The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-07-15
ONE NEW YEARS NIGHT.
Drcnm That Warmed This Youn,
Man TO Turn from the
Paths of san

On certain New Years night. al
old man stood by the window, an,
gazed with long look of despair on
on the immovable, forever-sparklip,
heavens, then down upon the white
sinless earth, whereon at that mo
ment no one was so cherries, S,
sleepless as he. His own grave stoo,
near him; it was not decked with tn,
verdure of youth, but it was covered
with the SHOWS of ages. And this ole
man had brought nothing with hin
from the rich, teeming life of tn,
world, save errors, sins, and disease:
nothing but worn body, rayless
desolate soul, bosom trimming with
remorse, and frosted old age filled
with regrets, writes William Masor
Turner, in New York Weekly.
The glad mornings of his youth
lowered around him on this cold win.
ter night like fitting apparitions;
they carried him far back to that
early, rosy dawn, when his father
stood with him at the cross roads OF
life-the right leading over sunny
pathways into quiet, distant lanc
respondent with golden harvests ant
white-winged angels; but the Ief;
road led down to the slums of vice
far away to a black cavern of drip
ping poisons and twisting adders.
Alas! the vipers hung around his
breast! the poison-drops were upor
ms tongue! He knew where he was.
His brain reeling, and while unut.
terable terror filed his bosom, he
cried unto Heaven:
give me, OIL give me youth aeainl
OH father, place me again at the
crossroads of life that may choose
another pathl"
But his father, like his own youth.
was Of the Long Ago.
he saw over the black morass
will-o'-wisp glittering hither and
thitser; then it disappeared in a
damp churchyard.
How likei how like my DAYS OF fol.
ly!" he cried.
lie saw star shoot from the heav-
ems, and, shimmering in its fall, van
ish IN the darkness of earth.
Like myself" he groaned from n
torn heart. And the serpent's tooth
OF remorse dug down deeper. His
merry fancy pointed to him the Creep
ing night-wanderers on the roof. and
the spectral windmill raised its men
acing arms. Then one shape remain
ing In the CHASTITY charnel-house of
repentance and remorse, gradually
grew into his own image.
In the midst ne he c,,.....l
~ the music of the New Years night
hoated upon the air; and it was the
SILVER Ginning of belfry bells. His
soul was stirred within him; he pazed
around the murky horizon, and over
the spreading earth. The memory of
the friends of his youth came to him:
they were now honored teachers in
the world, and the glad fathers of
children. Again he walled out:
Alas! like you, I, too, on this New
Years night, could have slumbered
with fearless eyes, if 1 had ONLY
CHOSEN Alright! Alasl my fond par
ents, too, could be happy had I but
needed your warnings and wishes of
the New Years Eve!"
Then before his feverish memorv
the heydey of his youth arose-eyen
as In the bleak charnel-house the
specter had taken his own image
He could look no longer: he
Velled his eyes and agonized bv his
sorrow thousand hot tears streamed
down his furrowed face. Comfortless
and in abject misery he could ONLY
nurmur:
"ohl youth. come againl Come
lgain!"
And 1t came again; for it was but
horrible vision of sleep which had
passed before him on this cold New
ears Night. He was still in the bev-
icy OF his youth, and he thanked
heaven that, still young and treading
ne frail paths of vice, he had time
o turn away to the sun-lit avenue
winch led to the land of haryests and
happiness.
Young reader, turn you with him.
you stand in the path of sin. Re
warned by this dream, for the time
nay arrive when you, too, may cry:
Come, oh! come again, sweet time Of
outhl"
And it will not cora