THE DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 201, 3 January 1873, Page 5

THE DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR.

Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, Anl the winter winia are wearily sighing: Toll ye the churoh-bells sad and slow, And tread softly, and speak low, For the old year lies a-dying. Old year, you must not die; You came to ua so readily, You lived with us so steadily, Old year, you shall not die. He lieth still: he doth not move: He will not see the dawn of day. He hath no other life above. He gave me a friend, and a true true-love, And the New Year will take 'em away. Old year, you must not go; So long as you have been with us, Such joy as you have seen with us, Old year, you shall not go. He f roth'd his bumpers to the brim; A jollier year we shall not see. But though his eyes are waxing dim, And though his foes speak ill of him, He was a friend to me. O'd year, you shall not die; W.» did so laugh and cry with you, I'v3 half a mind to die with you, Old year, if you must die. He was full.of joke and jest, But all his merry quip 3 are o'er. To see him die, across the waste His son and heir doth ride post-haste, But he'll be dead bafore. Every one for his o .vn. The night is starry and cold, my friend; And the New Year, blythe and bold, my friend, Come 3 up to take his own. How hard he breathes! over the snow I heard just now the crowing cock. The shadows flicker to and fro: The cricket chirps: the light burns low: Tis nearly twelve o'clo k. Shake hands before you die: Old year we'll dearly rue for you; What is it we can do for you? Speak out before you dia His face is growing sharp and thin. Alack! our friend is gone. Close up his eyes: tie up his chin: Step from the corpse, and let him in That standeth there alone, And waiteth at the door. ' ■ There's a new foot on the floor, mv friend, And a new face at the door, my friend, A hew face at the door. .*■ v Tennyson.