportunities that came and
were not seized; of fOllies and sins; Of
grief and pain; aye, and of pleasure,
and JOY and peace. God be blessed for
memory! The ssddest recollection,
even, is touched Of the gentle hand Of
sympathy, and the greatest tragedy
bears a lofty lesson. Who can too
dearly prize the shadows Of the past
that come up out of the night, self
iliumed by the deeds Of goodness, mercy
and all-kindness that marked them
when in substance they lived and moved
with US? These unwritten books have
the most precious pages, and as we turn
them, one by one, over, we scan the
lines with moistened eyes of tenderness
and with hearts that beat in unison
with the sentiments thereon inscribed.
Cherishing whatever is good Of the
past, man stands in the vestibule Of
the inchoate year and fills its salons
and chambers with CHEEKY furniture
and dear, loving forms. New Years
has, in fact, been termed a day Of re-
solves that are broken. But it is bet
ter, far, to purpose and not to do than
never try the right at all. The sum Of
life's duty is contained in the simple
adjuratiOn. Try! and, should failure
come, try and try again. Not everyone
is privileged to attain all-goodness, and
few there be who can boast of a record
of unbroken success. The night comes
to all, bat the star of Hope, like Sirius,
never sets. Happy is that man who has
strength to do when the promise of
fulfllmeHt is weak.
If the full sunshine may not come,
let the glints find their way through
the dense foliage and tesselate the
ground with their tremuious mosaics
of varying shape. Pity for him who
cannot see in the dawn of the new year
the light of better things. What hour
so glad and bright as that which paints
the eastern sky in crimson and gold,
and that is filed with songs Of birds,
inspired of the pure air and the fresh,
sun-kissed light? The m8tin-time Of
1896 is come, and all who will may hear
the angel voice Of Hope whisper beni-
sons that shall be inspiration to re-
newed courage in the putting aside OF
things that hinder the onward march
to better living.