davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
Jnmber 5.
LADIES' D%gPARFMRNT.
Alas Poor Major.

Our table groans under the weight Of Com
munications burning with indignation and
revenge, against MAJOR ORIGINAL" for
his rain and slaHdcrous article concerning
" Frank" Aunt Maud" "Reub.," and
the dear Ladies Of our Social Circle" gen.
orally. Frank" comes at him with four
mortal pages, dealing out death and destruc.
ton, and finally consigns him to the fate Of
&" Caesar Augustus Shanghai pootra, Esq"
"REUB." fathers him through five we'll
filed pages, and dubs the Major" the
Knight Of the Chicken Feather" booted
and spurred, and mounted on some old fogy
Shanghai, vows vengeance on every luckless
chick, pullet or -superannuated hen he may
meet in his way.
And "CoY," q chivalrous Cavalier who
has had nothing to say heretofore, calamity
steps forward, and in four pages, at once dis
arms the Major of his trusty, well tried blade,
and puts him rolling in the dust at his feet.
CLAUDE" pitches into old "0'Riginal
in gallant style-pelts him numerically, and
takes the part Of the " Circle" like a true
Knight, as he is. He winds up by begging
admission among the charmed band, first
declaring that he does not come " in pursuit
Of a wife," Ahl Claude, there you put your
foot in IL. Better take that back.
Now we have no sympathy, commisera-
ton or mercy for the old fogy, Major
Original" Right glad are we that his inn
pertinent insolence and vulgar vanity is thus
promptly rcbuked. We hope it will learn
him better manners, and old and incorrigible
sinner though he be, cause him to amend his
WAYS. But we must be excused from pub
fishing the contributions Of our friends or
this subject. We can not insert one to thu
exclusion Of the others-and we can not Civ,
up so much space as to insert all. 9Th,
play is not worth the candle" So pray ex
cuse us. We shall be glad to hear from on
friends on subjects worthy of their pens.-
Let the old, grabbed, ~scarless Major" g
down, "unwept, unhonored and unsung''
and let our fair CIRCLE" and their BRAY
defenders, turn their thoughts to somethin
more elevating and profitable.
But, a serious word to the "Circle," an
those who write for their edifcation an
amusement. 1t is becoming too much ind
vidualised-too triaing and Improbable
The young men who seek admission into Il
Circle" very greatly underrate the int
lectuality Of the fair ones composing it,
they suppose the puerile productions thu
send (many Of which We have rejected) a
acceptable to them. And the Ladies, '
will advise to regard the advice given in o
last by their fair critic, " Faith Bright"
Aim high-write for your own improyeme
and the profit Of those who read. Let hi
literary path be selected, such as followed
the lamented " Inez Irving"-by the gift
'Mollie"-"Flora Flayille7-"Lora"-"M
tie May,"-"M Minnie -"Ione"-" Estelle
then indeed will yours be the most valua
department Of the paper. You are able
make il so; let it also be your determinati
We write in good faith and friendship,
we know our friends will so receive it.
THE EDITOR
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03

MF As there are twilights between day
and night, SO do the seasons blend into each
other. The summer is scarcely past, but al
ready is Autumn's scouting parties upon us.
We see their tinge upon the leaf and hear
their plaintive signs beneath our windows,
singing the requiem of flowers and leafy
shades. The nights are clear and bracing
The moonlighthas a tinge of Autumn mellow.
ness in its sheen, and the stars CLEAN with q
more chastened ray. Soon stern Winter
with its icy breath, will be here. How lkt
the seasons is the life of man.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
DgImme I.
Liquor and the Church.

