Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-12-30
FREELAND, PA, DECEMBER 80. 1897


one is in prison, or, say, while waiting
for railroad train, or upon the eve of
ones marriage. All the pictures of
old Father Time show him having
wings, and very long ones, too. He
flies faster and faster as age wears on,
so fast, in fact. that towards the decline
and down it one may not be able to
count the mile-posts. The year 1897
has gone and to older ones it seems
but as yesterday since first it was here.
Yet during its little hour how many
the friends that went to their long
home, how many the hopes untitled,
how many the vows that were broken,
how many the disappointments, aye,
and how many the pleasures and glad
nesses, how much happiness we COM
municated, and how much we bestowed
upon others. Sitting down for retro
spection, it was very busy year after
all. Had we begun on the first day
with diary of large dimensions, how
easily we might have filled its every
page, and still have left many, many
things unrecorded.
Gone the old year altogether-save
it's memories, which will remain for
ever, precious or reprobative, as they
troop up in passing review before
one. Gone its spring of unfolding
flower and stalk and grass; its summer
Of developing beauties of field and
wood; its autumn of harvest, full fruit
age and many-tinted leaves; and gone
its winter of hoarfrost, iridescent ice
and snow of immaculate whiteness.
Gone is it in its glory and pride, its
shame and weakness, and we hail the
new with its certain record of good
and evil, false and true, tempest and
calm, sunshine and shower, night and
day.
Hail the year 1898! Yet many will
it cast down and many raise up; many
destroy and many make alive. Hope
will it fulfill in some and send utter
despair to others. As in the years that
have passed, so in 1898 will there be
simoons, tornadoes, zephyrs and calms;
hail, rain, snow and diffusiye, heart
warming sunshine. There shall be
wars, sorrows, pains, joys, gladnesses,
droughts, floods, plenty and famine.
War shall rage here and there, while
peace will be serene in most places.
Birds shall sing sweetest songs at
matin and eventide, while beasts shall
utter their terrifying cries.
What will the year bring to you, and
you, and you? In the midst of such un-
certaintes, who so wise as TO be able to
declare his own fate or that of another?
One having good memory may dlate
OF 1897; but no man can predicate Of
1898! But he may wish himself well
and in the same breath he should wish
well to all others.
Aye, and it is time when one may
very properly make introspection with
view to information. As a garden,
there is need for roofing out here,
planting there; wedding in this place
and watering in that place. Find out
the sins that are besetting, the vr-
tues that are deficient. Be honest and
let the work be thorough. All that is
good, cherish as the apple of the eye;
what is bad cast off as an old garment.
Such an undertaking faithfully done
and conscientiously adhering to resolu-
tions adopted will have much to do
with regulation of the effects Of the
year before you.
Alas! how many good resolutions are
made at the beginning of every new
year only to be broken after few days.
or weeks, at the most; and so one year
is as another with us. Whatever we
do, the days will go quickly and the
end of it will be here only too soon.
WILLIAM ROSSER COBBE.