5
Astranger entered with graceful bow,
And, taking the Editor's chair,
He pass'd his hand o'er a lofty brow
Smoothing his silvery hair;
Then kindly, ask’d for the Carrier-Boy,
Saying—“tell lam an agent of-Time
Has come, this night, from the .spirit land
. To bring him his yearly rhyme.”
Tlio Carrier came with step quite light,
BSli Sut he started back with trembling flight
/•ail When he look'd at the Editor's chair;
For never, by mortal eyes, I ween,
Bjfp. Has a more unearthly form been seen
ffflk Than the one that was silting there.
» Like the lightning’s flash in the midnight sky <
| -' Was the piercing glance of that fearful eye,: ■ i
) ■ It was brighter far than the noonday sun,. .' ■
I For undimm’d ithad gaz’d on the Hoty One. ;
j. Like the Ocean's bosom in mad unrest - i
• Was the rise and fall of his mighty chest; •
! . And his lip was curl’d in proud disdain, . * 1
\ . As if ho triumphed o'er Death and pain; , '
: As if he knew, and, perchance, might tell '
) The awful secrets of Heaven and Hell. <
\ Hound his heek a.strange form'd dial hung—
... To his side a golden, soy the K was swung; -
And thespiribeross on his lofty brow,
> . Where his (hick hairlayliko unsuhn'dsnow,
Being of higher birth * ,]
Than the noblest one of sin-odrs'd earth,
!3m arr * er towed by the stranger's knee,'
Saying, “Spirit or man, a booh from thee:
jjdl Oh! tell mo a tale, in fitting rhyme,
Rai£ - Of man's noble deeds in the oldeo'time;
UrJ| Of the days of thy calm and joyous youth,
E’re thy brow wasplaftp'd bylhecress of Truth—
sflli ■ When no clouds were seen in the clear blue sky,
[£odV And the curpe was unwril tinful man ihall die."
. The stranger replied in low, mournful tone
** Boy, ask not the tales,of days long gone;
I would not recall the world’s early years
When Death never came bringing sorrow and
tears;
No! the Past's fidl tale no mortal shall see
’Till he passes tftb-gtttes of Eternity."
11 Bui listen in silence—for my time fliileth fast,
And I’ll tell you a tale of the year that has post—
A year that has brought both good luck and good
cheer
To the honett, the and the bravo * Volunteer .*
“Agoin!
Hark! on the stilly midnight, over hill
I' , ABMES3 OF THE CAREIER
AME Rl CAN' Y 0 LUNT EE R.
Carlisle) January 1* 1818 i
ML.fir.ag-.fjft aging
|| Qoiinting-House Almanac, ||
&U FOR THE YEAR OP OUR LdRD |jg
|| 1848. , ||g
§re ji? H 3 £?!rtl
J) „ ® S 3 § § * life
Months.. g § S g g 2 3#
27» January.
aiz February.
oil March.
April.
May. ,i
Juki.
- ' • ' ' ■ f -if ,
■■,<r
§K Joiv -
October.
OF THE
7
14
21
28
6
13
20
27
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
S'
12;
19!
26|
3
10
17
24
2
9
16
23
’7
14
21
28
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n;
18’
25;
7
14
21
28
How many a change has wrought the woof of fate:
Darker around each spirit Ye have seen J
8 OTJ Friend after friend depart, and heard the sigh
Of trembling voices in the farewell hour. \
29ifc Where are the fondly cherish'd ones who stoodj
g Around you when the year began 7As loaves |
13yg That in the summer hours hung on the same
27 Ma rccn branch are borne upon the autumn winds, •
jfjr> So they are scattered far end wide—But oft,
JJB As now, when midnight stars with* all their calm)
17jn§- -And.blejumd hpantji arft*hoT«» lha heart i
2418® Pours out its worship at that shrine •/ low {
lIK "Whtrt memory is the Priestess, and again j
Ye feel that ye are with them, as in days !
isHi L I
22 IK Gone by.” ;
7
14
21
28
6
13
20
27
3
10
17
24
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
5
12
19
26
4
11
18
25
7
14
21
28
4
41
18
25
5
12
19
26
7
14
21
28
5
12
191
26;
4
11
18
25
4;
11'
is:
35'.
SK.*J2.9^LSI2-fil£.
m
It-
And vole and stream, that solemn word
Is echoing, like the sound of passing bell,
Or watchword of some spirit o’re it leaves
The earth forever. 11
“Fitfully and low,
And blending sadly wiUr the bell's deep chime
Is heard the requiem of the parting year, . .
Swelling and dying like some choral hymn
Heard *mld the pauses of a storm—and, as
The last, faint cadence of that requiem
Dies on the breeze, the spectre memory
Stands by.each silent hearth, and gathers up
The ashes of the Fast, and weeps above
Thobeautiful and sunny days that are
Returnlcisi-they aro gone, but in each heart
Is left a charm of strange and holy power
That binds the spirit to its early dreams
Of Love, and Truth, and Joy, again."
“Another year! and since its birth
“ Another year I
And Jo! the fearful shaft of death has i truck
This nobleat of your friends. But yesterday j
And by your aide there stood in manhood’s strength;
A soldier brave and trno. A month pass’d on,
And farewell guns boomed sad and mournfully
Above bis open grave.”
“Another year
Has fled from earth forever, with Us bright
And angel colored hopes and glorious dreams,
And o’er its sepulchre, hung with the dim
And faded garlands of the olden days,.
The stars, yon distant pilgrims of the sky
Are shedding now their melancholy light 1
And list!, far through the heavens rolls its dirge,
Fainter and fainter! like the sound of harps
Mingling distant winds, and *mld
The glories Cf the unseen land to-nl
Tho gray old years receive theii
■I
V .
; \