Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-06

Ridow-D Depelopemeits he esi ostegraitgsl re at5s
ter-A nelo feature IN the FrenckmaR's char
Gcter.
In dingy, narrow street, one of the most
filthy in the city, Allan Wingfeld held prop
erty. II was very large, barn-ike building,
f. divided into numerous apartments and as much
as four stories high. When it was new it may
have been n very elegant and desirable resi-
dence, but in the day Of whck we write it was
far from being either desirable or elegant
There was but very little care taken of It by
the owner, and as it was generally rented. its
beauty or preservation was Of course but little
regarded so if board became loose or Il
pane broken it was suffered to remain so; for
this reason the building wore very dilapida-
ted appearance. Owing 30 its filthy locality
1t partook in great measure the nature oe sur
rounding objects; the few remaining panes
ofgIass were darkened with coating of dust
and shut out in great degree the lIght of the
sun that would otherwise have found its way
to its gloomy chambers. The walls Of the
house Itself looked as if they had been smear
cd here and there with some filthy pigment
leaving it designedy in huge misshapen blotch-
es Those who were conversant with the
history Of the tenement said that in its best
day 1t was not 80 Unlocking as ut present. it
being neatly coated with yellow paint, and
from that circumstance it was known in its
immediate district as the "Yelow House. -
The pigment was almost entirely removed
when ii fell in Allan Wingfed's hands, but It
was still known as Wingfed's Yellow
House" How Allan came in possession of
the property we are not informed but our
supposition is that he bought it; that however
Is matter oflittle consequence to our present
Chapter.
The rooms this old building Allan rented
to poor families, who were unable to afford
more comfortable accommodations, at exorbi-
taut prices. The Yellow House gave the
wretched beings who existed there a partial
shelter from the storms Of nature, but rs for
comfort, strictly speaking, there was ma sick
thing in the house, Allan cared not for this
the rents that he cxacted from the miserable
mendieants was all he gave himself any con-
cern about, and this lie was punctual and un
rents were paid often at the sacfihce OF bread
to hungry orphans, but this was q minor consid-
b Grafton with Allan. The prayers of Widows
and the cries of ragged orphans often haunted
Allan, pleading with him for time to pay their
rents but the hard-hearted miscr turned Il deaf
ear to their entreates and tears, sternly bid
ding them to pay up as their contracts fell due
or see their miserable plumber dashed in the
this noint. Not unfreduently Allan would see
the pale LIGHT from the lamps of widows and
orphan Girls struggling through the Gingy win
dows of his tenement, at midnight, which told
him that his wrctchcd tenants were aboring
with heavy hearts and under the pangs of dis
case and death at that hate hour, in order to
oain trne ia advance Of their crying wants to
nav their accommodating rents. He would look
in nj the windows to see lis pale tenants toll
ihr for him, but the sight and the reflections
did not start q reproying pang in his callous
heart but, on the contrary, he felt thro6 o
ioy in his bosom that his tenants were indus
tr;ous and would on rent day be prepared t
drop into his purse their hard earned dues
An incident connected with the yellow
House falls to our duty to relate. The rem
dny was passed and the miserable tenants cam
one by one and dropped their hard earned rent
into tie clutching palm oftheir heartless land
lord-they came with the price of their live
in their hands and laid it on the altar of I'll
miser! Allan counted the pieces of none
gave them credit and sent them away. On
came not-the widow and her daughter
Room No 81 came not to pay rs usual. VI
miser rrew impatient and cursed the athlete
widow Tor negecting rent day! Several pass,
and still she came not; Allan rang the Sc
wants bell with impatient energy and in fe
moments Levcre was in bis presence awatir
his commands Allan's commands to his tait
full servant were Go bid the widow p
before nghtfall or be east into the street
Who! what! where!' were Leverc'S ra
id interrogations
Room No 81 has failed to pay its rent
bid the widow and her daughter pay ere nia
or be thrown in the street. Dost hear r
dolph ? No. 27-the widow De Vail and
Ea.'
Mrs. De Vail and Julia exclaimed
Frenchman, starting up from his profound
tenton while his countenauce and indeed
whole frame gave evidence of the most inter
and unusual excitement, so much SO as to
cite deep surprise in Allan, he never bef
having seen his servant in the light he n
presented himself Mrs. DeVl and Julii
shouted leyere at the same moment clasp
his hands over his ears.
Yes replied Allan, but what means
Levere ?
Mrs. DE- Vail! De Vail and Julia mutt
ed the Frcnchman.' Nothing, Monsieur, q
or than a strange, strange coincidence b,
go-No. 81 did you say 2
Yes Rudolph, No. 81; see that you o
my commands ia full no hattcry, Lcve
The little Frcnehman went on his way
the Yellow House and entered its portals
He mounted fights Of worn and dusty st
and passed door after door in search of No
He met pale females and poorly clad chilC
here and there, who looked strangely aud
pciously at him, and he heard stoat, D
looking boy curse "Allan Wingfeld's m
but he needed it not and passed on in sc
of the designated room. A poor woman
him it was in the garrett and he sough
NJ no Aar nd ak,s-
reached the upper floor. 1t was dark
gloomy up there and had withal strange
healthy smell. He saw room doors here
there with pale, sickly looking numbers
them, and at length he found the numb
was seeking. 1t was very quiet and |
throughout the garret and the little FIR
man felt solemn aud melancholy. He p
his ear to the door be wished to enter al