We are conscientious in the belief that the
time has now come when liquor making and
liquor selling should be made a test of
membership in the different churches. We
are aware that the advocacy Of such a meas
ure will raise a storm among those who bow
one knee to God and the other to the rum
devil. 1t has long been a matter Of debate
with ecclesiastics whether or not this should
not be made the test in the reception and
retention of members We repeat that we
believe the time has now arrived when this
rule should be adopted. Such is the food of
light poured upon this great moral question
by the pulpit and the press, /" that the way
faring man, though a fool" must see that
intoxicating liquor is a curse the most damn
ing in its character and tendencies of any
that afaict the people. Men who love gold
better than the God they profess to believe,
obey and love, may in vain try to shut their
eyes upon the curse they propagate and the
evils and calamities they visit upon homes of
their fellow men. The smoking incense ari-
sing from the hot blood of a thousand muir
dered Abels burns the very balls they try to
cover with fearless lids. Their eyes cannot
be closed. They may vainly try to close their
ears against the lamentations Of the lost and
> the groans of those who loved the early
: slain. But an enlightened conscience has
I become a great sounding board and it takes
up and echoes, and echoes, when the trans
3 gressor would sleep, with startling e~nuncia-
! 4,op 41a xro1 &C fba fannichinn nrphanc ha
has sent drifting waits on the great sea of
life, the screech of drunken madness In the
NJ dark prison house and the curses and bias
Ks phemies of the jewellers over his poisonous
rt compounds. His restless midnight slumbers
~ are disturbed by visions of writing, scringing
in victims under the dark shadow of the gal
4. lows by rafting bones that entangle hi
feet by grinning, hollow-eyed skulls tina
It, pile up CHASTITY spectres of horror in hi
e. path and by the imaginary chorus of thu
" yelling damned Oh say not that PROCESSING
tie christians get believe there is no harm in tn
* making and selling Of Intoxicating liquors
ne Their better judgment tells them that it
i'm wrong and damnably wrong; but their low
ire of mammon urges them onward in the uI
led holy course. The church tolerates it an
is winks at it, and in this way the matter
to passed over in silence. We say again that tn
is several churches should emphatically declal
that whose maketh and selleth intoxicatin
ian liquors for beverage use, IS unfit for membe
to therein. There is the position-now raise
us, buzz.
ear We thank God there is a land where Il
arp accursed grog shop ofendeth not, and wher
ople the smoke of the soul destroying distillel
rom never arises to darken the sky of the cele
roll tial realm.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
Written for the Spirit of the Age.
To the Social Circle.

Summer, lovely, queenly summer, with its
warm blue skies, flowers and bird.songs, is
slowly passing away. After a gay summer
of pleasure and enjoyment, how delightful it
is to get rid Of company, late hours, morning
headaches, ceremony, etiquette, etc., etc.
To get back at last to the delightful routine
Of home duties and amusementsl 1t is so
intensely tiresome, to havea company face"
on all the time, and be always upon our dig
nifty" To be grasping after new ideas about
" the weather." and looking perfectly de-
lighted, when one would so much rather run
of somewhere and take a refreshing little
cry. To be wondering " what next" to say
to some perfumed exquisite, who enters and
makes his parting flourish, with always ex-
actly the same set Of ideas. To be obliged
to look gay when you're grave, and demure
when o hearty laugh would be such o relief
But all these tiresome things do get over at
last, md one catches the parting glimpse of
the last " mOustache" as it disappears, with
a sigh Of intense relief. 1t is so nice to have
home all to ones self again, the very still
ness Of the deserted rooms is q satisfaction.
To have time to file away letters from the
oVerburdened portfolio, into their respective
packages, in the " tossed up" letter drawer,
and sit down and answer others, which have
been haunting us like " ghosts" all Summer.
To separate old cards and invitations, from
new ones, In the card baskets, and replace
lost strings and missing hooks in the neglec.
ted wardrobe. To have time to restore oul
writing desk to order, and smile as we take
of a bundle Of scraps, poetry, envelopes anG
faded flowers, to be burned, and put waters
pens, and wax in their places. To hav
time to think. TO sit down in the old favor
ite seat, which commands q view Of the sit
ting sun, and take a long look down into on
own hearts, and see what has been going o.
in that little world all this time. To loo
how much in the whirl of the Summer e1
element, we have disregarded the " still
small voice" and have gone astray. To Sc
ifthe golden links Of all our cherished FRIEND
ships have been kept untarnished, and tur
away with a half sigh, as we find that
dream Of I" long ago" still haunts the hear
even amid gayety, time and change. I
shed a quick tear over the accusing recor
we find traced there, Of having been tc
much " confOrmed unto the world" To 81
II the dove of truth still hovers with extend,
wings over tho heart, to keep its table
pure, or If falsehood and sin, have caus
the gentle bird to take its flight. And he
we turn away invOluntarily from this hea
searching, because won by the world
have turned from walking " in the gre,
pastures, and by the still waters of tru
and peace" And lastly, dear girls, like n
to have time to sit down and write to t
Social Circle, and hold pleasant CONVEX
with that widely scattered, but united ba,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
Something Rich, Rare and Spicy.

