Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-05-23
The Dark Hour.
BY REV. II. HASTINGS WELD.

A woman, still in the bloom of yodth, sat
alone IN an humble apartment. Alone
and vet not alone for, although there were
none with whom she could exchan e q
thought, the basket cradle at her foot shell
tered a little being, which made Mary IT.
wine feel that, whatever the world might
think, still she was not alone. Nor was she
companionless what mother is? To the
stranger and the Indifferent, the infant may
seem, if not attcypher, a trouble, and a weari-
some charge But she whose own blood
flows in its veins, never forgets, and never
wearies.
We have said Mary was still in the bloom
of youth. But the bloom was sadly faded.
Care, suffering, want, had blanched the ro-
ses on her cheeks. A few days before, you
might have discerned feverish anxiety there
but now, all that had passed. The expression
of her face was thoughtful but still it spake
rest. She had drank of the cup of bitter
ness to its very dregs but He who hears
the sorrowful signing Of the wretched, had
comforted her. The crisis had passed, and
she felt that natural composure which steals
on the soul, when all is done, and all is suf-
(ered,-the rest with which Heaven rewards
the patient and the dutiful.
Her story was not a remarkable one if
by remarkable we mean to say unusual.-
IN appear ulCc VI LH6 ilOuS0 lIlulCdbCu SOL4C-
thing of it for we imagine there is always
81 significance in the aspect of a dwelling
which one Of it's late inmates had Just left
to 90 to the narrow house, Mary's hus
band had been consigned to the grave. The
~neighbors and friends who had aided in thu
melancholy hustle of the last Offices, hac
returned to their homes, and Mary sat will
her babe in the silent room.
The husband whom she had buried out o
her sight was her choice,-her wilful choice
made in spite OF the remonstrances, the OBJ
jections, and the forebodings other relatives
For a short time after her union, it SCENE,
as if his life and prosperity were to prov
her triumphant answer to their objections
All was sunny, cheerful, promising. An
the very friends who had warned and expos
tulated with her, were willing to believe tina
they had been wrong, and Mary right; an
that affection had not unerrinSly pointed OF
I to her excellencies of character which the
1 had not perceived. As if willing to atom
C for the past enmity by warm friendship, the
v crowded advantages and facilities upon him
and literally opened the way to wealth.
For q time, all succeeded that he undertoo
and no young man in the city seemed mo
NAMEtainly assured Of competence than he.
IS3@lSASry,h how happy she was! We ca
pardon er%.o Sc
sue ols0Ity '"nobear prosperity a
Some men canhoC> thasa G;va the
Henry Irvine was one o. ~
q encouragement to meet, and un%a.P ~
circumstances to combat, and they he~$
to way with a silent pride and ~resolute per
ct verance which conquers all obstacles. B
= let the sun shine on them, then pride 81
w finds outrageous utterance, and the reso
ton degenerates into opinionated obstina
They take pleasure in Conforming good
w vice, and will do wilfully wrong, and agai
lie their own conviction, to mark their indep
deuce.
ng Henry Irvine took early occasion to
taliate upon his wife's friends, for what
20 affected to regard as their unwarrantable
q position. lie accused them, while they "
in no small degree, the authors of his D
III perity, as being drawn to him by it and
u.s. timated that selfshness was the origin
their tardy friendship, no less than it
Dry been for their former enmity.
cir Mary was a true wife. She saw the
can Justice of her husband, but declined to
for knowledge it, even to herself. At len
cir the GOODNESS became more and more chill
ion until it resulted in ~irreparable estrangn
the between Irvine and the friends of his Y
les. He gloried in what he considered a comp
in and endeavored to persuade himself, W
- righteous revenge. lie made his for
pam opponents %suitors for his friendship,
luf- proudly spurned them. Such was has
will preston.
). at Theirs was that they had overlooked
ious dlsagreeable character OF their tavorlte's
heir band, and strlven to Oetrlend him but
,Xes. true to his natural low instincts, he haC
) dip fused. Neither party was entirely RICH