Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-11-24

HE sun had gone down, and the biushino
twilight still hung upon the sky Some or
ange tinted clouds moved silently over the
western horizon, forming all kinds of fan
tastic shapes; sometimes as ship, they
would spread their airy canvass to the
breeze and float through a sea of Emeralds
IN grand. d.nagnifcence. Again, mountain.
would rise soyer mountain, piled on hesssASScc
rfifrs, sSTst aVvsl11 s:.s
pices. At length they began to tlarken,
and vast thunderheads rose slowly over the
western treetops. Silence reigned around.
The village was wrapped in darkness, and
not a breath stirred in the adjoining grove.
Clinton was sitting alone watching the gath
ering clouds. 4 low murmuring soand was
heard in the air, and then faint glimner-
ing Of lightning played from cloud to cloud
growing hi 1hter and bri 1hter at each sue
ceeding fash and the hoarse thunder rolled
more loudly is the sounding squadrons of
the sky approached. Soon the heavens were
dark with angry clouds, while the thunder
rolled necessarily, now loud and then almost
/ dying away in the distance Mr.. Philips
aud his daughter now joined DIr. Howard,
as he stood watching the warrng clements
Nature is always beautiful, always pleasing
but when she is angry her beauties are most
! lenucng, her rscenerJ most grand and inter
r55ErUrfTE-rs syGl1TrU TIE rTg 1T15ET
ating plain, the sweet murmuring stream
and the soft blowing zephyr, but give me the
rugged cliff and the lofty mountain, the roar.
ING fizerand the uprootng storm. All thei
She is inviting. then IS her exposition Of pow
cr and grandeur, and submity. Such were
the reflections Of Clinton, and such in par
were his remarks, when suddenly broat
sheet Of flame seemed to enWrap the house
and simultaneously, clap of thunder shiv
cred to atoms a tall oak standing at the gate
For moment all were astounded, alnos
unconscious, whena moan at his side arouse,
; Clinton from his stupor. There lay the fai
} girl trembling in every limb A monen
t more, and she was raised in the arms of th
!; young man, and placed upon a lounge nea
t by. Water was brought, her temples bath
! ed profusely, her hands chafed, aud she II
/ covered instantly without material injury
!, She was only stunned By the stroke, and he
/ weak nerves gave way, while the others 81
d tanned it without being overpowered. Th
a wind now rose faarfuIly, and the clash
J. thunder now We'd with the crash of the fore
: trees while others too firmly rooted, swaye
it ed to ana fro, like drunken men. The bui
ding rocked upon its foundation, while Il
/ out houses fellin heaps, and the fences wei
J, leyeled to the ground, and the material ca
/; RED far off by the raging storm. But Il
u storm abated and Clinton retired to his roo
$, wondering at the strange adventure Of I'll
n. day, but his thoughts still hung around Il
beautiful creature he had Just raised fro
the floor almost iifeless. How bis heart W
a, drawn out towards her. She was so agree
ID ble, SO intelligent, so noble, and yet so chill
S like; could he help but love her? But th
ry the far off Mary Buyilliers, whom he h
IN left behind, occurred to his mind. Had 5
Ill been there he would undoubtedly have
closed his love to her, but she was far,
tn away. Perhaps she loved him not. p
haps her heart was another's already. i
$, then she was so modest, and sometimes
confused in his presence, especially if a
ou strangers were present. She would talk
Others very fuently but never to him vi
at: out some hesitation. What could it mea
! | Was bis company disagreeaole? 1t COZ
k not be hate, it could not be dislike. S
,ut had never avoided him at home. She
llk never spoken heartlessly to him, but unifol
ly, " kind, and with smile. But what me
let that smile Oh! how foolish was
ley to know my destiny, ere SO many hund
nd miles interviewed, murmured he to hims
ley And then he concluded that there was
icy mystery about a woman's heart that he co