Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-15


Well, time wore on and a great day was to
be Mt the cottage up in the hills. They said
it was to be a Wedding Day, and we all won h,
dered as children only can wonder what kind -
o. day was that. One thought it like Christ l.
mas another said it was to be a great snow !,
when sleighs could run all the day and week !
long another, that it was to be like indie 4
pendence Day with hats full Of crackers and .
what not and another this and another that, /
till there was we'll nigh as much wondering :
among US as to the Wedding Day as there >
was about Sir Love. /.
Well, the Wedding Day came, and a bright {
err day never shone on the green hills than =
was that. Not a cloud drifted across the
bright, blue heavens above the green trees
waved their lealy plumes in the cool arms of
the wind the birds sang a thousand old
songs with a merry good will, and all the
morning the sun SHINE so bright that his
beams among the grass and wild flowers
looked like flashing. sparkling gold and sill
yer. / can't tell you half how many good
people were up there on that day at the Cot
tage in the hills, but the old blind fiddler was
there and he sat for hours under the great
apple tree on the smooth bench and with bow
and fiddle made the S~aUeetest musicl o, until
we clapped our hands and held our ears that
tingled with the old mans merry tunes.
The day wore on and the grown people
began to whisper one to another that the time
was close at hand. We all wondered what
time. l remember to have peeped in the
room where Minnie was and she looked more
like an angel than ever. She was arrayed in
n pure white rob with snow-bud flowers
wreathing her brow and q smile was nesting
about her deep red lips. None of us had
ever seen Minnie look half so sweet before,
and we crept back from the beautiful vision
to where the old white head fiddler sat and
asked him if Minnie was going away to be an
angel. A tear fell from the old mans sight
less eyes and he smoothed the boys head
that lay upon his knee, while a sigh burst
from his bosom, and he played q plaintive
tune so mournfully that We begged him to
not play the like of that again.
The evening was at hand and some said
the time was then. Others said by and by.
And the old fiddler played a tune and sang
a SONG, about all being happy BY and
by The old mans voice rang out like the
gentle ripping of bright waters that you
sometimes hear when the life of the day is
dying out. by and byP the tones of the
old mans song comes to us at times even yet,
sometimes in the deep shadows of night and
sometimes at the bright golden noon.
The stage coach rumbled along the dusty
road around the foot of the hill, but Charles
Leland came not, and a shadow fell on the
brightness of that gay throng. The sun hid
|, behind the high cliff and the dim shadows Of
the evening began to creep around the cot
tage. Darker shadows than they were smoth
ering in gloom the heart of sweet Minnie
L l saw her with her face buried in her hand
r and tears were falling fast. That | hated
!, and | hated that such bright days as | though
the Wedding Day was about to be shoul,
h come to a close so sadly. Sorrow ruled i
the Cottage up among the hills. We Chi
dren gathered in a group and wept too an
y wondered what it all meant, and vowed dee
revenge on that fellow Love if we ever gre
n up to lie men and women, for we agree
it. among ourselves that he, and he alone, wa
as the cause of all this trouble and weeping
ID so we all said we would give Love a goo
thrashing if we ever met with him. A bray
resolution was that!
y, One by one the people left as the nigl
40 drew on, and deeper and wilder grew poe
nd Minnie's grief. Days and days passed, bI
,ol no news came from the city Of Charles Lelan'
and hard words were said about the strange
w Poor Minnie was no longer the joyous ere
II ture she had been in days past; her ringir
- laugh and silvery songs no longer made a
~ up in the hills merry, and the sweet smi
We grew sadder and sadder, and the bright TO
huCs on her cheeks began to fade as the da,
ell went by YEARLY. l asked the good mistre
re- if it was Love that made our Minnie so III
happy, and all the scholars stood by for tt
- answer but she only said Love was a my
- terry and we were all too young to understaI
the how and the how-so che sent us ava
lg- Will. Herman said he believed it was, al
it he never would love Love as long as he live
a Those who know Herman will smile at thi
and give him credit for maintaining his DO
For ish resolution for he is a prim old bachelC
- A year had passed, and news came tn
III nLo,lo, I dad o1 Io-o1 oNI - o-ok
'iu err! Poor Minnie sank under this and h
III life began to slowly ebb away under the fer
lat storm of a broken heart. One day she sc
nd word to the school-house for the mistress a
he oil the children to come up and see her.
We went. Oh how pale poor Minnie look
/ as she lay under the Cottage window on t
ue soft couch. She took each by the hand a
re- bid US adieu, and as the sun sank away behi
zen the blue cliff in tho west, a single beam Ii
OF a spar Of gold left a lingering kiss on !
led cold brow, and the sweet spirit of our Mini
len flew away unseen with Angels to become h
10 self an Angel.
Thus passed Minnie away.
!es In the green vale where she had led US
us gather wild flowers oft and again, a grave v
cen opened and Minnie was laid there to sic
ked and our young feet marked out a pilgl
Ige. path from the old school-house to her era
Bless the bright Heaven where she sings
she can no more die with q broken hear
0i;ai she is beyond the deception of earth
IN thee there.
lar- OF Charles, we have no upbraidings
hay him one line is recorded against him
lrly way of the transgressor is hard
the
ioa- We must stop the memories of childh
come up thick and fast. They that were c
'ue dren then are men and women now-I
not scarce ~rccollect where they all are, but 81
ting are beyond the blue hill where the Colt
and stood; some beyond the deep sea, and 81
soon are with Minnie in Heaven.
,ade / reckon they have all met with that my
onJ fellow, Love, we had so many delib
a. tons about, but who got the better Of
'ue promised fight, l am sure l don't know.
ONE Bless the book where our boyhood me
dear ries are written !! May its pages always
harp open till the evening and the night come
who Sweet Minnie Melville, may none of
and fair sisters who read of thee meet with a
! ali 50 sad as thine.
We lay down our pen and think,
think of the bright days, Minnie, when
VINO vast with us!
it q
Il Of