Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-01

"Ive got no money, Jacques, how should
l have any money ?"
".Well I'll send Ada with your mothers
Bible to the old Jew pawnbroker he will
give q few pennies for it and we can get a.
mother bottle"
"Well," replied Agnes carelcssly.
Ada" called the drunkarl in n low voice
to his little daughter. ada! Ada p but
no answer cam to his loud and angry call.
Where is Ada, Aggy?"
Gin bed with the boys, I reckon, said the
stupsfsd woman On whom the last draught
of gin was basinning to do its work.
jacques threw a few dry shavings on the
dim Goals and a light blaze lit up the gloom
IN the ~drunkard's dreary hut. He went to
where the twin boys were sleeping but Ada
was not there. lie searched in every corner
Of the howell but his daughter could not be
found.
l can't find Ada, Aggy,' said he impa-
tiently.
No answer came from his wife for she
slept.
lie opened the shattered and mossv door
of the hut, and the wind blew a sharp blast
OF mingled snow and hail in his face. The
dim grey morning was casting its pale light
through the streets, on which all was silent
save the rush of the wind at short intervals
signing between the houses and among the
creaklng boughs of the sleet laden shade
trees. No life seemed to be astir on the
street the city slept.
Something unusual attracted his attention
there before the door in a snow drift. He
went to tit was his W Ada. Without a
sigh or a tear he lifted her up and carried
her into the house and laid her on the floor.
lie threw shavings on the FIRE, lighted a lamp
and called to Agnes, telling her that Ada
was dead. The woman staggered up and
reeled over the corpse!
There she was: her garments burned from
her here and there, where a thick latter
had been consumed, n huge discolored blotcl
stained her milk white skin her limbs were
distorted aud rigid in the last convulsive
three of agonized, expiring nature her sill
ken locks had been left untouched by the
flame, as a thing too beautiful to be devoureC
and they had fallen down over cheeks, anC
at the last flicker of life's feeble flame, which
melted the snow heaks that lodged among
the curls, a chill from the breath of the win
ter's night had CONCEALED them and they lay
close to her pallid cheeks and brow and haC
become frozen IN icy strands to the coldskin
her eyes thatOnce beamed so brightly, now la,
IN their senseless orbits like icy blue bells, ant
they glared out reprovingly throughtheir fros
ty lids andlashes; a thin film Office overspreat
her face, welded to the delicate skin, and
smile, such as saints wear when standing be
fore the gates Of Paradise ready to enter
could be seen cleaning through the coll
coverin9-it was a smile of Joy at relief from
earth's tolls, and it departed not from tn
lead face, for it was frozep there in deadl
rigidity! The drunken parents bent owe
the child corpse as if it had been a spectre
but no tear fell from their gin-scorched eyes
The little twin brothers awoke and they crer
to the sideo of the frigid corpse and their war;
tears fell upon her icy face thick and fas
The drunkard tore them away from the burr
ed and frozen victim and with a hoarse ours
drove them back to their filthy bed of rag
and tatters. {
What shall we do with her, Aggy p sal
jacques in a low voice.
Poor thing, l don't know. Can't you g,
some moro gin JackyY
Curse the the ginl how am / to get it 2
l have no money, and gin don't fall from til
Clouds
Agnes caught him by his ragged sleeve ar
staggered away from the corpse to one sic
of the hut as if fearful the dead ear woul
hear her devilish ~2Snases In a low viii