Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-02

Come with me into my little room. nv
friend, and will show you how once lost
heart! You start, and well you may, for
guileless, human heart is priceless treas
ure when possessed-and when once lost
Or, you start to think that ever had
heart to lose! You have been gazing at
my wrnkied forehead, at my gray hairs
yet am only batchelor of forty. You
forget / was young once, and fair like your
self
Sit down by my table while unlock that
pOrgeu'lLe and show you picture.
beautiful p
Ay, it is beautiful picture; never were
there sweeter eyes, a fairer forehead, a more
devoted heart than hers-in that picture be-
fore you. And here is lock of her auburn
hair-and these fingers Of mine once played
through it when it was upon her head.
| was born with a sensitive, passionate,
loving nature That which was tri1ing to
others often was agony to me. A careless
word, thoughtless deed, often sent me to
my room in tears, or reused the passion Of
my heart The crowning fault in my char
acter, and it grew out Of, in manner, my
sensitiveness, was jealousy. Whom l loved,
| loved with my whole heart, and claimed
whole heart in return. was easily made
jealous Of the love Of friend, was careful
how | formed friendships, and at the age of
twenty had never loved woman.
In my twentieth summer | left home to
spend the season with an uncle in Pennsyl-
vania. While there l met at village par
ty Susan R., and when first saw her l was
struck with her beauty. It was not vulgar
beauty-there was spiritual look upon her
face which made it pure and holy, as well as
beautiful.
A few evenings after had made her ac-
quaintance I met party of people at her
fathers house, Judge Rs pleasant country
! seat. [ was defending favorite author of
) mine from the attacks of several sharp critics,
| when Susan R. quoted passage of exquisite
t poet which was vainIy endeavoring to re-
: member, and which silenced the coterie Of
fault-6nders. She recited it in voice OF sub.
4 dued sweetness, and seemed to express its
!, lovely beauties upon her face. [ was entranc-
/ ed, and during the evening offered her my
e arm for walk out beneath the veranda.-
!. She accepted with blush of pleasure, i
d seemed to me. The moonlight was soft anc
/ enchanting, and the fragrance of the garder
d flowers foated around US. We talked o
l. poetry, and men and women, and of human
d sympathies and affections. She was modes
g and trembling and yet not affectedly so, au'
le talked in low musical voice of the real woe
r and joys incident to life. There was little Q
e. fashionable i" small tall" upon her lips
IT. she was too pure and intellectual for that.
ne Her brother joined us-he had missed he
pt and sought her out-and was cordially in
n vited by him to visit him whenever would
i'd to hunt, ride, listen to Susan's playing, o
lk anything which would add to my pleasure
de visited there often, and the more l saw {
no Susan the more truly did love her. Ther
D. was a sweetness about her beauty which
no is rare to fud in this world, and her disposi
be ton was lovely as the breath Of June morr
We ing. Her eyes were dark blue. her hair
Id auburn, and her face radiant with trustf
,el love. She was an only daughter. and | a
Ter ways wondered how she grew up so pul
r a and gentle, having been so petted and fonC
of led from childhood by her father-but b.
ra mother was woman of intellect and piet
The Susan was almost too gentle and sensitiv