Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-15
NOVEMBER IS.
gaSits' Department.
Written for he SPIRIT Of the Age.
LIFE IN GLIM
MINNIE MELVILLE.
ny TIE ASSOCIATE EDITOR.

those Of after life. They all have a rainbow
and sunny tinge, even those that are half
darkened with clouds. We love to turn
over the leaves Of memory and linger Ger
the pictures that adorn, and now and then
blot, the page. For hours we nave sat and
bowed over these faithful drawings of the
past, AMI arose a wiser aud we hope a bet
ter man. To contemplate the past leads US
onward 10 think Of the future-to think on
the future Seriously is to grasp at the great
and solemn idea of an Eternity and of the
One Jehovah. No man is made worse for
going back aud lingering for hours togeth-
er in tho sacred penetralia of memory
For one it is our most sacred pleasure so
many blessed old time memories are ava
kened-so many half forgotten faces peep
out at us-so many old time smiles light
up the dreaming soul-so many sweet tones
of old time songs sung by those we once
were happy with, who are now away and
away, some beyond the deep sea, and some
in Heaven, that we reverently bow over the
book that has been written day by day
leaf by leaf-since we first saw the bright
sun aud the blue sky, and laugh and weep
by turns while we read-glad and happy.
There was Minnie Melville. / will write
YOU a short history of Minnie. A thous-
and times have we turned to the page where
her image and her little history is recorded,
and bowed, and dreamed, and wept over it
too.
Minnie lived with her mother and little
brother up in the mountains, and she used
10 come do Kn the rocky path to our school,
We all loved Minnie-she was the little
star Of our circle, aud il it so happened that
she was sick and could not be with US, we
were all unhappy. Twas Minnie that
planned fifty good games for us and neat
playhouses, and worked sums for US on the
slate, and learned us letters in the new
Primer, aud A. b, abs, long before our
chuffy feet could reach the floor when we
sat on the broad benches in tue old school
house. Minnie was older than /, and older,
indeed, than many others who went to the
old field school under the hill, but she was
always called little Minnie, even after she
grew 10 be a woman.
| need not tell you Of the hundred little
incidents that happened in and about that
same old hool-house-that will do as vel
some other rainy day like this, besides
AGali1 hAN y III lituC w bCll 1 y uOW Az
every tree, and stump, and bending bush
and rock, and even the marks on the wall
have their own history and are we'll wortl
q goodly telling.
l was but a STRIPPING when Minnie lef
school. She babe us all farewell one brigb
Friday evening, and told US she was con
ing TO the school no more. A score Of Ii
tie hands chung about her dress, and
many little eyes, brimfal of tears, locke
up to hers and begged that she might con
again aud keep us happy all the day lon
but she said she could come no more, ar
the good mistress smiled while we wept al
said of course Minnie can come to scho
no more and Minnie blushed a beautif
red, and hid her sweet face in her snow
apron, aud ran away from US up the hi
while we gazed after her and wondered
our innocent hearts what it all meant. "
wondered as children only can wonder.
Minnie was very beautiful. | can't te
you now how she looked, but she was Low
ly; there was always a smile on her fac
tho it was sometimes a dreamy sad smil
but it was all the time so like a bless
sunbeam dancing merrily among the sprin
times opening flowers, that to look on /
tie Minnie's face was to think at once of
blessed heaven and its angels. And indie,
she was like what We read of angels; f
she delighted in good deeds, and a poor o
widow living in the mountains-a poor o
cripple thatlay all the day long on a wretc
cd pallet aud prayed to Jesus to pass tn
way and take her home, said a thousal
times Miuuie was an angel, because s.
minisIcred unto her.
Charles Leland lived in the city and
was q visitor at Minnie's mothers. L
member one Sabbath evening to have Sc
him there when | had gone up to the c.
tage to be with rollicksome Rob. Itseem
to me that Leland was happy for VIII
he sat and talked with our school-ma
Minnie, his face was radiant with smi
and his voice was low and musical in
subdued tones. Aud he must have be
happy as he walked with her, arm loci
in arm, along the shade Of the yew-hed
and talked together. And he must hi
been happy another day-a good holyC
when they suffered Rob aud | to 90 W
them to a neighbours meadow in hay b
vest, and sat together in the fragrant |
rick, while Rob and | played buff and bu
AiVtl0 way Oht WullO euO WuSCtihS VI
ringing scythes and the cooling of the p
ons away at the barn, made music, and
great wide blue sky bending above, and
a dim cloud to be seen any where float
on the blue pillows. o! Charles Lei
must have been happy. And one day s
after | asked the good mistress what m
the stranger come away to our parish
seem SO happy. And she told us all in
old school house that what made him c.
so far and seem 50 happy was our {
Minnie and Love. And a dozen ST
voices eagerly asked the good mistress
was Love And she laughed heartily
sent us all off to play, saying, we would
know one Of these days. And we all v
wondering as only children can wonder
this fellow Love was. One thought
paper kite with a wondrous long tai
many colors another, that it was a
with painted cheeks and lips rosy red /;
other, that it was a prim little wagon
green aud yellow stripes; another tn
was a great cat ball that would boz
higher than the old burr oak in the "
another, that it was q little playhouse |
with the plushiest and greenest moss;
onntbor kbss onI opnfbn. that all 20