Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-11-16

Drlm WIFI agony, anu Auon0" Ai0NA nv :
presence.
Let US pray
The rich voice recalled Laura from
her stupor, she shuddered as she raised
her head, for the man of God had fol-
ded his hands upon the cofin-upon the
very cofin-lid of one whose polluted
memory she could not brook to recall.
And after the sweetly solemn prayer,
while all were standing, he suddenly
turned, beckoned, and-it was like a
dream-for pale and almost tottcring,
Edward her betrothed, cam forward,
and all unnamed, shiyering with hui
initiation, laid his face upon the coffin
neal the gentle face of the corpse, COW
ering it first with his hands. Laura
sprang to her feet, but all were too In
tent in the scene to notice her.
4 have a painful duty to perform,
my friends, said the pastor, who stood
with one arm thrown over the young
man-'painful, and yet pleasant, as it
mctes justice to one who went sorrow
ing in the barren garden of this world
and found no pity. The poor creature
who lies before you, the seed Of whose
frailty is sown in all hearts-was once
pure and innocent. She fell, but she
was not the only transgressor. Here,
sorrowing before God for his crime,
stands her betrayer. He feels the enor-
nifty of a fault that blasted forever one
human heart, and comes before you
now, the lawful mourner of this poor
corpse; for true to his awakening sense
of justice, he was united to her in bonds
of matrimony one hour before her death.
Let charity therefore abound 0blame
not with harsh words. The sin is for
given by 'our Father which is in hea-
ven;' forgive you, also, and in Gods
name | beseech you to bear no enmity
to the dead, or malice towards the lv.
ing
A frightful silence succeeded; fright
full to Laura, who sat rigid, powerles
to speak or move-with a dull booming
sound falling upon her ear, as the voic'
of many waters, sounding thus-Fyo1
will be punishedfo for your naughty pride.
The services went on, and Laura
pale and trembling, shrank, if but tn
hem of a garment touched her own
| dare not describe the passions tina
;. swelled her poor heart. Cruelty dece
: we'd she had been, and he who dared NJ
so much as turn his eyes that way, Wa
conscious of her suffering for in h
| own breast the flaming hell of col
, science burnt as with a consuming fir
All had gone but Laura. A hand W;
t laid upon her shoulder. She startC
f with a faint cry-a pair of dark gr'
, eyes, a pleasant face bordered with
{ snowy frill, looked sadly into hers.
!. was the mother Of her betrothed. ]
: 5n1j a
i pride all melted, burst into tears, a
j. sobbing, laid her head upon that kir
ly bosom.
It Five weary weeks passed by wa
l., ing upon a couch of illness, laid be
Edward and Laura. Each had be
d near enough to the grave to look Wi
!; in, and surveying the mingled ashes
e the lowly and the high-born, forget
l. save that this was their common |
t. and that the destiny beyond, depend
irrevocably upon the tenor of their file
l. ing lives, and the lenity with which IL
l. looked upon the f~railties of their fell
m creatures, still while condemning, rea
w to pity and forgive. .
~ So Laura forgot and ~forgave. WI
p Edward, with establishment, laid o.
it all his heart, and told his repent
,ir story, she, her pride all subdued, W
We and pardoned the past. They W
IT. married-and to this day, Laura, ri
in courted and beautiful as she is, g
or sometimes in the spirit of penitenc(
think of the gentle girl, who, first
h. by her gratitude, fell from the estat
y, purity-but who in Gods mercy
-er destined to work a reformation in
of lives of those who had sighted
q insulted her, as permanent as it
it powerful. And Notwithstanding
he isolated, but set apart from those
a live but to crafty their baser passi
it'll will never forget the lesson taught
ed by the death of sweet Clara, and
ZEN stern rebuke, the manly frmness,
me Christian integrity of the village
pre- tor.