Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1904-12-29
The Old Year
and the New j..

The past year has meant many
things to many people.
Tragedy and comedy have played
hide and seek in the most unexpected
places. JOY and sorrow have gone
hand in hand in many lives. Wishes
have not ended in fulfllment even
when most confidently eXpected and
Fortune, with ner usual fickleness, has
smiled where her presence was hither
to unknown.
The passing year has brought many
gifts there was no refusing. On some
it showered blessings until all the
world was golden to its favorites. and
life happiness so great it crowded
out all remembrances of griefs that
were old, or yet TO be born. To others
it has been the graveyard of dead
hopes, the burying ground of happi-
ness, the final resting place of energy,
ambition and ideals. To all it has
brought some experience that forever
will stand monument-like in our lives
to mark the birth of new capacities
within ourselves for good or evil the
awakening of some powerful influence
lot veal q" woe.
Twelve short months, and how much
they mean! A few hundred ard some
odd days, and hundreds of lives are
! married forever, or made happy for a
time. Lived we'll and profitably, they
have brought contentment and clear
conscience to help us face the coming
| year and buoy us up in the sturdy
| faith that the future cannot but be as
| bright as was the past. ill-spent, those
| few short months have banished hope
! from many a life, and dimmed many
| an illustrious name. 1t is the mistake
| of the moment that makes the misery
| of a lifetime, nor can repentance
| brighten it again. Few of us are capa-
BILE of planning evil, but many of us
succumb to the unexpected opportu-
nifty. The strong withstand, the weak
falter and fall, and yet the world in.
sists that both should be measured by
| the same stern standard of right and
wrong, with no allowance made for
| weakness. 1t is so easy to be good
when one has all one wants, so simple
to resist temptation that has no allure
ments, so comforting to sit in the con-
scious rcctitude that knows no dispo-
sitiOn to evil and condemn those
whose lives are a constant struggle
to do the things they ought not to do,
and in whom one triumph is a greater
moral victory than a lifetime of right.
eousness on the part of the untempt.
| ed.
We all have a we'll defined wish at
this season of the year to turn clean
page in the book of life, to improve.
if possible, to perform miracles OF
kindness and goodness.
The universal desire is to be at
peace with mankind. To succeed one
must temper justice with mercy, until
the accepted position is reversed and
it is mercy which is tempered with
Justice. To ourselves we cannot be
too severe; to the faults of others, too
lenient BY our own mistakes let us
measure the misdemeanors of those
about us. Let us profit by the temp
tations we have met, returning thanks
for the courage which has helped us
to withstand some, from our failures
gathering fresh courage for new at
|
terness. A deep stratum of sorrow
often lies close to the fairest surface
OF the knowledge born of our expert.
ence we must be generous, and deal
gently with the failings hardest to
understand in others. Charity cover
eth much, but alas, in too many cases
it is a garment worn threadbare at the
seams, and in holes in many places.
To keep it whole and capable of shell.
tering the needy is a task that would
! protitably fill the next year for those
, of us who will undertake it, and
, there should be many such, if we
were only honest enough 10 some.
times mako the allowances for others
we never fail to make for ourselves.
| IF there be some weaker one, give
. me strength to help her on" is a wish
I that is charitable, practical and kind
4 ly, and would make a splendid device
for 1905.