The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-12-22
ONE NEW YEARS NIGHT.
Dream That Warned This Young
Man to Turn from Paths of Sin.

Man to Turn from Paths Of Sin.
On q certain New Years night, an
old man stood by the window. and
gazed with "a long look OF despair out
on the immovahle, forever sparkling
heavens. then down upon the white.
sinless earth, wherein at that mi
no one was so cherries. so sleepless as
he. His own grave stood near him:
1t was not decked with the verdure of
youth. but it was covered with the
SHOWS of ages. And this old man had
brought nothing with him from the
rich, teeming life of the world, ave
errors, sins II disease; nothing but
a worn body, a rayless, desolate SOUL,
a bosom trimming with remorse, and a
frosted old age filled with regrets,
York Weekly.
The glad mornings of his youth
lowered around him on this colo winter
night like fitting apparitions; they
carried him far back 10 that early, rosy
dawn, when his father stood with him
at the cross roads Of life-the right
leading over sunny pathways into a
quiet, distant a n respondent with
golden harvests and white winged
angels; but he left road led down
to the Sums of vice, far away to a
black cavern of dripping poisons II
wv SuAClS
Alas! the vipers hung around his
breast! The poison drops were upon
his tongue! He knew where he was.
His brain reeling, and while unut-
terable terror filled his bosom, he cried
unto heaven
Oh! father, place me again at the
crossroads Of life that l may choose
another PATH"
But his father, like his own youth,
vas Of the long ago.
He saw over the black morass a
'will-o'-wisp glittering hither and
,thither; then it disappeared in a
damp churchyard.
How lke! how like my days of fol-
ly!" he cried.
He saw a star shoot from the heav-
ems. and, shilnmering in Its fall, van
ish in the darkness of earth.
Like myself" he groaned from a,
torn heart. And the serpent's tooth of
ircmorse dug down deeper. His fiery
fancy pointed to hinf the creeping night
wanderers on the roof; and the spectral
!, windmill raised it's menacing arms.
,'sly charnel house of repentance n re-
,,ssmorse, gradually grew into his own.
.reotmage.
~ In the midst of his anguish, sudden
10Y the music of the New Years night
II Heated upo h air; and 1t was the
IlNcJ Cunning OIL OeliIy UellS. hin
ne loul was stirred within him; he gazed
round the murky horizon, and over
r be Spreading earth. The memory Of
III he friends of his youth came to him;
OF hey We're now honored teachers in the,
nd torll, and the glad fathers of children.
fgah he walled out:
or Alas like you, L. too, on this New
RS. ears night, could have slumbered
he 18th fearless eyes, if l had only chosen
right! Alas! my fond parents. I, too,
lily build be happy had I but needed your
ell tarnings and wishes of the New Years
ayHe!"
lot Then before his feverish memory
wope heydey of his youth arose-even
es, pecter a taken his w image.
Ich He could look no longer; he
his eyes and agonized by his
asprrow a thousand hot tears streamed
Dwn his furrowed face. Comfortless
nd in AFFECT misery he could only
=, urmur:
ilS "oh! youth, come again! Come
ter ain!"
ustTAnd it came again; for it was but
Is horrible vision of sleep which had
orNassed before him on this cold New
one ears night. He was still in the hey
Of his youth, and he thanked
that, still young and treading
'rkI 10 frail paths of vice, he had time to
the1 to the land of harvests and hap
theness.
lderYoung reader. turn YOU with him, II
stand in the path of sin. Be warned
and this dream, for thy time may
at1riVe when you, too, may cry: Come,
VIM! come again. sweet time OF youth!"
willard it will not come.