Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-02-21

Erebus to the musing Irene.
Irene Carlton with faint cry of sur
prise--she clung to the easement of the win
dow--for support Eugene Mansfield stood
before her. Irene, continued he in
voice Of the tenderest depth, q came hith-
er to cast aside hated mask no longer
can support storcism opposed to the we'll
tried truth of my ardent heart You, and
you alone, do love and now in defiance
of your chilling repulse, l again dare to
offer that love to you. l feel, nay. dearest
Irene, know that were | Earnest Malcolm,
you would deem your lot blessed one =
He sank upon his knee and clasped her
hand, which had, panic struck, fallen mo-
tionless to her side. Wildly she gazed
upon his upturned face, beaming with love
aud hope, murmuring unconsciously,
and is it indeed true that | am thus
loved by you, Eugene? but oh blissful
as the confession would be, were free
yet now it only serves to enhance the repi-
ming sorrow of my sad bosom She paused
the deepest melancholy rested on her face,
when she added in firm voice Rise,
Eugene, shield me with thy loves compass
sion, but tempt me no more. 1t is in vain
for me to gainsay the unwelcome truth,
that hare loved you even as your exacting
heart would wish-but enough! it has
passed we must part forever. Leave me,
implore you, for never can we be more to
each other
Never, never, until you give me right
to anticipate the claims of your betrothed.
Your love is mine your hand would be
without value to another
no. answered she, monrnfully, 'such
a right could never be granted to you. It
is for E trnest to bestow upon me the boon
of freedom, and it remains for me alone
not to wilfully break that dread compact,
sealed by those fearful words, Remember
your VOW
All! Irene, Notwithstanding your con-
fession few moments ago, fear there yet
fingers some feeling of affection for this
dreaded Malcolm. Is it not so-or else
how could you remain deaf to the pleadings
of such Il love as miner
Had we been left free to act, doubtless
happy union might have been the result
but the heart truly rebels against the die
tates of mere expediency and love, given
unsought, is better even than that which is
oi'ea '-Les s-~e>~J - No Enoana. we must
not meet again until we can both prove m
vulnerable to mptaton-oblivion must be
our watchword.'
Her hand was hastily withdrawn, and
! again was she left alone.
, The dreaded morrow came. Anxious
5 looked those faces, assembled in the parlor,
awaiting the arrival of Earnest Malcolm
t Mr.. Irwin, more restless than he was ever
Y known to appear, sat in his arm chair, off
5 and anon glancing towards Irene, who ap
r parently seemed more composed than any
y one present. Sidney Atherton in vair
g sought momentary attention from the ex
t cited Ola, whose ear was continually star
r, tied by every sound without Hark
bustling movement in the hall ! The heavy
j, tread of some one on the stairs caused al
g hearts to leap. He has come cried Ola
l. turning to Irene-but no answering fac
(, met her bright look ofjoy- Irene was gone
d The load murmur of delighted surprise fel
st harsh upon her bewildered ear in the libra
1T ry, where she had sought refuge from tn
n coming storm--voiccs drew near-the doc
h. opened, but Irene saw not the person VIII
IL entered-hcr eye sought not the face &
er him who dared to embrace her, until
~ voice attuned to the music of harmoniou
ps spheres, whispered
Id Look up, my best beloved. Was sh
h dreaming, alive, or possessed of reason 2
4 meaning smile played over his face, as /
is added And must ace now part forever
tn Yes, Irene, you behold in Eugene Man
&C. field the dreaded Malcolm, whose unwave
lis ing constancy submitted to disguise, tn
u he might win heart, ere he claimed
ur plighted hand. The ordeal was severe, bl
RI it has faithfully proved that his Irene
not that cold, selfish, unfeeling being,
ay called by the world and that her strict a
lly herence to truth could not be shaken ev,
Id when assailed by the voice of the most s
lg- ducing of all tempters-love. Had s.
been the former, He never could have low
it her; and to have desecrated the latter,
lis never could have honored her. Yes, M
let obliCion be our watchword, respecti
pid Eugene Mansfield, since it is your own
sed trotbed, Earnest Malcolm, the loved co
one panion of your happy youth, who now clai
the ful6lment of your VOW
suit Carlton Park was no longer the desert
,ra- mansion of an almost extinct race I
'Om hand of neglect and smouldering decay v
arrested from its lofty walls-the broodi
! a. silence of years was banished, for the vol
ard of mirthful gladness resounded far a
near their echoes in a joyful welcome
to the return of its long absent mistress
IDLY Irene, as the happy bride of Earnest N
ppy colm, again greeted the beautiful home
/ is her childhood-the shadow had depar
n from her brow-but the lessons of the
ex- had left that impress upon her face, WI
> ever speaks Of
may "Sorrows remember d only to sweeten present j
an They were accompanied by Ola and
cave nov Atherton One need only observe
oc- quiet matronly grace of the former, to
hleh assured of the truth, that the huctua
you course of the latter's love had at last CHI
ring ed its current, and now glided calmly
the peaceful channel of connubial ha
neart ness. And now, ere we give to eact
need them our parting wishes, we must a
was pause awhile in that same library W
liiant we first heard the young Irene breath,
ming vow. A group of four persons were
Genes cred around u table-upon it was plat
Wink small casket, from which Earnest drew