Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-29
O. Ommnnitati0 s.
For THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
The Social Circle.

4uC OUC1dA O41GAC' |
DEAR Mr.. EDITOR Oh, I've been roam
ing, I've been roaming since l wrote to you
last and had l only kept a memorandum
book open, / could have iotted down many a
little item that would help to fill more than
one letter to you and the other dear friends
that form our social circle. Aye, | would like
to tell them, if you will suffer me, how /
roamed away off to your fair goodly city /; l
would even like to tell them of the pleasant
faces and warm genial hearts that l met a.
round your own Preside. I do love human
faces-I do love sometimes to get beyond the
influences of the little circle in which / move
and | love the cheerful friendly acquaintan-
ces which | make at every step on fife's Jour
ney. True, we may part ere one page from
our private histories is read, to the other
yet the heart acknowledges their power
and thrills to their subtil influences, for
many a long day and through many a dark
hour after. God made man after His own
image, and though the moral similitude has
been changed and grossly defled, and many
of the pillars to this glorious structure in
ruins darby lay, still there are occasional
flashes from the torch of truth within, which
lends a deeper radiance to the soul beaming
eye, a holier impress to the lofty brow, and
touches the lips with noble, and generous,
and beautiful sentiments, that thrills the soul
with sweet memories Of its likeness yet.
From Portsmouth, to Raleigh, there is but
little of a very notable character in the way
OF natural scenery to engage one's attention,
though clad, as she was, in that gorgeous
autumnal livery, which was gradually fading
away to q solemn garb, old mother earth was
not to be treated with an iota of disrespect
by her refined and fastidious children. In
deed you feel toward her something of the
Difference that marks your intercourse with
age, q disposition to make O more lowly obe-
lsance and to wear a grave, tranquil air as if
70 smile were an insult, to laugh aloud pos
itlYely rude. In the springtime, when flowers
bloom, and birds sing, and bees revel mid
the sweet clover bloom, youth will come to
you atresh and it is in harmony with her
glad minstrelsy, and laughing skies, and
flashing waters, and varied hues, to cast your
dignity away, and laugh, and shout, and
romp, and sing with all the unfettered
Joyousness of childhood's hours. But grey
sombre autumn, without depressing you too
deeply, checks this hoyden mirth and you
sit at her feet with serener brow, and the
soul grows thoughtful, not despairing, not
exactly sad even, but quiet, contemplative
and dreamy. 1t is in such hours you long
more deeply than usual to fathom life's
subllmest mysteries you rove and wander
about the fields of thought in imaginative
mood until you approach nearer than ever
to the comprehension of death, of heaven,
and even of eternity itself.
1t was with just such thoughts and feel
ings that | gazed out upon the landscape
through which we were being whirled, un-
til a remark from the companion at my side
recalled me to the fact that / had really left
homo for rooroaf,oO Op ~ I hoI 40, -
pressively termed it to my friends, for a
frolic. Highho! grand beginning, solilo-
pulsed l to myself, wrapt up in the contem-
plation of the old dry, dusty earth, and lost
in musings called up by the sere and change
full tree tops, and crisped up grass, and rust
ling forest leaves, when every one of them
can be observed and commented upon every
day from each window in my humble coun-
try home. Ill do better than that so l
dashed the cobwebs that sentiment had been
weaving athwart my vision away, and turned
to find q more profitable occupation in the
observance of my fellow passengers. There
was noble looking, high browed man but a
few seats distant whom | at once sat down in
my mind as an uncompromising champion
in the cause of all moral reform. In every
scene, even though a stranger and unknown,
amid seclusion and darkness, surrounded by
temptations and snares, | could still imagine
him with that lordly air towering high above
them all, with a plying glance that seemed
to say pass on as We list, ye dreamers and
sinful ~votaries all, but my path and my
destiny are irrevocably chosen. l can make
no compromise with the cause of wrong, for
am / not uniformed and armed, pauoplied
entire to do battle for moral right! And
where'er the conflict waxed hottest and the
Il l1-l1. $500 G,oozE could hut
fancy his firm and daring brow unruf1ed and
serene.
: Immediately opposite, on the other side O
the aisle, sat q pale timid girl; not beautiful
not of a class upon ordinary occasions tx
: attract a second glance even, yet as you
, eve fingered on her face and you watched
the lights and shadows play thereon, an
: above all noted the lifting of her long darl
g lashes from those melting, soft brown eyes
: you felt hers was the power to modify, t
influence and to mould imperious natures t
her gentle will. The man by her side Nigh
/. have been brother, husband, lover or friend
= nothing could be gained from the Guie
3 deferential respect that marked all the littl
I attentions she received at his hands. Sti
: the expression of his whole face was extreme
= ly coarse and sensual, and | could notprever
the inner voice from expressing herself tina
: of such a man she did not believe it pOssibl
y she could ever make a friend.
!, Very near was as sneaking, bringing, ca
n e%ulating looking face as you would meet In
months journeyings wearing leglbly til
Le catching before hanging language and
should really hate to be the rogue that wa
=" set TO watch and fathom the lodgings of thu
one. OF course | give only my own impre
y sions, but l turned from it, and back again
= time after time, yetthe same cautious, evasl'
- expression that first arrested my attentlC
ie never once was lifted from his brow. l he
" no time t~otravel farther with my observation
Vi inst then, for the opening of the car do
!" admitted one of those common nuisances,
: hook how. who distributed with an expe
" hand. right and left, a quantity OF bills whi'
" turned out to be notices of a book that W
is ~ tooch one more than all other books ev
sd rrr;tfon combined, more than the longest i
of cxncrience itself. All the art of love al
Love letters the positive information as
IN how desirable affections were to De game
a. ~nnumbere means of realizing lndepende
he fortunes, and a thousand other items equa
A Ms important, were made PLAIN as the noe
es day sun by that magical book. FROM I
as hasty glance | gave the bill, 1t struck
lis that Il was a daring imposition seeking OF
ire to excite n morbid and licentious curlosI
and one from which every honorable III
las minded. selfreliant man would turn away
disda;n' A few moments after the dlstrlt
hir tion of hills the boy returned with his boo
on, His first approach was to my lmaSin'
lall champion of morality-the model oil nj
DRY dignifed. upright bearing. l was tnunu
use struck-for the low book Il am sure u M