Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-10-18

NUMBER 8.

pared to be easily inaamed by the subtle
poison. He had promised never more 10
taste that which had wrought this raging
fever in his veins; from that day to this
summer eve, no swine had passed his
j lips. Walters was in many respects az
noble nature, but be lacked~moral cour-.
age, he was too sensitive to ridicule.-
Andsnow be stood irresolute; and with
the mocking laugh OF Edward Nelson
and the loolzsof timid inquiry from :
/ Florence Neville, and the merry laugh
of Edward Nelson and the look Of timid :
inquiry from Florence Neville, and the
merry laugh of Kate Nelson ringing in
!, his ears. he yielded to the tempfer.
But this once heinwardly said, and
i shall never taste again Walter rais-
ed the goblet to his lips. and drained the
fatal julep. As he handed the glass 10
Kate, slight shiver convulsed his frame.
/. ing Of the dark fnture3 There was a.
wild CLEAN in the eye of Edward Nelson,
}, and he mentally exclaimed, .Ihave dis
covered his weakness al last; let the
wine-cup aid NE in my revenge
: The evening passed in gaiety. in mirth
y and joyousness; but before Walter Les
$ lie returned home, Edward Nelson, The
2 tempter, bad prevailed on him to drink
: freely. Walter had hesitated at the first
( glass; but after that, the barrier seemed
! ! removed; and as glass after glass was
!. piled by the willy Nelson, his scruples
Il vanished.
! From that time forth, Walter Leslie
e was a changed being, That one julep.
: given thoughtlessly BY the fair hands Of
le a lovely girl, had awakened in Walter
/ thirst almost unquenchable. Edward
m Nelson found this plague spot in his
heart, ,and prompted BY revenge, he spread
l it, until the victim. goaded by the stinss
of conscience and the merited reproach-
le es of those lie loved, should fly to the
e maddened bowl, and drink deeper and
or deeper ofits deadly contents, and there
n, q, should be then no escape from the tolls
~ Of the despoiler. In vain the fathersof
70 Walter demonstrated; in vain his gentle
ee tmother pleaded; the pale cheek and
lquivering lip of Florence were unheed-
ms ed; and the bewildered look and fearful
lla eyes Of the lame child, who knew only
'ui that he was. sadly changed, drove him
ne Us, from his loved home, to find peace else
where. There were moments when this
ier gifted being would turn in disgust from
10 the tempting bowl, remembering the
no height from which he had fallen. There
on on would then appear gllmpses of his better
we nature-there would CLEAN through the
darkness and gloom to which intempe-
rance debases its victims, that noble soul,
III. full Of such lofty impulses and sweet af-
81 fectiohs but then came the rnocking
81 laugh OF Edward Nelson, and that burn
me- ing thirst the curse Of the drunkard.
TO ~ CHAPTER v. u
es- 1t was the last eve in autumn; the sun
Ior- was setting in brilliancy, and pouring a
an food of roseate light into the chamber oI
ard death. Upon silken, couch, with the
,rn- sunbeams glancing over the cover. lay
of the dying form of Walter Leslie. AfeR
but short years, and he sat there. in all the
vas pride Of health and beauty, dreaming o.
lew a golden future. But two hours since
- and the heir Of the Leslies, the child o
ON, many hopes, had been brought home il
iud- the agony Of death-tor ,cine had done ii
ofla0ork. While intoxicated, he had beer
ded thrown from his horse, then dragged :.
With the frightened animal, until released .bl
one a, passing stranger. s.
7ard There were weeping forms gathere,
ans around that dying bed. The poor oil
the father, bis hair silvered By SORROW, stoo
the by the bedside. The pale, agonize
mother, sat rocking to and fro Will,
ster the stricken Florence, who had bee
the hastily summoned, knelt by the dyin
ginr one. He had never spoken since hi
ssed fall; but as the soft hand of the moihe
ex-l pressed his own, and she murmure,
. Walter, oh my dying son = the eye
.sslyl once so beautiful in their dreamy depth
u TO were slowly Enclosed. and rested wit
do "a look of wo unutterable upon the palli
in features by his bedside. There was.
need slow: uneven step heard in the room
boye; on-on ii came, and the yatcI
.eto- ers in the stilly chamber of death bel
ark their breath. aud listened; it neared th
alter door-now faltering, then quickeued-
another moment, and Gertrude Lesli
What stood among the mourners. She gay
ing one low cry of wild agony, then crept
farm the side Of herdying brother; one sligI
r of arm was thrown around him, and she pre-,
nix il ed her pale lips to his forehead, wet wit
your the dews of death. The eyes of Waite
V ei- Leslie were once more opened, and h
looked full upon his sister; but as he gai
ate's de, the dark wing Of the death-angel owe
his shadowed him, and the look OF awaker
ed agony he had given TO his sister, wa
ards exchanged for the cold, CLASSY stare {
lood, death. III .a.-.-. .et-
for, A few weeks. and they gathered th
dis tpale autumn flowers, to bind. funeri
r oc- wreath upon the white brow of the beat
tiful Gertrude: i.,,ros is II