Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-09-06
gaoit,' 9epmtnsnt
ron fuE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
GIRLH00D AND MoMANHoOD.
by INEz IRVING.

young SA~eIiny thing Of three years was /
when our angel mother Of earth was takeW
te'be Tn Angel in Heayca. NY sister, N1nV
was her name; sweetest name OF earth-my
sainted mothers nane-was scarce twelve
years, and upon her devolved the care and
maternal attentions of her dzrl;ne little
Inoz, rs she would foudly call me, when
folding me in her arms and failing on her
knees before the portrait ofear plot6cr, night
Md Morn, rs was her won't she. would COM
mend me to the protection and guidance of
Fiim who had taken car maternal guide to
himself.
Our Father was n man engaged in extern
siye G~usiRess that called him much from
home, andl US most Of our time alone,
with the kind and attentive servant slaves
whom he had provided to minister to our
comfOrt and attend to the business of our
household. We were not what, in these days
OF oyergrOwn fortunes would be called meH.
lAy, but in our backwoods horse, we we're
regarded as-thc Nabobs OF TIC Hcighkorhoed.
We had servgats, Ard lspds, and horses and
carriage and enH5 nixu and comidrts of
life around as. Aud NY good sister was
never more happy than when in the bcstow-
ri Of como Of these upon our less favored and
friendly neighbJrs.
a have said our4'athcr's business required
knuch Of his time from home-so that we
were always glad when some of our rustic
friends would c0mo and spend a day or 2
week with us. We had no brothers-oh !
how oft have [ wished for one to run and
sport witl, nc over my native bills, to gather
she Wild flowers and weave garl&nds for dear
Mary, But three tiny little graves beside
say mother's-older than her's-told me that
my Angel mother had left her two mortal
children here, 20 20 aud join her cherub dar-
lings in the skies.
At the dcwy hour Of eve, when the gentle
summer zephyr was bending in graceful un-
dulatiAg waves the yieldiug fields Of grain,
an2 '%fanning the Garth with its refreshing
b~eathings, Mary woNld take me by the hand
end wclk to the Etle family buryiRg ground,
Gnd seated upon the marble slab that covered
the mortal remains Of our departed mother,
1t was her wont to tell me how beautiful she
was-how her dark l~ustrous eyes were all
suHused with tears us our dear little brothers
Charlie, and Ggorgey, and Henry, one by one
fell by her side like beauteOus flowers nipped
by the untimely frost, and were taken up to
hoayen-of how she grew thin and pale when
/ was u little tiny babe-of how she grew
thinner aud palor-Of how that harsh and
hollow cough would tear her emaciated frame
of how she would comb back the thin au-
burn hair from my baby face, and gaze with
those large, dark, liquid eyes upon me, and
weep aud weep.
And, OIL bow my yeungheaTt would beat,
like u frightod bird against the wires Of its
cage, as sho would tell me Of the evening
whom she diedi IL was u seft beaWteo1s
egeniRg iR the s9ring-the air was redoient
with the sweets Of iowers-the birds were
singing their soft yesper hymns, and tho sun
was sinking behind the western hills, ting,
ing the earth with its roseate hu9s and i'm,
parting n glow Of loveliness and beauty sufi.
cicnt, if possible, to call back the soul from
the spirit land to linger yet awhile upon tn,
gorgeous shores Of time.
In such an hour, my Mary told me, mr.
neither died-and her last words were t. m
Father, TO remember her darling children, fo
her sake, and to love them, protect and cher
ish, as no would have deue had she still LIVED
to lLlese lis home. Let no stranger low
drive Ny darlings from your heart, Henry,
atid she, as one, only one, shadow seemed tt
Hit across her angel brow. His manly hear
was full, and he only No riva
shall ever reign between the loved on eartl
and the loved in heaven !-and a smil
played upon her angelic c0untonance, as h'
bent his head forward and the vow was scale,
On heaven by p kiss en- Garth.
Calling Mary to come forward from til
window where in sobbing anguish she hn,
witnessed this affecting scene, and takinI
her hand she said Mary, my eldest born
my dearest loved, you are yet a child, bu
our Heavenly Father, who is all wisdom, i
about to take me to himself, and upon yo
VIII be impOsodthecares end responsibilitie
Of q poEUH. I have not streRgtiI to tell yo
Of the deep yearNings ct my heart, or cOur
sci you as l know you will need. But Go
will instruct you, will mature and max
brave and good that young and timid hear
/ feel that my time has come. Here is you
darling sister, my cherub babe, the last, tel
dercst link that binds ne to eerthAto you
youthful cure and training4 commit her,
Nurture her in the fear and admoRitiOn {
the Lord. The Lord thy God give thee wi
dom to guide her aright-may both thy foo
steps take fast hold on heaven. Oh III
blessed Lord-Thou wilt love, protect al
bless them. Come hither, Henry the 81
Yer cord is loosed5 the golden bowl is broker
and taking our hands md placing them
his, she gazed intently in his face, as 81
Whispered Observation-Disclosures
Heaven and pointing to the skies, 81
passed away to join the loved and lost, wi
bad long looked for the coming of the Ang
Mother in Heaven.
So my dear Mary used to tell me of n
saiWted mother, and point nae to her home
the skies, away above the sun, and moe
and stars. And then 1 would gaze up in
Ile SKY ana WOnder II my anger mOLnef a
brothers in heaven were not looking do'
and smiling and reckoning me away to tn
i%ar'oway, happy home.
But these were fond scenes of long yet
ago. Now | have grown up to be u pc
rolicsome, gleelul girl. And Mary is
staid, digniigd beautiful Woman-ohl
lovely aud beautiful. And Papa, he no ml
absents bimself from US for weary days, a
weeks, and months but having amass
enough Of this worlds goods, Ire has pioh
retired to the shades and quiet Of home,
enjoy in the bosom Of his family the tranq
retirement Of an old age, which his silv,
locks betoken is fast creeping upon him.
what n happy home was ours.
But there is u stranger visiting our hoI
who, to judge by tho modest blush and "
MIR smile Of Mary, is not an unwelco
guest to her, while the frank, cordial CT,
ings he meets with ut the hanCs of my fatt
give assurance that he is worthy of the co
tesles and confidence he receives there. A
l would look upon him with childish cur
ity, and wonder why he came 50 often. A
then he would take me on his knee, and
me Of foreign lands, and teeming cities,
tranquil lakes, and stormy ocean-anC
thousand things new and delightful to
youthful ears. And l loved Harry lie
and his pretty stories.
But | was jealous when l saw how m
OF my Mary's time he monopolizeI