RECALLING NEW YEAR'S
As published in The Evening Gazette newspaper
THE OLD YEAR'S BLESSING
by
ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER
I AM fading from you,
But one draweth near,
Called the Angel-guardian
Of the coming year.
If my gifts and graces
Coldly you forget,
Let the New-Year's Angel
Bless and crown them yet.
For we work together;
He and I are one:
Let him end and perfect
All I leave undone.
I brought Good Desires,
Though as yet but seeds;
Let the New-Year make them
Blossom into Deeds.
I brought Joy to brighten
Many happy days;
Let the New-Year's Angel
Turn it into Praise.
If I gave you Sickness,
If I brought you Care,
Let him make one Patience,
And the other Prayer.
Where I brought you Sorrow,
Through his care, at length,
It may rise triumphant
Into future Strength.
If I brought you Plenty,
All wealth's bounteous charms,
Shall not the New Angel
Turn them into Alms?
I gave Health and Leisure,
Skill to dream and plan;
Let him make them nobler; --
Work for God and Man.
If I broke your Idols,
Showed you they were dust,
Let him turn the Knowledge
Into heavenly Trust.
If I brought Temptation,
Let sin die away
Into boundless Pity
For all hearts that stray.
If your list of Errors
Dark and long appears,
Let this new-born Monarch
Melt them into Tears.
May you hold this Angel
Dearer than the last, --
So I bless his Future,
While he crowns my Past.
But one draweth near,
Called the Angel-guardian
Of the coming year.
If my gifts and graces
Coldly you forget,
Let the New-Year's Angel
Bless and crown them yet.
For we work together;
He and I are one:
Let him end and perfect
All I leave undone.
I brought Good Desires,
Though as yet but seeds;
Let the New-Year make them
Blossom into Deeds.
I brought Joy to brighten
Many happy days;
Let the New-Year's Angel
Turn it into Praise.
If I gave you Sickness,
If I brought you Care,
Let him make one Patience,
And the other Prayer.
Where I brought you Sorrow,
Through his care, at length,
It may rise triumphant
Into future Strength.
If I brought you Plenty,
All wealth's bounteous charms,
Shall not the New Angel
Turn them into Alms?
I gave Health and Leisure,
Skill to dream and plan;
Let him make them nobler; --
Work for God and Man.
If I broke your Idols,
Showed you they were dust,
Let him turn the Knowledge
Into heavenly Trust.
If I brought Temptation,
Let sin die away
Into boundless Pity
For all hearts that stray.
If your list of Errors
Dark and long appears,
Let this new-born Monarch
Melt them into Tears.
May you hold this Angel
Dearer than the last, --
So I bless his Future,
While he crowns my Past.
DECEMBER 31, 1886
*********
A party of young people, we are informed,
intend to visit the Brick house,
N. J., New Year's night, for the purpose
of tripping the light fantastic. They
are assured of a good time if they visit
Predmore, the genial boniface of the
hotel De brick.*
DECEMBER 27, 1883
[Brick House, NJ was a village near the Milford Bridge, within Montague Township.]
*************************
THE WARM WEATHER AND ICE—A
REMARKABLE FACT.
The warm weather has had the effect of
thawing nearly all the ice in the canal. It
is also noted that the ice in most of the
streams and ponds hereabout has disappeared.
In the Neversink river there have
been within four weeks three ice freshets and for the fourth time, within said four
weeks, the river has been freed of ice. This
fact is remarkable in that it was never
known to have before occurred in so short a space of time.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1876.
THE EVENING GAZETTE
