Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-10-04
Cbuirf Iitrraturr.
Selected from Godsys Lady's Book.

a#s BROTHERS LIP.
The subsequent story may not be al
together useless in the moral world,
though it lack the spice and the racy
perfumes which genius is ever wont to
embalm its productions. Should The
moral intended to be conveyed be instru-
mental in doing good, IN even enc solita.
ry instance, the unpretended author will
feel that he has not written in yain.--
Kind reader, wilt thou lend nse thine
ear whilst ! tell thee tale of g solemn
woesy"
Edward McDonough. the only child Of
his parents, was native of Scotland,
and graduated at one Of her time.hon-
ored institutions with the highest dis
tinctions, when twenty-one years had
Just vested him in the rights Of free
man. In consequence Of some unhappy
family dissensions, Edwards father de-
| termined to alienat the ancestral do
main and seek home and quietude on
Americas thrice happy shores. In q
few weeks, our Scottish friends were
ready for emigration. With fearful eyes
and sad hearts, they saw the rocky
shores Of the glorious old father land
grow dim and indistinct in the haze oi
distance, as the vessel bore them swift
Ily over "the waste Of waters" But
night and the mild splendors Of the moon
throwing "a veil Of silver light" ovel
the bosom ofthe deep, soon gave cheer
ful tone to their thoughts and allayed th'
excess of sorrow.
II seemed, however, tha. trouble wa
\ never to be absent from the breast Of tn
3 elder McDonough. Now itso happene,
: that he had been, haunted by feelin
e Of superstition from his early youth
e His father, mother, and loved and onl
e sister had all died when he was abroa
! in the army. Whilst death was stalkin
through The home Of his childhood
: dreams Of woful import, conjoined wit
n a strange, unaccountable depression I
TO spirits. made him asash and yet dread
r hear from Scotland. The immediai
srl intelligence of his irreparable loss n,
e only struck pang of grief to the hear
y bu! confirmed for ever the superstition
u bias of his mind. What wonder is
then. that he already began to regal
IL Edwards future as darkened and blaste
If when, for three consecutive nights af:
ho embarking for America, he should drea
ss that he saw him with clothes all tatteIt
us and torn, raving like maniac, al
y brandishlng bottle over the head of
mt NJ pale woman-her body bending Ill
bv some /" frail foweret before the wint
nd blast.' During his collegiate cours
to Edwards ardent and excitable temper
em ment had, more than once, drawn h
It! into the maddenihg vortex ofinebriatic
a His father remembered this circumstan
an and thought Of bis own nightly visio
y with feeling bordering on despair. B
an with the /" iron purpose" Of true heroi
oon he resolved to banish those gloomy bot
her ments Of evil from his mind, and "
md the kindly ministrations Of hope. Y
fos- at times, the old superstitious DIRE
ier- would creep over him and freeze
aoe : very life-blood in his heart.
!" The favoring gales soon waited the
,vsl BILE vessel to the land of liberty. C
mol. tain McDonough fixed his abode in g
ing sunny south, y" where hourished the
Iich ange, the palm, and the magnolia.
'uld ward straightway applied himself to
rity, study Of our constitution, our laws,
just our peculiar southern institutions.
Toy ter much intense study and sober ref
.sse ..se ton, joined with observation, he !
sent convinced that their legitimate and ,
ssity tain tendency was to develop all the
~ ments of national greatness. Before
aany plying for admission to the bar, he y
- whole summer in rambling mid
tgre peaks and spurs Of the Blue Ridge,
|. > ~ = saw mountains, crags, pales, sleeps,
law waterfalls presenting every feature
over image OF the suolime aug the oeau'