St. Paul tidende. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1902-1928, 1921-02-11
4nhrr ttr Nr1u Yrar = StarB

Snow was falling thick on the last day Of the year,
It fell on the Old Peoples Home and elsewhere far and near;
Yet evening found the weather fair, the air was clear and still,
The vaulted heaven seemed with golden sheen to fill.
Snug lies the Old Peoples Home, wrapped in drifted snow,
Within, at bounteous feast, where New Years candles glow,
The elders Of the race, that halls from northern chimes,
Do justice to the viands and talk of olden times.
Jest and friendly banter, of bygone days So fair,
Send tones Of sweetest memories vibrating through the air
From funness of the heart their joy imbounded wells,
When at the midnight hour ire heard the New Years bells.
A venerable man steps forth into the starlit night,
Like Father Time, the Reaper, his beard is long and white,
His head a trifle shaky, but, with his noble face,
He looks a grand old Viking, n honor to his race.
He walks out in the road, but soon he makes a halt,
His eyes he raises upwards against the starry vault,
He folds his hands and murmurs, as though he made a vow,
"Oh Lord! how very beautiful is not thy heaven now!
Through the cold and darkness, when sun and moonlight flee,
You burn your little tapers all over land and sea,
From the Rocky Mountains to my childhoods little home
1.-The same bright stars are twinking I see on heavens dome.
"The battlefield in France saw my grandson fight and fall.
while calamity responding to good old Glory,s call;
STARS that shine on gallo SOIL where he and comrades lie,
They Ire the same that shine so bright on Ma and r."
The old mans eyes grow moist-he sees beyond the stars
A prairie home of lang ago, yes, long before the wars,
There He and She would labor most for the chndren's sake,
And happiness kept close in their honest labors wake.
Sweet sadness fills his heart-he thinks of former timos
While tones of wondrous beauty float from cathedral chimes =
But, waking from his dreams and memorys magic smell
He turns towards the house and friends he loves SO we'll
They sing, inside, a welcome to the year of u Lord.
With gladness in the heart and reverence in word,
And as the old man enters and joins the happy throne
His mind it is at peace, his faith and hope is strong
he softly takes a seat by his gentle little wife.
Who shared the joy and sorrow with him>in early life
He looks into her eyes as he looked in them of wore
And whispers, Happy New Year, my sweetheart wife, once NOR
n lights are growing dim, and the old folks 90 to rest
With prayers on their lips, and thank, as thew know he's
The younger generations who, both in word and deed
Keep elders of their race safe out Of harm and need
Oh! you strong young people with hone 81 fair and brioh+
VINO sang in the Old Peoples Home so beautiful TONIGHT
You children of a race ever strong in woe and veal
You'll keep the home fires burning" and "your shoulder r. TIM uhoo,v
Il Years stars are sponsors for VOWS from kindly heart
so promise the Old Peoples Home that you'll do vour mart
ing person shall be homeless that is born meath saga skv
"hlte we nave youth and strength and honor-you and T."
Translated from the Danish of Anton Kyist nv e No,m.nn
Chicago, January, 1921. "