THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JAN. 
!fear]) UtisttUanir. 
A TALK WITH THE OLD YEAR. 
MBS. T. H. GRIFFITH. 
I sat alone in my room one night. 
Sat and crazed at the dim firelight, 
As it danced in shadows, fantastic and tall, 
Over the floor, and ceiling, and wall. 
'Twas a wild, dark night, and the Bnow and sleet 
Wrapped the world In a winding-sheet; 
While the wind in desperate fury blew, 
And piled up the snow in drifts anew, 
"While as I sat by the fire and tCought 
Of the changes the year for toe had wrought; 
Quite suddenly, the half-closed door 
Flew open, and there stood before 
He, one whose face and features wild, 
Would have gained the trust of a little child. 
His form was bent, and his hair was gray, 
And the vigor of life bad passed away; 
liiit as heavily on bis staff he leaned. 
Old ago had never bo beautiful seemed; 
For though bis brow was furrowed with care, 
His smile was most serene and fair 
As if he'd thought for a long, long time 
Of a better world and a sinless clime. 
At last he spoke; *' My dear young woman,” said he_ 
“ You have been thinking to-night, of me. 
Of the change that I, in you have wrought, 
Of the lesBous that I in love have taught, 
Of the ol't repentant and bitter tear, 
Seen by none but the old, old Year. 
The varied year that is well-nigh gone 
Must yield to Eighteen-Hundred and F.ighty-One. 
E on now the effort to draw my breath 
Warns me of my approaching death; 
And the elements meeting in hitter strife. 
Speak sadly of mv departing life, 
But I go to a land where burden and care 
Are wholly unknown, and everywhere 
Therereignetb peace, unsullied and free; 
A rest that cannot abate, for me. 
And now. I'd ask, is there anything 
Which you'd baye no longer to memory cling ? 
Of all the seci-ets your heart has kept. 
Of all the sorrows o’er which you have wept, 
Have you nothing to send to unconscious bliss ? 
Naught for the land of forgetfulness ?" 
“ Aye. father,” I cried, “ there are many things 
Which call for a blush aa memory brings 
Before the eye of my mind, the light 
Of deeds that I cannot undo to-night. 
Take with you thoughts of the broken vow. 
Whose fragments can only be mourned over now; 
Of theaugry look, and the careless tone. 
By which I've thrust the lonely down; 
Of the weakness with which I've grown tired of life f 
Have neglected duty and ineliued to strife; 
The failure to do what I've often resolved, 
The deaf ear I've turned when conscience has 
called, 
O. blot them all outin forgetfulness 
That I may no longer remember this." 
" Ah, you are like all the rest, my child,” 
The old man said, with his eruile so mild, 
“ You would open the door that memory holds fast, 
And bury sad truths in the dead, dead past. 
But do you not know that the augry look 
Has shown yon your heart like a well-written book ? 
That the ceaseless tone, and the tending to strife, 
Have shown you the need of Christ in your life ? 
That the failure to do what you've often resolved 
Has taught you to freed when conscience has called! 
And do you not know that should I become 
The sexton to bury your thoughts in the tomb, 
You would learn to trust-in your own human hand, 
And build your house on the treacherous sand V 
Ah. no ! let your mind call up now and then, 
The saddest of words, * It might have been,' 
To teach you to look to a Power above, 
To fashion your life in the depths of His love; 
That its lamp, trimmed and burning,constantly 
may 
Shine brighter and brighter to the sweet, perfect 
day. 
Far better to part with injuries given 
By those who often and often have striven 
To wrong you in thought, in word, and in deed. 
And left you to struggle alone in your need; 
Far better to bury them deep in the tomb, 
And leave sweet charity’s flower to bloom 
O’er tbetr graves, for you'll surely find, then, 
Of all sweet words of tongue or of pen. 
The sweetest, to tunes of peace are set, 
Aud are simply these :' Forgive and Forget.' ” 
He ceased to speak, and I gazed on his face, 
So grandly cahn in its dying grace, 
And I touched his arm, as I whispered, and said: 
“ Father, Thou'rt right. Among the dead 
Bury the thoughts that have clung so strong 
To me. of those who have treated me wrong; 
I forgive as I hope to be forgiven 
By the mercy of Him who dwells in Heaven,” 
He t miled, hut to speak he'd lost the power. 
For the clock was striking his dying hour. 
