Ballou's Monthly Magazine, Vol. XXVII, No. 1 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6 Ballow’s Monthly Magazine. NEW YEAR’S RHYMES. BY B. P. SHILLABER. Pertinent, if not pretty, touching, with an unconrentional Lbrush, peculiar attributes of the season, and presenting thei tn an trterior view, The New Year’s treasures are all unsealed, And a wealth of love and mirth revealed; The girls and boys, Absorbed by their toys, The tribute of admiration yield, Shouting their glee in voices as gay As those that gladden the airs of May, When birds do sing, and waters play, In the season’s vernal holiday. # * * * * * “Happy New Year!” Rings sharp and clear, As, swinging wide the yielding door And pattering barefoot o’er the floor, Childish forms, with faces bright Glowing there in the morning light, Grect paternal eyes, That, with assumed surprise, Look out upon the messengers in white, And bless the spectacle that greets their sight. “Happy New Year!” And in its tone of cheer Sweet sympathies expand, and we respond With tone as eloquently fond, But tearful, loving, with a thought they have not conned. x* * * # * * New Year’s day! Ye mortals, say— Ye who, o’er life’s troubled main, Do haply deign at times to turn again To where the home-fire burns sti bright— Seest thou, in looking back, One spark along the track [flight, Like this which yearly marked time’s rapid When joy, That then knew not alloy, Urged the full heart-beats of the generous boy? = # * * * + 4 Such treasures before eye ne’er hath seen! The great, great earth, For our exclusive mirth, Hath all the year long toiling been, To make us happy as king or queen, If it be no hoax To call such happier than other folks: Brought from places near or far, From a rocking-horse to a toy-cigar, A china set or a railroad car, A milkmaid, warrior or tar, An ark, or a tavern minus the bar, A croquet box or a perfume jar, A doll that’s crowned with a golden star, The glory of the gay bazaar— Humble and high, They tempt the never-tired eye Of children wheresoe’er they are! Richard has a bran new boat, A sloop of unpretentious guise; To him ’tis the fairest craft afloat, A real Al-der in point of size; And Tom unlocks T’rom his New Year’s box A pleasing and familar toy, To tckle the fancy of a boy— & TOP! _ And he holds it wp in a tempting way, Its many beauties to disphey, Praising it as the merchant may, (That he will become some distant day,) His codfish, calico or hay, Asking Richard to swap! The Yankee bud in germ dispiayed, To blossom some day in the airs of trade. But Dick is far too bright a chap; He has a head beneath his cap— His lot ’twill be To sail the sea, And bring back indigo and tea— And therefore, being “up to trap,” He tells his brother, with aspect grim, His top-sale is too much for him; Ife’ll hold his sloop, nor let it slip, And, like brave Lawrence, “ne’er give up the ship.” * * = * x * O New Year’s wishes and New Year’s gifts, Golden words and works are ye! Like sunshine breaking through golden rifts Of clonds that hang o’er life’s dark sea; Lighting up shores of gladsome green, Sky of beauty and crystal wave, With loving breezes to cheer the scene, Giving strength life’s ills to brave. O happy season of the heart! That in thy praise itself outpours; A starting-point in time thou art For other and more blissful shores, [SEE ENGRAS AE DOOl<S.CO