Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-03-28


serve TO embitter the mind, harden the
heart. sour the countenance, and cause
one as lovely. even as Virginia. to put
on naughty and repulsive maBaers -
Man may, BY being bsffied in mis- expee-s
taiions. grow hard and obdurate in heart,
but each tro1ple through which womans
passes, serves only 10 make her the
more as refined gold. But again asked
myself Z" is this the lovely YirginiaFss
After being seated for some momentas
she said, "Mr. B. formerly lived here
but he died several years ago, and len
all his property TO bis daughter who
married Henry L. He lived in this
house for some time, but believing il to-
be sickly, he offered it for sale, when my
husband purchased it from him. Mr. h.
with his family, left il about s years ago
TO go TO Newberne, where they remained
two years; have heard nothing FROM
them since they left; / believe. they
went 10 Virginia. sisss
This announcement, though not altogeth-i
er unexpected, threw cloud over my feels
ings. l looked around the room, but how
different the appearance from what it was
on that festive night? True everything was
neatly arranged, and showed the good taste
of the lady Of the house, still, there seemed
to be something wanting to give it that in
teresting appearance it once had. I spent
the night however quite agreezbly, and sat
out early in the morning, on my journey to.
my long forsakeA home, where arrived az.
ter two days travel. s
j Having spent some time at home with
my father, determined to visit an unsls
living in the western part of the State. near
the Tennessee line, in the Village Of s. 7
arrived there after a travel Of ten dsys,
much to the surprise but joy of my uncle,
whom had not seen for a number Of years.
1t is neat little Village, situated on high
hill, and surrounded by grove of beautiful
Oaks. ! determined, the first opportunity.
to take view Of the place, entire. Aeeor-
Z. dinghy | set out on bright morning il the.
month Of August, to carry my determiTla-.
ton into effect. After strolling about for.
more than an hour. l stepped into small
} confectionery, for the purpose of getting
| some refreshments, kept on one of the prin-s
) cipal streets. When entered, lady who
I appeared to be about 80 years of age, came
, irto the store from an adj lining room, to-
wait on NE: bade her 9 good morning, J" 2.
; but she only bowed and asked, :" do YOU
wish to buy fruits T. I asked for glass
of ice cream. She said you shall have It.
soon walk into the other room. I did soz
: and had but just seated myself when she
came in with the glass and placed it before
me on table, and took seat near by, saw
; ing as she did SO, q suppose you are =
stranger in this place p | answered af-
$ hrmatively. She asked me if | had seen
t Mr.. White, the great Temperance Lecturer,
I who she said had been in that place and
r formed Division of the Sons Of Temper
: anee. told her had not, as was from
5 the eastern part of the State, and he had not
yet visited it, but had frequently heard Of
? him.
As felt but little interest IN the Tenn
: perance cause at that time, not being Son
5 of Temperance, l endeavored to turn the
a conversation on. some other topic but as
: this seemed TO be her favorite one, / com
meneed asking her questions relative to tho
f progress of the Order in that Village, as
well as the State at large. She said, feel
5 a great interest in the temperance move
t ment being made throughout the country,
e as conceive that it has been, and will con-
tinue to be the means of rescuing thousands
a and even millions of fallen men from the
: drunkard's life, the drunkard's grave and
r the drunkard's hell. / know of mauy who,
/, were fast making their way into an awfal
: eternity. that have been reclaimed, who. II
d they are faithful to the pledge, may yet be
n comfort to their families and useful mem
e bers of society. A heavy sigh showed how
much she felt what she said. | have been
e one of those unfortunate women who have
J., been the victims of drunkenness, but I
y thank my God, that be put it into the hearts
v of mon to form this noble institution one
J that has been the means of driving want
I and misery from the house of many wife
y and mother, and restoring JOY and peace in
n their stead. l speak what l know. I was
d raised as tenderly, perhaps, as any lady;
: nothing that was calculated to make me
:, happy was spared by an indulgent parent,
!? all that wealth could afford, was at nv com
d mand, for which l dearly loved, yes, idol
: lied my father But ike too many of my
i sex, was willing to trust myself in the
! hands Of another one that loved as fond
J, ly as my own existence, and one, too, who
;. possessed a heart worthy of such love. We
! were married ,and well do recollect the night
y on which my destiny was entrusted to his
4 care; was as happy as any being ever can
: be at such time. My father too, thought
4 was his only child, was well pleased at my
o union with one so faultless as my betrethedi
0 Our lives were one continued round of hap
: piness for more than three years, when It
|, pleased God to remove my father from earth;
e calamity which brought the greatest trou-