But he cheerily waved his hand at the last, 
And u T as borne away on the wings of the past 
My dreaming was over. I sprang to my feet, 
In a burst of song the New Year to meet, 
Dashing away the last, sad tear, 
I had shed for the death of the old, Old Year. 
-*-M- 
NOTICE. 
In consequence of the increased demand for 
space to accommodate the “ Corn” subject, the 
“Literary Department” has been curtailed to a 
great extent and that of the “ Woman's ” entirely- 
left out. 
We ask indulgence from those who enjoy these 
particular features, promising to do our best to 
keep our practical neighbors from trespassing, 
B. o. 
-»-»■ «- 
The family were telling riddles one evening, 
and the live year-old told this:. 
“ Four little hopper-touds sat on a tree. 
Two hopped off and then there were three." 
Nobody could guess It. “ Well,” she explained, 
“oneof them hopped right back again.” “ Who 
told you that riddle7’’ asked mamma. “Nobody,'’ 
replied the little one. “ I thunk It up myself:” 
-»-♦ ♦- 
Lord C-, whose popularity was not exces¬ 
sive In the Scotch town of A-, having refused 
an Importunate beggar, she renewed her applica¬ 
tion with. “ Now me lord, If ye’d just give me one 
little sixpence I could treat every friend ye have 
In the town.” 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
At this Beason of the year we are receiving 
many calls for specimen copies. For the informal 
tlon of the new readers into whose hands the 
present number may fall, we present a list of 
those who may be considered as the present con¬ 
tributors to our columns; from which it may he 
seen whether or not our claim to having the most 
eminent practical writers Is well founded. 
Dr. J. B. Lawcs.Roihamsted, England. 
Prof. J. P. Sheldon, Hants. & Wilts. Ag’l Col. “ 
William Robinson, F. R. 8, Editor and 
Founder of the London Garden. “ 
Prof. S. W. .Johnson, Sheffield Scientific 
School, Yale College.Conn 
Gen. W. II. Noble. “ 
W. M. Yeomans.. “ 
Prof. F. H. Storer, Bussey Institute.Mass 
Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, Boston. “ 
William Falconer, Cambridge University .... “ 
Levi Stockbrfdge. “ 
Richard Goodman, Pres. J. C. C. “ 
Richard Goodman, Jr. " 
B. Plckman Mann. “ 
Prof. W. J. Beal, Agricultural College.Mich, 
Prof. R C. Carpenter “ “ . ** 
F. Gulley, Farm Manager “ “ . “ 
Prest, T. T. Lyon, Pom. Society. “ 
Sec’y. C. A. Garfield, “ “ . “ 
8. B. Peck. “ 
“ May Maple”.... . “ 
Mrs. Mary Beal McLouth. “ 
Mrs. O. W. Day. . “ 
W. I. Chamberlain, See'y State B'd Ag.Ohio 
C. E. Thorne, Farm Manager State Ag'l Col. “ 
Dr. John A. Warder... “ 
B. F. Johnson. Ill. 
Prof. G. E. Morrow, State Ag’l Col. “ 
Prof. Cyrus Thomas .. “ 
G. W. French.... “ 
W. B. Derrick.. “ 
Prof. E. M. Shelton, Agricultural College.Kan. 
Prof. Elbrldge Gale, “ “ .... “ 
James Barton. “ 
Prof. Thomas Meehan. Author of NattveFlow- 
ers and Ferns. Pa. 
Mrs. Mary Wager-Fisher . “ 
W. G. Waring, Sr. •• 
Miss Margaret B. Harvey. “ 
Miss Bertha Winkler. “ 
Mrs. M. L. Stone. “ 
Henry Stewart M. D.N. J. 
E. Williams. ■* 
J. T. Lovett. “ 
Col. M. C. Weld. “ 
Ira J. Blackwell. “ 
James Taplln. “ 
Mrs. J. E. McConaughty. “ 
Ex-Gov. Robert W. Furnas.Neb. 
S. Rufus Mason. “ 
Rev. R. H. CraDe. “ 
Prof. c. c. Georgeson Agr l College. Texas. 
George Marti. “ 
George Gordon. “ 
Will N. Wallis. “ 
Charles Shinn.... Cal. 
W. C. L.Drew. “ 
Luther Burbank. “ 
J. B. Armstrong. “ 
“ Maude Meredith. ”. Iowa. 
Edson Gaylord.. “ 
Mrs. B. C. Dunlap. Wls. 
Prof. G. C. Caldwell, Cornell University.N. Y. 