We received, on Monday of last week, the
following letter, bearing Postrnark, +" Jones'
vile, N. c., Sept. %" and as the writer
wishes it " put in public" we take great
pleasure in spreading it before our readers.
And for fear the writer may object to any
hi edecation" changes in his style, orthog-
raphy or punctuation, we give it just as ne
wrote it, as near as our types can print 1t.
Here it is:
to the so called Editor
off the wod be spirit off the age
sir [ Sc in a september number
off your trashy paypor whar you hey made
anuther attempt to explogerate the keractor
Off the hard shelled baptise as you cawl en-
you hev publised what you kali a sar-
mont preacht from-an he plade on a harp
with a thousent strings &c. which you no Is
as LIKELY to be fales as true and make poid
to tel you so
l viii let you no that I am won off the
primmatif baptis an a temprence man two,
an will contend for the fathe wonst delivered
too the santes
and vii preatch a gin al the folts vase
of the da- such as mishions, sons, masons,
cd ~fellers, no nothings black lags, hi edeca-
ton an so on Ns
an eff you had bin at my metin tothei
da you wod off got what you desurve-fur
preached a sarmon a gin folts waise- an did
dent prache on a harp of a thousant strings
mother | TUX my tex in pauls secont epistl'
to moses whar it ses. wo to him off hi edeca
tion-that runneth gredaly after the vase o
men-omiting the fathes of our fathers
l belt a large k~ongregasion spell boun
for tire ours an gin what lie gift you eff | s
emmy more off your stuff a out hard shels-a
eff you hev emmy felin lie make you feal hk
you ort to feal
l hev gist rit the above too let you n
that you cant turnover US. l will not ak yo
to put hit in publick fur you don't want foil
too no that we ar able too take our own pa
l wish this cud git in your paper hit woo
make fokse open thire ise-an if | Sc enn
more hard shell stuff in your paypOr lie g
you a gaw braker AFTER MANGUN
Wilks n G 1855
The Rev. Mr.. Mangum, we have no dout
feels perfectly able to hold ga large kongr
gasion spell bound for thre ours" especial
when preaching from "pauls secont epis
: to moses" We would not therefore plu'
a single feather from his cap; but we no
:, he will give us all due thanks for giving h
! a chance to read a lecture to all who d;
: "explogerate the keractor of the hard shell
9 babtise as you cawl en-" The Rev. Artel
! anxious t" too let folks no that we ar able
take our (his) own part" and of course
not Altered. If his "spel bound sarmol
: could have afforded us more amusement tt
:, his letter has, we should nave been glad
= be there. Rev. AFTER Mangum is into
: and we confess the corn. Do let us h
, from you again. Suppose yOu try the b
'e Nv a thousand strings" The whole pee
. will doubtless be "held spell bound' Fl
" Wilks" to Raleigh, as the music comes
ling and swelling with euphonious notes
= less stopped in their enhancing strains
- the f" hi edecation fellers" on the way
OF String up the harp, AFTER.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
Forever singing as they shine,
The hand that made us is divine,"
For the Spirit Of the Age.
September: A Sonnet.
BY LUTHER G. RIGGS.

DI LUIHEN u NIUUos
HAIL Autumn's happy pioneer;
How many a welcome wilt thou hear
From old and young, from sad and gay,
As they greet thee in a merry roundelay:
Nor chide thy morning death like chill,
Or the damp thou mayest the evening air fill;
But bless thee that in orchards, at all hours,
They may gather 'sweets that are not sours.'
And not our rural youths, in motley bands
Ransack DER their neighbors lands,
with nut-hooks, pals and baskets hand in HANDY
For hazel bushes, that by the roadside may chance
to stand
Or from some ancient Chestnut, perchance in show
eS
They beat down the nuts, which fall like flowers
When pelted by harsh, heavy drops of hail,
That careth not for their solemn, mournful wall
Welcome, SEPTEMBER, may thy reign speed away
With deep joy and revel in thy each sunny day.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
The Moment After Death.

