Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-10-18

er iiStAnt or doing his Masters business
perhSSs S6me hand unconscious of the
weah&l y dropped perhaps young child, :
brimf full of love and faith, and trust in
the bright world around-perhaps some
gentle woman, whose knowledge was an
inspiration rather than an acquirement-
perhaps a bold true preacherof THE WORD,
stripping the sinner of the robe that COW
cred his deformity, and holding up his
cherished sins as warnings to the world
perhaps it was one of Watts hymns,
learned at his nurses knee flor Mathew
and Martha. had endured the upszmpathi- !
sin negl Aof FnUtherless cinldhuod,) D a.
little line, never to be forgotten-a whis-
per, soft, low, enduring comfort in
trouble, strong hold in danger, refuge
from despair. 0, what a worlds wealth
is'there in a simple line of childhood's po-.
etry Martha herself often quoted the
Busy Bee-but her bee had no wings; it
could muck in the wax but not fly for the
honey. AS to Mathew, wherever the seed
had come from, there, at all events, it was
struggling but existing, bidingsits time to
burst forth, to bud and to blossom, and to
bear fruit
The exposure concerning the spoons and
sugar tongs made Mathew so angry, that
Martha wished she had never had anything
to do with them; but instead of avoiding
the fault, she simply resolved in her own
mind never again to let Mathew know any
of her little transactions in the way of buy
ing or barter--that was all
Mathew, all that day, continued more
thoughtful and silent than usual, which bis
sister considered bad sign; he was reserv-
ed to his customers-nay, worse-he told
woman she should not give gin to- her infant
at his bag and positively refused, the follow
ing Sunday, oopen his house at all. Mar
tina asked him if he was mad? He replied:
MOI he was regaining his senses Then
Maesha thoughtit best to let him alone, he
hAd been worse'-that is according to her
treading Of the word, worse before-taken
the dumps in the same way, but recovered,
and gone back to his business like man.
Peter Croft, unable to pay up his score,
managed nevertheless, to pay for what he
drank. For whole week, Martha would
not listen TO his proposals for payment in
kind; even his wife last shawl could not
tempt her, though Martha confessed it was a
beauty, and what possible use could Mrs.
Peter have for it now? it was SO out of
character with her destitution. She heard
no more oft, so probably the wretched hus-
band disposed of it elsewhere: this disap-
pointed her. She might as well have had
TIT; sne would not De sucn rooT agaTu
Mathew was SO seldom in the bar, that he
could not know what she did !! Time pass
ed on, Martha thought she saw one or two
symptoms of what she considered amend
ment in her brother. 'Of course she argu.
ed, he will come to himself in due time
In the twilight which followed that day,
Peter Croft, pale, bent, land dirty, the drunk
ard redness in his eyes, the drunkards fe-
yer on his lips, tapped at the door of the
room off the bar, which was more particu
larly Martha's room-it was, in fact, her
watch-tower-the door half glazed, and the
green curtain about an inch from the middle
t division; over this, the sharp observant wo-
j man might see whatever occurred, and nc
i one could 60 in or out without her knowl-
II edge,
She did not say, Come in at once; she
/. longed to know what new temptation he hac
1t brought her, for she felt assured he had nei
ther money nor credit left.
d And yet she feared Mathew made sucl
a worry out of every little thing The mex
ts time he tapped at the window of the door
W her eyes met his over the curtain, and ther
t. she said Come in, in a penetrating shar1
/: voice, which was anything but an invitation
ct i have brought you something now, Mis-
'e Hownley, that l know you won't refuse t
lend me trife on said the ruined trades
a man. L am sure you won't refuse, Mis-
We Hownley Bad as [ want the money,
ne could not take it to a pawn broker; and
" the woman asks for it, [ ca say lent il
L Miss Hownley-you know | can say that
'e Peter Croft laid Bible on the table, an
Sc folding back the pages with his tremblin
ts fingers, showed that it was abundantly
rn ustrated by fine engravings. Martha love
es, pictures; she had taken to peices Pa
grim's Progress, and varying the dev
w, tional engraviugs it had contained with Gu
re- tings out from illustrated newspapers, al
on few colored caricatures, had covered Oh
lgs side of screen, which, when finished, s.
set, considered would be at once the comfort al
uly amusement of her roldage. After the drum
the ard had partially exhibited its contents
any stood by with stolid indifference, while S
measured the engravings with her eye, loC
rful ing ever and anon towards the screen.
eed' Very well, she said, uttering deliber
soil untruth, with her lips, while her mind v
lfy made up what TO do very we'll; what
r it, you say you wanted for it?' He repea
ays, the sum, she shook out exactly half, 6
ggle laid the shining temptation on the table
len- fore him.
rom Have you the heart, Miss Hownley,'
Is said, while lingering, rather than count
le, the money have you the heart to offer
Is such a little for such great deal
Ding If you have the heart to sell it, l
ling, have the heart to offer such price she
7hen swered with light laugh and it is onl
l are DRUNKARD'S s BIBLE !
and Peter Croft dashed the money from
wita with bitter oath.
oh very well,' she said take it
own, leave it. ..-
ther, She resumed her work.
spite The only purpose to which adruskarC
port, firm, is to his own ruin. Peter went to
rying door-returning took up the money
d the other shilling, miss2 it will be in the til
ooner gain before morning.
Martha gave him the other shilling,
hom- after he was fairly out of the room, crap
the book, commenced looking at the pict
\ the in right earnest, and congratulated be