Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-09-06

"@1 80 NANA 8a1N w WV hNAAf VIZ 4 ~
climbing QRfiis knee would ask him why my v
Mary eiafet take me in her arms, rs was e
her custGn, and sing the sweet lullabys that |
bad these many years lulled me into peace 9
full sta b And then L would ask my1 :
good Papa if my Mary did not love the straR- :
ger better tl:an her little PCT Ines, else why ;
did shenot leave him and come to me. And l
then the large drops of tears would gather {
in his eyes. and he would pat me on my baby t
cheeks and call me his own dear pet and
darling, and sing me songs OF wars and
conquest. And | would listen; bat they
were not like my dear Mary's songs, and /
would wonder and wonder why she did not
come and sing to me. r
And still the stranger woald come, and
Mary seemelsc happy with him, and 1 would
wonder and wonder.
One day | saw my Papa and the stranger
in the parlor together, and they staid there
a long time, but Mary was not there. And
l ran to seek her, and found her in our ewn
LITTLE room cr5ingl { at once thought the
stranger had made my dear Mary cry-Gnd
4 hGtcd him I
l ran Immediately to the Parler to tell my
Papa and make him drive the stronger away,
for making my Mary unhappy, But the
tears were raining down his furrowed cheeks,
while he held khA strangex by ftheShandAnd
sNd+"Take Yer Harry, and be happy
You are worthy Of one another and may
God bless yea both !" And the stranger
was weeping toe.
Overwhelmed with &stonishment / rushed
back to my sister aaa told her, Papa had or
dered the stranger TO take her away! She
cTaspe6 ne 10 her bosom, and cried the more
and morc-aad 1 cried too, / knew not why;
but all else were crying. And / wondered
and wondered
Aad after this strange and eventual day,
my Mary seemed much more absorbed in
thought and engaged in making many ar
rangements | had not seen before. The mil
liner and dress makers were often at our
house, agda beautiful white satin robe was
being made and fitted to her symmetrical
fern. And she would gaze at me and cry !;
and lift the veil from before the portrait Of
our sainted mother and weep. My Mary
was evidently sorrowful, and yet she was
not unhappy for she always smiled and was
cheerful when the stranger came And I
wondered aud wondered.
Fine wore on, and after a fewweeks there
were evident signs that a great feast was to
be ut our house! And | clapped nay hands
In childish glee as | saw and tasted the many
sweet.meats and good things that were accn-
mulating there.
And went to my good old Nurse and
asked her the meaning Of all these things
and she told me of the strangers love for my
Mary, and of how Mary loved him. Ehat
our good Papa had given away my Mary to
the Stranger-that there was to be q great
wedding the morrow, anu good old Father
Ward, whom we all so dearly loved and ,so
long had heard pray and preach 10 the ole
brick Church near by, was SO give my Mary
away-ef how my~Papa would pat her hand
into that of the stranger and ask Gods bies
sing upon theh:-q how the stranger woalC
take her to his home and she would be HI
Mary, and they would live and love together
And | wondered if Mary would leave he
" darling Inez," as she loved to call me. an
her KIND Old Papa IN his declining years, an,
take up her abode in the house of the strane
err. And they told nae she would, and b
happy-but she would come a-time and Sc
us, like another visitor and stranger-tha
she would still love rs. Butt could not Sc
how this could be-and i wondered en-
wondered.
The next day l gazed in silent wonder ur
on the mysterious scenes passing before me
L saw the bridal robe, and veil, and wreath
gay and happy was the train of bridesmaid
that aided IN the preparation for the ioyou
occasion. The evening came and with
the groom and his attendants the revel
end Farson, and tie numerous tkroug {
invited guests. Il saw them stand in the Ger
tire ct our spacious hall and saw my Fathe
give his daughters, my Mary's, hand ava
Il heard the good man say=-"Wlt tho
take this man whom you hold by the han
to be thy lawful and welded husband, an
; forsaklng all others cleave Only unto him ?
l saw her, my loved, my beautiful, mother
: sister, Mary, bow her graceful head in afE
mation OF the solemn question: heard hi
pronounce them I" man and w~ife,"-saw n
Father give them his blessing, and then
: began to realize the mystery before me.
! 1t was a gay and brilliant wedding part
1 and
. "AE went merry as a marriage bell"
r A few days and the Groom with lis Sea
tiful bride were to leave for their futu
r home. Ny Mary implOred earnestly tn
: her little lnez might be allowed to go wi
her But my good Papa was inexarab
and could not agree to give up both /
daughters at once. 50 nay Mary and b
v noble liege lord parted with us, leaving
4 sad, lonely and desolate.
Years have sped by since then-and Ma
, and Harry have often visited the old pat,
n nal mansion-and they have appeared
.e trusting and happy that / have envied the
their Jey. And now they bring their lit
" Inez," and little Henry, the miniatr
10 counterpart Of grand-papa.
81 How times have changed, and We hs
changed with them. My Mary is now
adOred and beautiful wife and fond motl
n Harry Leslie, the volatile, lgtt-kear
a Harry, has become the sagacious statesm
to the popular orator, the renowned lawyer
al Ny good old Papa is enjoying the otium {
~ digHaate Of a green old age the peace
in i. quiet Of u good oQnseience-and like a r
shock Ut oorR, waitrlg to he gathered into
= garner house in the skies.
.rs And what Of yourself, oGr little Inez
perhaps you say, reader mine.
ha Well since yoh ask it I may tell with
Ga egotism. Here / am, a beautiful plu
re maiden of sweet sixteen, waiting for anQt
Harry Leslie, or some one else, to come al
and woo and win me. And [ know a cert
,Iv gifted young {" friend" who, if he were
~ propose, l do not think L could End it in
nil heart to deny him.
nv And they do say he will for he love
81 finger by nay side, to pluck the choicest e
ers for me ; to sing to me the sweetest sci
and talk so much like a LOVER $50 1
in. say-but Of course / don't know.
mo Still | wonder, and wonder when it
ct be! But l suppose he will come, and
a. dear Papa for his "Inez," and he, dear :
mr. soul, will say "yes,"-and well have an
nd ergay wedding at the cid homestead.-Ir rec
os- Still, l wonder and wonder RHEN
nd
ell THE " ERIcssoN" TURNED INTO A ST.
md ER.-It is creditably reported in New Y
~ ~ A. uaNaip~ axAh1ak karo hoan -,