What a moment must that be! how vast
its consequences how overwhelming its reve-
lations! Let us try, by illustration, to realize
it. There dies a saint food. The ummons
was sudden, but his house is in order, and
with a smile on his face, he bids a glad adieu
to the scenes and friendships of earth. Cold
ness passes from point to point in his system;
his vision grows dim; his tongue faltering
but In strong faith, he commends his all to
the Conqueror of death, and passes away
shouting an everlasting victory. The spirit
soars-angels attend 1.-THE gates of the city
are open to receive 1.-THE King is seen in
his beauty-and now heaven is enjoyed in
all its bliss and glory. Waking up from
this life-dream the first sight is Jesus as He
is-no fight through immensity-no pill
grimage of spheres-for the everlasting arms
are the first resting-place of the disembodied
soul-it will be in the bosom Of Emmanuel
that the emancipated spirit will inquire,
where am /? and read in the face of Jesus,
the answer, Forever with the Lord
But another, and a different scene. There
dies an i%mpenitent sinner, and, as he feels
life ebbing away, his SOUL is filled with un-
utterable anguish, his sins arrayed before
him, his conscience accuses him, lost oppor-
~tunities mock him, hope perishes, and eter
nifty is made terrible by its treasured up
wrath. But he must die. He that cuts hin
down, sways him as the Teller of wood sway
the lettering tree-now a root breaks, now
a heart-string-now an eye-string snaps asun
der lat last out goes the weary trembling
soul. How awful to such an one is the mo-
ment after death The narrow confines o.
time passed, a boundless eternity stretchei
itself before him, and, in the twinkling O
an eye, he is ushered into outer darkness
the region of unending woe, where the worn
dieth not and where the fire is not quenched
The torments of hell are already begun, an,
: the souls bitter reflection is that they ar
merited and will never end.
o Yes, solemn thought! One brief momen
will effect an entire change in our mode q
being-will make plain what, with respeC
to a future state, is now involved in myster,
and will bear the soul to the fearful retribr
lions, or to the glorious rewards Of eternity
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
Poor. but Respectable"

How often do we hear it said of this man
and of that, if he is possessed of some good
qualities, that he is "poor, but respectable"
The inference that naturally presents itself
from the saying is, that a man must be rich
to be respectable, or that, if he is poor, and at
the same time, respectable, it is a consequence
out of the general course of things and a
subject worthy of wonder and comment. Out
upon such stuff! a man, if he is a MAN, tho
he be not possessed of his thousand in stocks
and claims not wide acres as his domain, lis
a man for a. that" 1t is a great pity that
popular opinion has become so warped and
contorted d in its views for this same preiu-
dice against poverty is a strong tide that beats
against the frail bark of many a poor fellow
that is struggling bravely to ride into a good
ly port. He bends n~ervously to the oar anG
pulls away gallantly against the force of tn,
waves that beat him back, and from the lip
of those on life's river who row with the hel,
of gold, comes up the half sneering compli
ment-"ah! he is poor, bat respectable !!
This weakens his arm in the fight for fam
and he shrinks back abashed, unless he i
possessed of an iron will. A poor man, tho
he have only a broken crust and a salt hel
ring, can be respectable. Reader, oh sa
no more of your fellow man he is pool
but respectable" x
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03

NORMAL CoLLEGE.-We learn that at this
session, which opened the last of August,
there are more students than at any previous
one. The large new ediice is rapidly filing
up, and the prospects of the College of the
most encouraging character. We have new
er heard of any cases of INSTRUMENTATION in
may be accounted for in the fact that stu
dents entering that College are required to
pledge themselves not to drink any i~ntoxica-
ting liquors.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
Religious Revivals.

The Baptist Church, in this City, has been
visited with a gracious 'reviyal-20 persons
have been baptised and 10 or II others been
received as candidates for that ordinance.
The Methodist Church here has been hol-
ding a protrated meeting for some two weeks.
Several have professed conversion, and many
gather around the Altar, asking the prayers
of Gods people.
At Hepsabah (Bsptist) Church in this
county, there has bed $50 who have profess
ed conversion, and great interest still in the
congregation.
Asbury & Macedonia (Methodist) Church
es, a few miles from this City, have been Wis
tied with blessed revival influences. Many
have protested faith in Christ and many more
inquiring the way.
At Rolesville, we learn, a great work il
progressing and many sinners being turned
from the error of their ways.
From all over the country the glad tiding
of Revivals are borne to US on every breeze
In this part of North Carolina this will be
year long to be remembered for plenty, eS
emption from disease and the religious Unfit
ence that pervades the community.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03

