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

FoR THR SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
THE SOCIAL CIRCLE.

5
blunt the memory and estrange the affections
Of things and times once so fondly loved
lis only few brief years since ne parted
from the old school house, bid each other
farewell, und promised to love and remember
each other forever and ayel And yet. till
Flora recalled the bright scenes Of giFlish
days, and reminded us of that promise made.
ere yet lss parted e let y hear from zach
othag through our loved e3ium--the Spirit
or asg age--0sfer scenes and other loves were
fast driving them from my memory. But
right glad am I that all have not been so oa-
livious, and to make amends for my treach-
cry, / cordially offer my contribution, to fill
up the " social circle" as LOrd has improved
it over Flora's " FrateT7aal HearthsMe." We
had no brothers, you will remember, IN our
group, but how we wished for some; or even
a cousin-he would have answered-but who
in the world is that MAJOR, Flora and Matte
are writing of? They must be thinking of
some one since we left the old school grounds.
However, fig for him.
Oh! how each loved face now looms up
before my mental vision, and / recognize the
healthful cheek and happy countenance Of
my girlish companions. But we are not
girls, merely, now we have assumed the
airs and place of acoBaan-some have passed,
perhaps into that bourne, whence no trav-
eler singly returns, viz the marriage state
anu OtueFS SGduu uF6duluR uOIy
to enter there. IT'S a responsible, serious
change-not simply made up of winged Gu
pids, jassamines, orange leaves, and love IN
cottage-these were girlish dreams-pieas-
ant, tits true, but lacking that solidity that
must come at last to those who find Hymen's
bower changed to the rude realities of wood
and granite. To be aOomdn, in the nobility
of that term, is no easy task. A wax figure
may challenge the admiration of the behold
er; Parrot may amuss by her garrulity,
and the beautiful fawn delight by its grace
fulness and agility-so may the beautiful,
| the prattling, the symmetrical, the snowy
female-but if these be her only qualihca-
| tions she is less than woman-a counterfeit
upon the sex whose form she bears. But to
/ be Wife, is even a more exalted, as we'll as
responsible position. To her beauty, must
be added grace and dignity-to her gentle
ness, patience and fortitude-to her suavity
of manner, frmness and high moral integri-
ty-in word, she should combine intellect
to make her an agreeable companion, ease
and grace to preside, kindness to minister
around the COUCH and true piety to train and
direct the young tendrils that cling for sup
port around the family hearthside. But of
what am writiGg2 You will doubtless con-
clude that have studied the character pretty
e well. at all events, as though / calculated
: personifying 1t! Wei, Flora hints as though
a1 u,
and she'll see. I'm not engaged yet, however.
But shade comes over the recollection of
: our girlish group. You all remember Carrie
/, GTynn-she of the laughing eye and joyous
: heart, that always came like a sun-spot to
: our circle, to chase away the clouds of care
2 and sombre foreboding. Carries was a
sweet spirit, so gay, so volatile and withal 80
gentle-but she was a fr0ward child-she
= never learned to bend her will to superiors-
IL oho 20 L. L..
i to seek council Of older and graver friends
r Well, Carrie, our own little light-hearted
Carrie, is married-but she received not the
n blessing of her father-a stranger hand gave
! her away, not in the spacious halls Of her
: paternal mansion no mothers hand or sis
: ter's taste arranged the orange wreathe to
encircle her fair brow-but she welded one
p unworthy of her, one whose visits her best
re of fathers had forbid her receiving, and his
h curse rests upon her. No more may she
,e seek shelter and protection under that roof
a. meath which she had been sheltered and
i nurtured by the tenderest parental care-no
= more may she recline beneath the umbrage-
~ Gus oaks under whose shady lawns she had
o. gamboled in the halcyon days of childish in
be nocence and purity-she is an outcast from
IS, the family circle-she is a stranger there
e. the curse of disobedience rests upon her Poo
n Carrie, we can but pity and sympathize will
~ HeE-UuI VIC IuuSb Sdy sue UtLS ~ UtIi16 -
However worthy, and excellent, and good
oy he may be for whom she sacrificed home, an,
cir mother, and father, and sister and brother
INT and all that was dear to loved memory-ye
uS it were better that he should have been lei
in to gather sweetness from some more congo
mo nial flower, than that the parent stem shoul
u be broken and so many budding blossoms
- hope and promise lie withered at his feet
'in Our first duty, next to that of reverence fo
em God, is to our dear good Parents. They an
nt. our dearest, best of friends-their changeler
care and undertaking love have brought us U
through the helplessness of infancy-the fri
wardness of grlhood, the dangerous perio
Of hoydenism-to their watchful GUARDIANSHIP
are we indebted that we have not fallen iii
er crushed flower plucked by some heartlet
to one passing heedlessly by. To do less ths
,or yield the most implicit confidence and obed
- ence to their judgement and will, is to col
one yict ourselves of that basest of all sins-I
ret gratitude. As the great Shakespeare hat
Mt said
nu' "Filial ingratitude!
Is it not as this mouth should tear this han
ame For lifting food to't?'
,ers But may not Carries future be made ev
,cos darker still, if not hopeless, if all sympat
: - and regard be withdrawn from her, on {
] r part of those by whom it is now most needles
Ingratitude is Justly classed as one Of (
HOsb H0iuOuS SlllS, Dub 10 IL mOEe 50 lldh
. untorgiOing spirits By an indulgence oft
nrs, latter we cut off all hope oflife and heaven
seed upon it depends the promise of that forgi
velv ness for which we daily pray at mercy gate
-, Forgive our sins as re forgive those "
have sianed against US 70 This is the TO
nand of prayer that was made in Heaven ard
the been copied into every Ritual on earth
solu- Lord, give US forgiving spirit
d as Poor Carrie, grievous as she hath sinn
may she not add sin to sin by refusing
atonement-but may she make up all amer
y that in her power lieth, and then, as Mil
be sings of the reconciliation of Adam 9
c per Eve, to paraphrase his words to our pres
with purpose
ating May ms heara relsnt, I,n s.,;o
o"eu Now at his feet, Submissive in Distress
have Creature so fair his reconeilement seeking,
.mers His counsel whom she had displeased ms
oood As dsarmed, his anger may he lose,
S''" And thus with peaceful words upraise her soc
Who will be the next to give us !
scene from some of our chosen clrclef
y eA- the next be more pleasant than nine.
zR. INEZ IRVING