I. P. Roberts, Farm Manager_“. “ 
Prof. L. B. Arnold. “ 
Dr. A, R. Ledoux. “ 
Charles Downing... “ 
Samuel B. Parsons.: “ 
Samuel Parsons,Jr..,,. “ 
A. B. Allen. “ 
Prof. K. W. Stewart.. “ 
Col. F. D. Curtis. “ 
Peter B. Mead. “ 
lit S. Hardin.: . “ 
C. R. Dodge. “ 
James Hogg. “ 
Forrest K. Moreland. “ 
Jonathan Talcoct.... . “ 
Lorenzo Rouse... “ 
Nelson Ritter. “ 
L. A. Roberts.. .• .. “ 
D. S. Marvin. . “ 
J. G. Bingham. “ 
G. A. Goff, Jr. “ 
G. D, HopklDS, Yet. Surgeon, N. Y. City. “ 
G. M. Doolittle.... “ 
E. W. Powell. “ 
Miss Alice nough. “ 
Mrs. Elinor Brooks. “ 
Mrs. W. V. Aspinwall. “ 
MrsJ.E. Sweet. “ 
D. E, Salmon, D. V. M ....N. C. 
M. B. Prince. “ 
S. C. Shelton. “ 
Airs. Annie L. Jack.Can. 
J. F. Forfar. “ 
Richard Gibson . “ 
Prof. S. M. Tracy. . Mo. 
D. S. Holman. “ 
Adeline Storey. “ 
H. W. Ravenel.S. C. 
S. Ott.. <• 
J. W. Kerr.Md, 
Hugh L. Wysor. Ya. 
W. C. Bellamy. Ala. 
R. Robbins.Ark. 
A. E. Blouut, Farm Manager Agr’l. Coll,. CoL 
T. H. Hoskins, M. D . Vt,. 
O. S. Bliss. “ 
Mrs Sarah H. Rowell. “ 
And 500 occasional correspondents all over 
the country. 
The Qderist Column and Everywhere Depart¬ 
ment form a medium of discussion nurl intercom¬ 
munication »moog our most progressive farmers 
and horticulturists. 
The Rural New-Yorker Is now the recognized 
organ for the announcement of ail new seeds, 
plants and methods. 
The Proprietors aim so to conduct the Rural 
Nkw-Yorker that it shall have a Just claim uoon 
all who love Nature among the English-sneaking 
people of the world 
Truth, pi ogress, the real Interests ot the land and 
all who cultivate!!; rho dissemination or Improved 
seeds and plants ana ot the knowledge how beat to 
cultivate them, are the atrns of the Rural New- 
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ft. A 
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FIELD CORN, 
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And all the Improved Varieties. For 
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ready in January. 
J. M. THORBURN & CO, 
15 JOHN ST., NEW YORK. 
BUISTS 
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IICJST’W GARDEN IIAMAl for 1881. 
(IM panes i\fU8&t i el information), mailed for So. st*'mp. 
Wholesale Price Currentior Merchants on application. 
ROBERT BU1ST, Jr., Seed Grower, Philadelphia Pa. 
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the drill that ha£ made so popular the drill planting? of 
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This drill has no superior at any field work; its 
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was awarded the 
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and double the awards made any other drill at the 
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For information or circular, address 
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& MISHAWAKA 
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Combined Sheller and 
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Also Manuf’rs. of Celebrated Union florae -power, etc. 
Monarch and Young- America 
Is a pretty little book profusely illustrated, with 
accurate, honest descriptions of the best Small 
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LOVETT’S SMALL FRUITS 
are the best In the Country (every variety worthy 
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prices at which plants can be properly grown and 
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grow them, giving also a lull list of the finest 
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J. T. LOVETT, 
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Is an E’OKimt Book, of 100 Pages, One Colored Flower 
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GRAPE VINES. 
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illy Annual Gnrn.ln«up of Ynarctnble and 
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NEW VEGETABLES A SPECIALTY. 
JAMES J. n. GREGORY. Marblehead, Mass. 
GRAPEVINES 
Send for Price-list to 
. D. S. MAK.VIN, 
9 Watertown, N. Y. 
Vegetable, Farm and Flower Seeds, 
FERTILIZERS & GARDEN REQUISITES, 
At Retail and Wholesale, scut to any part of the 
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Catalogues mailed FREE to any address. 
WM. H. CARSON, 
125 Chambers Street, New York. 
