Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-01-26

oh, mamma, if you knew how / hate my
fatherp
Rosa" gasped the deserted wife, straining
the child with an unconscious grasp Of vice
like tenacity, who has dared, what have they
been telling you-answer me, Rosa-quick,
quick =
There, mamma said the little one in
solemn voice, the blood has gone away
from yo1r check just as felt it go from mine
mamma, tell me-do tell me truly-did my
naughty papa leave you because-becausc-
Speak on, my child murmured Leila,
pr essing upon her poor heart, | can bear
to hear anything now; tell me all. love- she
whispered again, as the bot blow of the lit
tie girl was almost bedded in her throat.
Because, you are-oh | cannot say it
mamma--a--a Creole, my own dearest
mamma; ; and the child clung to her more
convulsively.
The black eyes bent so sorrowfully upon
her, now flashed forth an intense fire that
shot from the very depth of her soul-for a
moment her lips quivered violently; the
last sad, sweet hope seemed dying in her
bosom. Through all her veins she felt a
strange, creeping thrill of hatred !; but this
mighty emotion passed, and in a moment
she was almost calm; yet, that Rosa should
thus learn of her fathers desertion-and for
such humillating reason, the thought made
her blood boil again, and Ter frame shook
so violently, that the child raised her head
in alarm. Leila, was weeping-weeping
with passion of anguish that seemed to tear
asunder every fibre of her heart, and the
large drops fell heavily and hot upon the
child's upturned face.
oh, mothcrr she sobbed, lifting her lit
tie hands to stay the tears, don't cry,
won't believe it, didn't believe it; Julie
was a wicked, cruel girl to tell me such a
falsehood [ hate her, she calculated, the
expression of her face corroborating her words
but do love you, my own darling mamma !;
| don't believe my father ran away
He did-he did--my child > cried Leila,
in a stihed tone, with anguish that almost
rent her frame; he wickedly left your poor
mother, and no one now knows where he is,
! And don't he love you, mother!' said
the child, innocently.
Another dagger-thrust probing the fester-
ing wound--but she managed to answer,
calmly, Not as he should, | fear
Then hate him ; exclaimed the impet-
uous child, passionately; hate him, I
: HATE HIM; l don't love anv one that don't
love you, dearest, darling mother. How
could he be so naughty; oh, you wicked
father!' she continued, shaking her little
hand, clenched tightly at portrait of Stan
) ton that hung, shaded by soft curtains, on
the opposite wall, Silent sat poor Leila
silent and awe struck, fearing at the pas
sionate spirit displayed by this little child.
Too we'll she remembered her once fiery, un-
curbed, uncomfortable temper she has nc
! doubt impaired to the child's nature that
! rcvongeful spirit which she always manifes
1 ted on the slightest occasion towards all who
thwartcd her wishes, and which more thar
once had excited the disgust of the tickle
: husband. But sorrow had at the last made
almost perfect its sweet work, and she wa:
now a submissive, tcachable, child-like wo
man; still she knew not how to curb tha
: wild. imperious, but beautiful young crea
! ! turc beside her she held the springs Of
powerful machine which she could not regu
u late.
!, At length she said, in low, impressv
h manner, mastering her own feelings, 'Yo,
show very bad spirit my child; howeve
Il wrongly he may have acted, still remembe
that if alive, he is your father
L won't call him my father; won
} have him for my father she repeated, ar
} grily, then suddenly changing her manner
T. she asked, where did he 60 to. mamma
It 1T is supposed by some that he went I
America murmured Leila, musingly.
= Mother, exclaimed the child, with stron
e emphasis, and fixing her great eyes, mad
le darker by most malicious expression Q
l, Lelas face, that is what you cry for s
IT much | never could tell before, and that
u r. why you put your hand so tight over yol
Il bosom and sigh and say you suffer; if ev'
d. | can she continued with most inten!
=, and thrilling accent, mean to kill n
,n ,n papa
ne Leila uttered a piercing shrek; she sta
H. H. ted to her feet the blood curdling in h
!! y veins, OH Rosa she sobbed you frig
u ten me yon terrify me ; you to be n
avenger you-his own child-oh horribl
> Rosa, you know not what you say !; you W
AZ AZ make me mad what shall do with "
ue child how destroy that awful fend with
g, you that threatens to wreck the little pea
81 left me Oh Rosa, Rosa; you make n
VI, heart ache with anguish
90 Then | won't say so again ; said Il
W. W. child with a trembling lip, but should Ii
!! to kill him ! and throwing herself in b
70 mothers arms she wept convulsively y;
g don't want to see anybody any more,' S
~ ~ exclaimed, her voice broken by sobs | a
!. II ashamed, mamma; [ wish [ could die, {
~ Julie is such wicked, wicked girl, W
throw stones at her, will hurt her for spea
~ ing 50 badly about you, mamma
~ No, my child, leave her with her CO
~ ne science she will no doubt feel sadly sor
- for her conduct, it was very wrong b
=" Rosa, you have nothing to feel ashamed
my love, my own mother was Creole, /
,"o =" search the world through you could hare
=, !. find more gloriously lovely, or better v
@oes @ man than she was. Forget all, my darlir
- everything save that love you-oh !. bet
!, than my own life, and throwing the hea
~ :. curls from the forehead of the little one,
"n ,,o lavishod caresses upon her that were aim