Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-15

stream of ages rolled its eVersurging biows |
upon life's eventful strand, and varied change
and viccssitude left their impress uponthe |
fleeing sand that ebbed with the phosphor-
escent ripple and faded with the foam-crest- |
ed bubble Of the breaking wave. say ages
because to the lover every day and week
is an age, especially when the heart is not
steeled to insensibility, and panged with the
wound inflicted by the keen poignard Of disap-
pointment and regret. Miss Vaudeville be-
ing charmed ard captivated with the society
Of her cousin, and also feeling an interest in
the associations by which she was surrounded,
it required but little persuasion and importu-
nifty to obtain her promise to remain during
the spring and summer in SO pleasant and
delightful village. In justice to such per-
sonage, it may be we'll to remark, that her
birth, education, and accomplishments, enti-
tied her to the honor and respect which she |
received among the leading intelligences Of
the town. Whenever in society, with a
large portion of the gentlemen, she was the
nucleus around which their admiration re-
volved, as her usual gladness and yivacity of
life kindled flame upon the altar of their
hearts, which blazed and corruscated with all |
the impassioned enthusiasm Of youthful glow
and feeling. Indeed several Of the most pop
ular, influential, and worthy citizens of the
town, ventured to follow the footsteps of the
seeming unfortunate barrister, who really
loved her with high-souleG and enthusiastic
devotion, without creating the first recipro-
cal throb to gush with her bosom's heaving
main. At length her sweet and inestimable
cousin, Mrs. Bloomfield, with many others
of the place, concluded as they supposed
with rational intelligence and reason, that
the elegant and accomplished Ecity belle
was destined by the consent of her own
mind, to remain welded to celibracy as the
solitary companion of her existence.
But passing wonderful and strange is the
taste which sometimes is developed in the
lady of exalted rank, superior education, and
gifted endowments of intellect. We will
however leave our heroine for time, and in
troduce another character, to whose relations
and history we invite the calm and deliber-
ate attention of our readers.
Near the village Of - there lived a Mr.
Tunbridge, who was only remarkable for his
depraved ard vitiated taste, and who never
aspired to associate with hardly the second
rate ladies of the county of his residence
To give the correct pencillings of his por-
traiture would say that he was a consum-
mate inebriate, with rather pleasing and in
sinuating appearance; gay, buoyant and vig-
orous in the elasticity of his youth possess
ed of little mind, with scarcely any cultiva-
ton of its growth; exceedingly crude and
inelegant in conversation, and addicted in an
inordinate degree to every form of vice and
dissipation in our land. Such is the charac-
ter Of the individual who one day passed the
door Of Mrs. Bloomfield, when Miss Mande-
vile was at the window, taking a survey ot
what was passing through the streets. As
quick almost as an electric flash, with emo
ton swelling in her bosom and beaming in
her face-said she:
La cousin, come here and tell me wha
| handsome young gentleman is that point
4 ing to the man who had just passed by th'
= door.
/ well, Mary, that is Mr.. Tunbridge-
J, an obscure, dissipated and thoughtless youth
: that no one thinks any thing of-except a
# an object of pity and disgust. am astor
: ished that a lady of your good taste shoul
l. call him handsome
IS Such was the language of her aAectionat
3. cousin, when Mary promptly remarked =
n : You may say what you please about his b
d ing thoughtless, dissipated youth, but l te
IS you | like his looks far better than any ma
d that have seen since | left New York.
e He is so tasteful in his dress and graceful
er his carriage, that venture the assertion,
ly would shine in any ball room, as know !
h. must be favorite with the ladies'
r. why Mary I! replied Mrs. Bloomfield
ms had little expected to hear you speak tn
en- of one whose name is too contemplate
,rt pollute your hallowed lips. He only ass
nd ciates with the commoners in the counti
he and when he comes to town, he only visits
ri. few Of his own class. His origin is We
a low, and it grieves me for you to give him
Of passing thought
I'm This last conversation, we may observ
to was not very agreeable to Mary, as she fs
lor cied him exactly the opposite of what
he had been represented, and determined
in her own mind to devise some stratagem
en- make his acquaintance. In the course ol
les, few days, there was a fish fry to be civ
elf only few miles distant from the villa
inv and Mr.. Tunbridge understanding the fav
the able impression that he had made upon N
rm Vaudeville, resolved to attend that party
,al, it was free for the promiscuous assemble
Vim of the county. He found no difficulty
md being introduced to heracquantance, anC
adj very few moments arm in arm,' Il
hin. were seen to promenade in retiring ma
int along the wood-skirted lawn, as if in resp
me sive swell, heart beat to heart reciproc
ace soft During the whole day they were
ore. constant and de7oted, as if the maiden b
but er of loveliness and beauty was soon to
in come the smooth primrose path OF To-
ned young dream. The spectators around v
hen busy in expressing their wonder and as
ex- ishment, in reference to Miss Mande,
ted condescending to be escorted by the
ons bred, abandoned, and illiterate Mr.. I
for bridge.
her No sooner had the intelligence reac
oul. Mrs. Bloomfield concerning the presump
soft and familiarity Of Tunbridge, in connec
elo. with the proof of corresponding att
ver- ment and regard in the manners Of her C
dor. in, than she bedewed her face with f
bled OF tears and gave herself up to the cyE
hing shades of despair. As a benignant and
even anthropic messenger, she calmly approaC
the her relative, and introducing the subjec
love, painful to her memory, softly remonstr
] the IN tender tones Of kindness and admoni