THE PARTING OF THE OLD YEAR—THE COMING OF THE NEW YEAR.
All night long, strange, dirgelike voicesFloated wildly on the night-winds,Whisp'ring this one word, "To-morrow."And the Midnight said, "'To-morrow?'What, O Night-winds, of 'To-morrow?'"And the dirgelike voices answered,"Know'st thou not, O solemn Midnight,Knowest thou not that on the morrowComes the parting of the Old Year?Hark! e'en now we hear him sighing,Though he knows not he is dying,To the Old Year, sad and sighing,Who will whisper, 'Thou art dying?'"And the solemn Midnight answered,"Wait until the dawn of morning;Wait, and let the sweet Day whisperTo the Old Year, sad and sighing,Whisper softly, 'Thou art dying.'"So they waited till the morning.
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