Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-09-21

table was still beside me, and on it yet
remained the glass towards which my
eyes turned with fascination could not
resist. Into the liquor at the bottom l
gazed. and there, more distinct than at first,
l saw your face, but now the eyes had q
sharp, eager look, that seemed to go through
me with sense of pain. The tender arch
ing of your lips was gone, and they were
drawn against the teeth with cruel express
sion. feel the shudder still which then
ran through my heart. Oh! Henry -
such as | then saw on your face would kill
me =
And the wife of Henry Erskine, over
como with feeling, laid her head upon his
shoulder and sobbed.
Dear Anna! Forget the wretched dreamv
said Erskine, as he drew his arm tightly a.
round her. G I wonder that mere phan-
tom Of the night can have such power to
move you
But that was not ALL resumed Mrs.
Erskine, so soon as she had grown calm
enough to speak The face now began to
rise up from the top of the glass, rounding
as it rose, until head and we'll defined
neck stood above the vessel, and all the
while a malignant change was progressing
on the countenance. More horrible still
The glass suddenly enlarged, enormously,
its dimensions, and in it now saw, in fear
fuE coils, the body of serpent, bearing up
higher and higher the face and head of
man. Another instant, and its horrid sill
my folds were around my neck and body !!
In their tightening, sufocating clasp, / a
woke. Oh, Henry was itnot terrible =
What could have excited such phantasy?
"A horrible nightmare said Erskine,
a nightmare only. And how strange it
is, that such an image found entrance into
your innocent guardian mind
1t was all in vain that Mrs. Erskine
strove, throughout the day, to drive the
shadow from her heart. The dream was of
too peculiar and startling nature to admit
Of this. Moreover, it's singular connexion
with the neighborly conviviality of the pre-
vlous evening, when she was forced to OBJ
serve the unusual elation of her husbands
mind, gave food for questionings and
thoughts, which in no way served to oblit-
crate the dream, or to tranquilize her feel
ings. When her husband returned home
at the close Of the day, he saw in her coun-
tenance, for the first time, something that
annoyed him. Why was this What was
the meaning of the expression Did she
doubt him in anything? All How could
she forget her dream-that malignant face
| and elill4y .--r4.>l2 nLa eAteI.@r
death hidden in its fascinating contents !?
Itwas later in the evening. The fitting
shadows had been chased away by the sun
ny faces that gathered around the tea-ta-
BILE. Amid their children, all sense of op-
preston, of doubt, had vanished. The
kneehng little ones had said, in low, rever-
ent tones, 'Our Father, and we're sleep
ing in sweet Inconsistencies. The evening
waned, and now, in accordance with habit
, Mr.. Erskine brought forth a decanter, and
was about filling glass therefrom, wher
his wife, laying her hand on his arm, said
with sad earnestness of manner, which
/, she strove to conceal with smile
Henry, dear, forgive me for saying so
, but the very sight of that decanter and glass
J makes me shudder. | have thought all da,
: = about my dream. The serpent in the glass.
: Bearing your husband face said Frs
. kline, quickly, and with rather more of fee
: ing than he meant to express, and yo
. fear that he will prove the serpent in tn
. end, to sufocate you in his horrid folds
=. Henry Erskine what could have temp
- ed you to this utterance All the trut
e must be told. 1t WAS THE SERPENT L
THE GLASS False friends, as he cam
4 homeward that evening, had drawn him ;
n side to drink with them. Alas ! a malie
le nant demon was in the cup, and its poiso
a entered his bosom. He did not drink eve
# to partial physical intoxication but far
nough to disturb the calm, rational ba
,r ance of his mind, and thus to change tt
a order of mental influx. He was no longt
d the equipoised man, and, therefore, no lol
of ger in orderly association with pure al
angelic spirits. Just in the degree that
IL was separated from these, came he into a
,d sociation with the spirits of an opposi
he character-demons in their eager desire
a. extinguish all that is pure and good in h
he man nature. And thus it ever is, in
af- greater or less degree, with all who distu
m the rational balance of their minds, eth
ne partially or permanently, by the use
in what intoxicates. This is the reason WI
nt the way of the inebriate, even from the
,o ginning, is marked by such strange inf
nj uation. He seems to be in the power
el. evil spirits who govern him at will, and
Of is, in reality, thus in their power,
eft An instant pallor overspread the face
Mrs. Erskine, at her husband s cruel reto
lid What an age of wretchedness was compl
of ed in single moment of time! Ersk
-ou saw the effect of his words, and repen
their utterance. He, even, for NONE
lge partially yielded to an impulse to put
It's. the liquor untasted but the demon ter
ter was too close to his side and too pror
ne. to whisper that such an act would be
lr +? unmanly { concession to his wife's foo
in weakness. And so, his mind already !
It's. italy unbalanced, as has been seen, he c,
/ pleted the dethronement of manly reason
t as pouring out and drinking "a larger drau
lea of spirits than he was accustomed to tt
just Alas how quickly has the man becC
ing eclipsed-partially now, and to shine fl
ICED again in the unclouded heavens. Yet