Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-09-20

Gla5plng hef nandS over her acnlnB heart,
whilst tears rolled down her cheeks, she
poured forth the burden of her soul in song.
With voice Of unrivalled sweetness, and
full of more than earthly melody and pathos
she sang:
Within my heart fountain lives,
Within my heart fountain burns:
Sweet hopo and joy to me it gives,
When to thee it sweetly turns.
Suddenly stopping she exclaimed with
much feeling cannot sing it! Oh no
We used to sing it together L have not
sang it since, nor can | sing it now. Oh
Edgar, Edgar, if it is a sin to love, am
fearfully guilty of that crime
Taking up guitar, she played and
mournfully warbled forth the beautiful
verses Of an unknown Poet:
Yes, all that seems so bright below,
viii fade and pass away;
In every bud there Turks unseen
The germ Of sure decay.
Earths brightest hopes, its purest love,
Not long shall cheer the heart
It's most enduring joys, alas
Like summer flowers depart
The days Of youth are on the wing,
Their sunshine and their mirth,
Swift as the shadow of cloud,
Arc vanishing from earth:
And disappointment wrings the heart
Till hope with dropping wing,
Drawn downward from her heavenly flight
Forgets to soar and sing
And thus she sang for hours. The tenn
pest Of love still ragged within her bosom ;
her sorrow, like broad stream Os it nears
the Ocean, was deep but silent, and remorse
had become an Ocean Though years had
elapsed since she had seen him, still her
faithful heart knew no change.
Lizzie Ashton had left her, knowing that
solitude, alone, could calm her mind. She
went, accompanied by her uncle, Mr.. Yer.
non, to make some purchases. An hour
afterwards she was seen bounding up the
huge marble steps with marvellous celerity
She held an open letter In her hand, an(
rushing into Mary's room, she exclaimed
ooh ! such news-such glorious news 70
little Cousin Mary. Cheer up; put Of
your brightest smiles, such as used to gree
the Doctor. Oh you need not look s
demure and Indifferent about it. Ho7
provoking it is to have volume of RE
news, and no one has curiosity enough
ask single question nbouti it, whether it
good or bad Cousin mine, said Lizzi
at the same time holding up an open letter
look here; letter post-marked st. Loui
and bears the signature Of:
'Mr. Harry Graham, replied Mary.
mot quite, dearest Mary answere
Lizzie with an arch smile; it bears tt
signature of EDGAR LEMAY.' Mar
sprang to her feet, and the letter was
her hands in moment. Thus it read:
81. Louis, No, 1911 Sept. 184-
MISS LIZZIE ASHTON Dear Lizzi,
Olden memories throng around me to-nigh
am going to unburden my weary mil
to you, for l am confident you will symI
thize with me. | am going to copy fl
lines from lfe's tear stained ages |
me draw aside the veil of the PAST, a
with me take a backward glance Ger t
fields Of halcyon days
Go back with me to the time when I
feet 6rst crossed Mr.. Vernon's threshold
to the time when was young, for now
am growing prematurely old-to the ii
when the magic pencil Of imagination, a
ed by the rich tinting Of fancy, painted
future in bright golden colors, and mi
this now sad heart Of mine leap and bot
for Joy Go with me to the time wi
the gay flowers Of youth made fragrant
atmosphere around my head-to the til
when the bright bow of Hope spanned
misty Ocean of coming events, freigh
alas with sorrow and disappointment
Go with me to the time when l first
MARY VERNON All how my hand tr
bles with emotion-how my heart sw
with love, unutterable love, when | see
dear, familiar old name ! MARY Of
my pen loves to tell, of her must wri
In Eastern legends, we read of the Il
of the Angels and Fairies-of their
purity and unceasing constancy. Sc
times ] imagine my love for Mary re;
bles theirs it has been so constant, so
and so devoted. For long and weary y,
my affections have twined around Nj
they have known no change, no varia
but Byron-like, still cling to her. Ii
you may think very strange Of my c
like devotion, but you must bear in: n
that s6rst-love' rules the heart with
lutte sway You may think this const'
this love, too feminine for stern ms
Well it may be 50, but believe it nc
It is not left to our option to Danish lc
will, or forget it as some uneasy visiol