Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-01
CHAPTER VI.

Ia IL WLAdG L Cdt1 d O0CIuOQ GT1uulpu3
exclaimed Mary Alton enthusiastically, six
weeks after the conclusion Of our last chap
ter, as she entered the parlor one morning
where her father was porting over his paper.
DO get off your rigging and tell me all
about it, DEAR And Mary fitted up stairs
and removed her bonnet and cloak, and even
put off the rich silk dress she wore, and was
back again in a few moments.
'Oh! it vas such a beautiful wedding,
father so impressive, SO simple, yet so sol
emn. You know it would not have been for
two weeks longer, but his mother is ill and
anxious to see him, and he did not like to go
without Emma so it was all finished in
church this morning, and the carriage took
th1m right OF to the boat.
And were the girls there?'
'Oh yes, all of them for there is not one
in the village now that does not love Emma
almost as much as | do; and it was that fact
which made me pronounce her wedding a
triumph
"A triumph over what?'
y right over wrong of truth over false
hood of virtue over gold; of beauty over
deformity Of
Mary Alton over the Misses Wilson, Odel
and Others chimed in the old man gaiIy, as
she paused in her rapid TRADE of similitudes.
No, not that, father; for if an individual
is to have the credit, it is all due dear Alice
Glare it was friendships triumph, not mine.
am sure you incurred the full face of
the BLAST
Yes, but she sustained me by the beauti-
tiful, truthful light that in her dwells. |
should have faltered and sunk, without her;
but now, oh! | know | never can go wrong
while Alice guides me-
THAT is, if you follow!
But have followed, dear Father have
done SO courageously.'
) Yes, when you only had to combat with
; a few purse proud girls with whom you had
no sympathy; but if your feelings and incli-
nations were enlisted against her counsels, if
they called for personal sacrifice of prefer
ence or prejudice, you would find a differ
ence.'
E Still I should do it-as 1 promised her I
). could and would do any thing that she con-
, WINGED me was right
What if it involved a sacrifice of feeling,
of affection even p
i Yes, sir 1 certainly should stop to exam
inc a long time before adopting any course
a which Alice Clare disapproved.'
May be SO ! returned Mr.. Alton and
+ there was a merry, mischievous twinkle in
his eye, as he gazed on his daughters face
which was glowing with s%elf-confdent enthu.
siasm, that seemed to say doubtful but
I'll try her once
70 Devoted as he was to Mary, he knew there
N was a strength of will about her which hi
could not believe in any case Of strong per
sonal interest would become subject to the
. calm rational views of one who could not fee
ID as she did so her confident air only amused
- him and determined him, quite maliciousIy
Se admit, to subject the strength of her pledg
81 to a still deeper test than the one through
~ which she had Just passed. There was moth
% ing more said at the time on the subject, bu
no the letter which Mary wrote to her frien,
shortly after will save US the trouble of a fa1
Their explanation just here:
- DEAR, DEAR ALLY Il do not know what upo
IRE earth I should do, if in lifes troubles I could ne
come to you. The hardened misanthrope may "a
an against girlhood friendships as much as is pleasar
a to him-denounce all their feelings as idle, frivoloU
= and vain-yet so long as you and your calm. di
eliminating judgement is left me still, / know
rebuking hand should be laid upon his mouth new,
ng more to be removed. He can know nothing of OIL
long, quiet discussions upon moral points how "
he have striven to aid each other in the adoption
in such views as are calculated to secure to their DO
"a SCISSOR the highest good. He knows nothing Ohio
you have sustained me since our school-days, /
cs' the truthful and affectionate suggestions whic
Ior have come to me in your letters. Oh no; tn
red is all a sealed book to him; hence there is nothiT
yht in our friendship but an idle interest in scandalo,
tales and frivolous prattle about beaux, and dress
III; and parties. These are indeed all well enough
- their places, and help very materially to fill up Ii
and often become identified with its actual dutie
yes an = a1Sn srort from these LIGHTER matters. we he,
rad held togetber such communion as has strengthen,
his the good in my heart and directed all its energi
into a better path than I should otherwise ha
trod-
,ss And new, Ally dear, valued friend, I come
YOU in the most difficult case of any over which
have ever held discussion, and one far more deep
at interesting to my feelings than those which I ha
previously placed before YOU. l will endeaEor
write calmly and impartially, that you may be t