Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-20
Written for the Spirit Of the Age.
Girlish Dreams Realized:
OR, THE FIVE BRIDALs.
Rsspectflly inscribed to the Young Ladies
of North Carolina.
nv LORA
CHAPTER FOTRTH.

wen after admitting my hcdIG Ihihio " NC
with every word of love you have trC
altered, that l can still firmly refuse to an
we'd one as dependent as you are upon the VIZ
of a tickle world for professional dis su
.tinction and future fortune" NJ
"In still palmer language, Miss Gordon, h
after being satisfied in regard to the fortune, W
as a secondary consideration you will look il
to the man /" returned hercOmpanion with r.
bitter irony, at the same time relinquish- h
ing the seat he had occupied by her side il
and folding his arms upon his breast as he u
drew himself up haughtily before her. /
"As YOU please, sir. l consider myself j
under no obligation to explain" $
"I ask none. And only linger here to
tell you that / place my dependence not on
the smiles Of a tickle world, but upon the
energy and integrity Of my own matured
meet with due appreciation and reward
And if l did dream a bright and beautiful
dream of taking a wife to my bosom who
would encourage the development OF all
those aspirations which dignity manhood
rendering my hours Of relaxation v%lrtuous
and happy-giving me fresh interest IN the
toll and business of life, and pleasure IN
the acquisition of gold only that it might
minister to her enjoyment, it is all passed
a cold, wide awake reality now. And if
the rumor l have so ridiculed, of your en-
Qagement to Mr.. Burton, be correct, lwish
you all the happiness which a knowledge
of his thoroughly selfish and miserly char
acter can lead you to anticipate.
The heavy clang Of the street door an
-,,.ol 10 1oonrt,,Va fp tho cc0rOf1I llHU
who had turned her face away apparently
in disdain, but in reality, toescape the with
ering glance which was bent upon her.
But as that sound smote upon her ear, she
flung herself, with q gesture of despair, a.
mong the cushions of a sofa and buried hel
pallid face in her hands, whilst her slender
frame quiyered like a leaf before the fierce
storm that ragged through her soul. Sh'
sat thus but II moment ere the sounding o
a step in the hall recalled her to herself, AM
dashing her hand across her brow she has
tily arose, swept with a regal air across tn
room and sought the solitude of her owl
apartment. For what? To weep unmC
Tested over the bright traces which low
had woven within and about her heart, bu
which the still stronger hand of ambitio
had rudely severed. And there alone, j
that silent chamber, with locked door an
no eye upon her save that one from whic
she could not escape, how fiercely did 81
battle with her rebellious heart. The ia
she had irrevocably decided her own de
tiny, was not sufficient to still its Wilt
Crushing Irr inc 1uhf rfUwrrs vnrcn- rfg
eptyine themselves about her pathw;
through life that she was shrouding t
bright rays Of hope in midnight gloom /;
that she was bartering away the sincerl
of her youth-perjuring herself before Il
and man-weaving letters of the most g
ling character for her own southwest
all future life with bitter, burning pangs
rcmorse. All this, and much more, in Il
hour of solitude, did the inner voice asse
yet the iron hand at the helm swerved
from the course she had chosen. Love
ambition had plead their separate suits,
in the full light of a we'll informed m
she had decided upon her own destiny.
Three months after that painful me
Mr.. Gordon's mansion was brightly illu
mated and carriage after carriage depos
n gay group at the door /; for it was
bridal eve of his 6rst-born. Sumptu
fos4hn eld-pNan!s Ve"sqt,g"9esaFe 1Un,
And as gorgeous dresses and smiling f
began to minglc with the decorations
those lofty rooms, promises were riC
given of an unclouded festival. NJ,
laughs sang out with bird-like melod
graceful smiles fitted like the gay he
rover from one ruby lip to another
gushing flow of song in mellow cadel
rose and fell upon the ear-and the
dued language of soft eyes, looking Low
eyes that spoke again, all plainly told
grief and sadness were intended to be
ished guests. Need we wonder atthe sp
ling zest with which youth plunges
such amusements ? Susceptible in an
inent degree to whatever Influences
surround them, with life's brightest flo
still undimmed in the wreath of hope
cry thing excluded from their vision W
might call a shadow to the brow, and
stead, a collection in every way inter
to captivate the fancy, each expression
feature moulded with the ono desire t
part pleasure-eveIy glance and mover
modulated with a view to convey a
deeper degree of happiness-sure it N
be termed ingratitude to steel the hea
gainst so many combined efforts to p
and amuse. And from such a glance
cannot chide the lip for wearing its br
est smile, or the youthful spirit for
turned by the subtitle influences aroun
But an observing eyewill detectin the
midst Of the music and reyelry, nay,
WILTSHIRE longest and loudest laugh
out from rosy lips, and the fascinated
ltseems wrapped in one continued gala
of lightness and folly aye, even
athwart the brow, a momentary shade
como
-" A restless thought will steal,
To teach the indolent heart it stAl must fee
And how eloquently does that fitting
ow, that transient thought, proclaim
souls union with Immortality, and a
its power to fling off in its ETHEREAL 1
he es@s~-- c~-S~A ~vi&h elaborate
fulness by the world. Upon sonnet