Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-12-13
Cbuirt IitfruturE.
THE TRAVELLING CARD.
BY NAEco.

BY NAEco.
There is confusion and dlsniay in the
gilded cabin of the fine steamer which,
freighted with hundreds of passengers, is
heading the mighty current Of the Mis-
Isissippi. Women are huddled together
in their cabin, whispering with frighted
looks, of the great calamity. Officers,
from the pilot at his airy post, to the swea-
Ity engineer below, have for rthe time lost
their unholy blasphemous manner of
speech, and their yoices.are low and gen.
| tle-more so than you would suppose
them capable of-while they converse
with one another about that which has
/ lust befallen them. Even the greedy
stewards, whose avidity for fees over
Ecome all common sensations of fear, are
crowded into the pantries';. or if ordered
out by authority, gather themselves to-
gether in knots of four or five to talk of
the danger. The CHOLERA, the sceurge
of Asia, the terror of the West, bas come
upon them "as thief in the night y IL.
Upon maltrass, stretched on the
i foor. of the cabin lies ghastly .object-
a man in the last stages Of the disease.
Mature has but few sights that illustrate
the weakness Of humanity like this
There is such premature exhibItion Of
/ the ghastliness which the great change
stamps upon acorpse--such a loss Of the
beauty and dignity Of manhood, that We
Eueed not be surprised at the general ter
ror spread over the eountenanees ofthose
who stand around. The cholera, how
everit may have been slighteG in the
distance, has vindicated itself here amidst
these travellers, bound on errands Of bu-
siness and pleasure and general terror
Il acknowledges its presence.
Il The sufferer is a man unknown, save
lin the record Of his name upon the regis
j ter. He has been far away from bis
home, butis returning. gladia the thought
THAT three more days will unite hlm to
THE dear friends who awaited his coming.
But ah nor wife, norlittle. ones, shall ev-
er meet him more. His summons has
come, and he may not delay. The at
tack was very sudden, and few hours
has brought him 10 this last stage of the
disease. =.
Nearer andnearer comes the king Of
] terrors. Acute pains come over the col
| lapsed frame. The face Of the dying
man is full of bitter, agonized feeling
J He looks up with longing eye, asthongh
wanting TO catch an answering expires.
I sion from some one Of the. MANY face:
, that throng around him. q
$ Perhaps in that fearful hour he hear
{ voices and sees faces, TO others all un'
. heard and unseen. His hands wander tC
: and fro in paroxysrns of disease. They
$ expire IS the rowing of his thoughts, 81
$ we'll indicated by his countenance bu
e soon they will be fixed in the decency o
$ death. But lol shade of meaning pas
: ses over his face :. with convulsiyt
n effort his hand is thrust into his bo
h som, from whence was drawn soiled
: but carefully preserved document, II
Y appearance arrested the attention ,of
e by-stander who quickly adyancedto re
o ceive it, and found it to be, as was sup
lposed, travelling card of Son Of Ten
K perance. Soon as the truth was known
K willing hands to aid, and warm hearts
e sympathize focked around the prostrat
s. stranger. s~.' q,
/. The space around that lowIy bed
st cleared of the crowd that hemmed it i
q too closely, and now band Of brother
lF take charge Of the dying man.
Vains indeed. are all efforts for cure
death is not thus to be robbed Of its prey
. but much is done to deprive him Of b
! ter-ors. y sS~ -ae' AZ e
! Soon tlla. longing eye is softeaedinto
y y beaming look Of gratitude. The bitte
y feeling is no more expressed upon b
5 face, but in its place resignation and r,
ty lief.l He cpntIiyess to whisper his nam
On his residence, the names Of his de;
friends, his wishes in regard to each, Il
or disposition of his property. He sent
% messages to all the little ones, exhortit
as as each to virtue and obedience. Eve
~ y; thing that he desires is carefully mote
mt down, and witnessed according to ii
Ill most legal accuracy. And now the tin
th- is getting short with him. But his wo
) is done, and 1t is time to prepare himst
his to meet his God. There is help for hi
In in the last great duty. How solemn
a. through that thronged cabin resounds 4
,nr mr. word of God Every head is barred
np reverence, every heart responds to I
cir passage "Then. shall the earth retu
to dust as it was, and the spirit to G
ige who gave it" The reading Of scEiptu
OF is followed by prayer from religio
"a brother of the company. 1t is not su
'Io ~ petition as; we should expect TO he ar
our a fashionable congregation ; it has
few fine drawn words, or eloquent 81