Life — December 31, 1896 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS. THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. APA: Where did these wooden sticks on the floor come from ? MamMA: Oh, those are pieces of Willie's indestructible tool-box. “And these bits of plaster?” “Why, that is part of the unbreak- able doll we got for Mary.” A YEAR COMPELLED. T was the first minute of the first day of January. I had been wait- ing for this moment, and had deter- mined upon a course of action which should forcibly break the hated mo- notony of my life. It seemed that my plan was likely to be successful. The clock on my mantelpiece had barely finished strik- ing the hour—the whir of the gong was still audible—as I seized the hand of the New Year. The Child drew back from me; in his clear blue eyes there was no trace of fear, though in my right hand I held a whip of many thongs. New Year,” I said, ‘I have you in my power. Grant my wishes and I set you free. Refuse me, and I will scourge you from the face of the earth, though thereby I break the > LIFE: power of your father, Time, and plunge the world inio dark depths of Eternity.” The Child did not flinch. With his clear eyes he looked into my very soul. ““What can you want, more than you already pos- sess?” he asked, ‘You are counted happy; successful ; you have many friends.” ‘Listen: I want love, riches, fame; these three. You can bring them to me if you wish. Will you do it?” The Child looked at me in- credulously, ‘* But those three— you have them already.” I shook him, impatiently, “Child,” I said, ‘you cannot understand. Do you imagine that such scant measure satisfies a full-grown soul? Love, riches, fame; I will have them in their fullness. What is mine, now, is as nothing. It is all so petty. A friend or two; money enough for to- day—yes, perhaps for to-morrow ; a fame that extends from here to a neighboring village. Can these things satisfy? Riches, fame, love, in fullest measure ; bring them to me ere you pass from earth. Do you promise?” The Child's face seemed to lose for a moment its child-like character, and to assume an expri n of stern reproof. Perhaps it was merely a fancy, for when he spoke there was a ring of sincerity in his voice that made it impossible for me to doubt the honesty of his purpose. “Love, riches, fame,” said the New Year; ‘‘these three in their fullest measure shall your soul po: before my time is over. I prom I did not doubt his word. I let him go. A silvery sound echoed through the room. Did the New Year laugh, mocking mytrust? I hastily snatched at him as he passed, and caught his hand. But one look into the depths of his eyes satisfied me. Once more I let him go. . . The last night of December. I was waiting to seize the Old Year ere he escaped from the world. 537 All good things had been taken from me; revenge, at least, I would have. 1 would make him rue his broken promise. From my clock came the prelimi- nary click preceding the first stroke of the hour. A few seconds more and the false Year would have passed beyond my reach, into the place of things that have been and are not. I summoned all. my energies; every power I possessed I centred upon the one determination. Revenge | would have. The Old Year, who had been the New Year, stood before me. The little, clear-eyed child had changed to a tall, shadowy man, his eyes hid- den away under shaggy brows. I seized him roughly by a shrunken arm. He wavered in my grasp, like a weed in the wind. “Liar!” I hissed in his ear. where are your promised gifts? have played me false. Liar! Liar!” At every word I raised my arm to strike him; but one cannot strike a shadow, the shadow of an old man. And suddenly, from under those shaggy brows, his eyes gleamed out at me like burning coals. I fell back “Liar! You Liar! ON A GOLD Basis, comicbooks.com