midnight
I extract this beautiful passage , my boy , from the forthcoming speech of a fat Congressman , who is a friend to the human race , and charges the Administration with imbecility and with mileage . I conversed with him the other evening , and , after discussing various topics , asked him what he thought of the Washington statue as it stood ? He winked three times , and then says he : `` The only Washington statue I know anything about , is _ statu quo _ . '' The chaplain of the Mackerel Brigade joined seriously in our staff festivities on New Year 's eve , my boy ; but as midnight approached he grew very silent , and at a quarter of twelve he arose from his seat by the fire and asked permission to read something which he had written . `` I would not retard your inevitable inebriation , '' says he to us , as he drew a manuscript from one of his pockets , `` but it is only fitting that we should pay some regard to `` THE DYING YEAR . `` Dying at last , Old Year ! Another stroke of yonder clock , and thou Wilt pass the threshold of the world we see Into the world where Yesterday and Now Blend with the hours of the No More To Be .