Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-01-15
ADlEU AN OLD FRIEND.
Apostrophs to the Old Year-His Good
and His Bad Points Contrasted.

LUE vEENON.
He had dined we'll and was in an
optimistic frame of mind. He tarried
with party of friends to see the old
year out. His spirit rose as the hour
of twelve approached. He chatted
merrily, and, evidently was on good
terms with himself and the world.
Just before the stroke of midnight he
doffed his hat and in grandiloq
fashion took leave of the old year. 1t
was thus he spoke:
Farewell, Old Year-you have
stayed with us 800 days, and we have
learned to know you pretty intimately.
In general way your moods have
been variable and your disposition
tickle. You have been a friend to US
on some days and have pretended not
to know US at times, when we placed
the most implicit reliance in your
friendship. Storms have come and
storms have gone, sunshine has alter
mated with periods of clouds and dark
ness. You have sent us sloppy
weather when fair weather was what
we wanted, and, inversely, have sent
us sunshine when the exigencies of
our immediate business made rain or
snow indispensable to our happiness.
You have filled up the cup OF bitter
ness to the brim, on occasions when
we expected the sweet nectar of joy to
moisten our yearning lips; you have
wiped your callous hand rashly through
the sum OF orr hopes, heaped sorrow
upon our heads and gripped our low
ing hearts with clutch of ice. Many
of us have had our dreams. They
we're gorgeous dreams, dreams as beau
tiful in the color as ever the genius
of Makart conjured from the point
of his inspired pencil, practical dreams
OF profitable real estate ventures, OF
political triumphs, of financial sue
cesses. In balancing our accounts
between these carefully elaborated
dreams and the cold, substantial real-
ties which represent their fruition, we
discover an appalling discrepancy.
But even SO, even after We have said
all this, there remains something
to be said in your behalf. Despite all
your errors and faults, we cannot and
will not deny you a certificate of
character. Say what We will in
spirit of impartial criticism, you have
been up to the average of the countless
years that have passed before, in the
array of the Gregorian calendar. You
did the best you knew. Many of Us
could have arranged the kindness OF
alternating clouds aud suns hine, of
heat and cold, of grief and happiness,
with more regard to q refined and
fastidious taste, with more considera-
ton for imperative wants. But We are
not disposed to be hypercritical. There
is no use denying that while you have
stricken happy folks with grief and
sorrow, you have held out q helping
hand to their next door neighbors,
who were buried in misery. The snow
which you sent just in time to spoil
the patent feathers OF the aristocratic,
kept the cold from penetrating the
roof of the shoeless; the defeat with
which you overwhelmed tho majority.
Was balsam to the panied hearts of the
minority; the sickness which carried
off old Coupon Gutter, brought glad.
ness to expectant heir, and with the
grumbling and fruit.fnding. which
follow your departure, mingle notes Of
rejoicing gratefulness.
Then, farewell, Old Yearl If you
have not proved yourself all that we
hoped, if yon have not realized all the
illusions which your promising en-.
trance on the stage OF existence in
spired us to form with regard to your
maturity, nevertheless we bid you a
farewell that is not without its pathos
and sentiment. You have strutted
your hour and are powerless evermore
to harm or benefit us. So, here's to
you! For the ill you have visited
upon US, the mantle of charity, and
for the blessings you have designed to
scatter in your paths, this brief but i'm.
partial certificate of character. Fare.
we'll"
1t was spoken as if it had had care
full rehearsal. But, impromptu OF
not, he held the rapt attention of his
auditors and his words were applaud.
ed to the echo as the New Year came
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