TRIFLEs.-Matters that appear trivial to
our imperfect judgment, may exert an infu-
ence that is lasting and abiding. Do you
believe it? Ask the great book of the past.
Consult the pages of your own heart. Trifes
go far towards shaping human destiny.
A kind word of encouragement has again
and again infused new life and energy into
the corpse of crushed genius, and given to
the world resurrected jewels that were bright
ornaments in her coronet.
A tear of sympathy has often seemed to be
a bright star-gem of promise to the despon.
ding soul, and it has been the means of sa.
wing erring worlds from infamy.
The "helping hand" extended to some
frail mortal when crushed beneath his burth
ems, has seemed to him the bright and bles
sed ladder, seen by one of old, Ger which
angels loved to glide and by its brigh
rounds he has risen from the dark slouel
of despond to a heaven of JOY bright wit
the suns golden sheen.
Again, more than once has the Door ornha,
well nigh persisted because the rich emplove
thought the wages such a small trife that
was a matter of Indifference whether it wa
paid promptly or not.
Strawsshow which way the wind blows
and by the triaes in life we form opinion
OF character. By little things we gain glim,
ses OF the inner temple of the heart an
dishonesty in tryaes bids us watch the ma
IN every transaction, while a scrupulous a,
herence to the great principles of honesty
every relation of life ensures respect and Co
hdence. Spurn not little things. The ore
ocean is made of drops, and atoms nave bui
up the everlasting hills. n
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03

BE Our friend R. w. c., at Beaufort,
will find that the matter complained of has
been attended to. The first letter was de-
layed somewhere, hence the delay.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03

IA We acknowledge the receipt of 81
nom .. Il. ID. at Clinton, for the relief of the
sunerers at Norfolk and Portsmouth. 1t has
been forwarded to the Howard Association
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03

Ia The recent result in the elections of
Maine, we felt certain, were brought about
more by the fusion of abolition and disunion
elements with it, and by the rabid, intolerant,
suicidal course pursued by Neal Dow and
others, than by any decided opposition to the
Maine law itself, by thousands who voted for
candidates opposed to it. This fact is confess
sed in the following extract from the State of
Maine newspaper, which is a violent enemy
to prohibition
"Bada as was our State NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
lar as the Maine Law has become, through the Vi
olence and folly of its reputed author, it required
the pressure of other influences than these to arouse
throughout the State the intense excitement of the
occasion. 1t was the feeling of love to the Union,
and adherence of the disunion doctrines put forth
by the Republican" leaders, that excited, alarm
ed and aroused the people of Maine.
" 1t was Senator Wade's speech at Portland, on
the 18th of August, that overwhelmed and crushed
ressed by Senator Fessenden, lionized and idoliZed
by the fierce Abolition fanatics of the city, after he
declared the most infamous disunion sentiments
that ever disgraced a political demagOgue.
1t was this that reused the solid men Of Maine
to action, and disregarding all minor issues and all
personal questions, they put their shoulder to the
wheel, and laid disuuion and the Maine law togeth-
er in the same grave"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
liquors

Bp Island Greek Division, No. III, Sons
of Temperance, will celebrate their second
Anniversary OF the End day of November
next. Several speakers are expected, and a
bountiful dinner will be provided a band
of music will be in attendance. Neighbor-
ing Divisions and the public generally are
respectfully invited to attend. Exercises to
commence at 101 o'clock.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03
ggir1it of the 9gs,
RALEIGH, N. G.
W2DH3gDAgg OCTOBER B.
a Positive Arrangement.

Subscribers receiving their papers with a CROSS
MARK, are thereby notified that in four weeks from
the receipt Of the first number thus marked, their
subscription years will expire; and unless renewed
within that time, the paper will be discontinued
This rule will be inhexibly adhered to.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-10-03

DP We observe that the Mayor has call
ed a meeting of the Citizens for this Tues
day. afternoon, to make arrangements for the
entertainment of the visitors at the State
Fair. We hope the meeting will be numer-
ously attended, and that ample steps will be
taken for the accommodation of all who may
come. We know our citizens have the means
and the will, and if the committees who are
appointed will attend at the Depots and Ho
tells and direct persons to the private residen
ces of our citizens who are ready to oper
their doors, we feel satisfied all will be com
fortably provided for.