Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-08-01
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BY ALICE GARY.

in town, and, Of course, il was in the most
fashionable quarter, and furnished with all
the elegance and luxury which minister to |
taste and comfort.
In short, they had great house, great
deal Of furniture, great many servants,
and great many clothes They had fine
horses and hno carriages, fine conserva-
tory and fine pictures, and were, in all re-
= = 4r.ssy. = sies paaplay ssa1s
They gave splendid entertainments; I; had |
travelled at home and abroad gave and
received presents; visited all the fashiona-
bic resorts in the summer, and in the win
ter made life one round of what is termed
pleasure. Mrs. Dexter was beautiful aud
accomplished woman, and lived as she had
been educated to live, and as she supposed
was proper for woman Of her position
and fortune to live.
Her baby was in the nursery--well cared
for, she knew and yet it caused her not
little anxiety that she was unable to see
1t ottener than once or twice day-her
engagements were 50 numerous they would
not allow il.
Busy, and weary, and worn were they
piness to others. They were, of course, a
good deal envied and disliked, and suffered
not little from unfriendly suspicious 1t
IS one of the penalties of prosperity that
it enables even our best friends to see all
the little defects of our character, and some
times to imagine faults and failings Of
which, in reality, we are guiltless.
why is it that we are SO bored to
death ? said Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Moth
ing seems fresh or pleasant; and surely
we ought to be happy if anybody is-we
enjoy largely the means of happiness
So they turned and overturned their af-
fairs; counted the rooms of their house,
the number of their wardrobes, and scruti-
nized their furniture but they were only
the more and more puzzled In all the list
OF their fashionable acquaintainces they
could think of but one family who had am
pier means, or who lived more stylishly
than themselves They had once or twice
seen finer coach than their own, though
seldom more splendid horses few cost.
lier entertainments they had attended than
they were able to give, but not many and
) ---nn lady wore finer Jewels or brocades than
Mrs. Dexter.
They were not admired much, it is true,
and she sometimes thought her taste in Sc
lecting must be at fault; but not so that
Mrs. Dexter should wear silks and dia.
monds were matter of course-and so, oi
course, they gave nobody either pleasure OF
surprise, and least Of all herself.
Fire blazing before them, and mirror:
flashing behind, they sat in their fine house
and wondered why they were not happy
and concluded that they could not be pos
sessed of that amount Of wealth that in
sured happiness, for in no other way coul,
they account for the humdrum life the
lived.
They did not sleep well at night-wh
they could not guess, unless it were th
fault Of their beds; they must have NOR
luxurious ones, if in any part of the VOL
they were to be obtained. They had Ii
tie appetite the cook must be to blame
they emyloy another: entertainments di
not entertain them, and visiting and Wis
tors were alike tiresome. If they had wealt
enough to do just as they would like to d.
they would surely battle the demon of el
nui that so tormented them now. ~.
The chances of speculation were turne
over, and Mr.. Dexter was not long in S
lecting one which he thought promise
we'll. So sure were they Of favorable r
suits, that they concluded it would be foe
ishness to wait for the actual realization
the wealth that was almost within reac
and so at once drew upon visionary ear
tai. To their surprise, happiness refus
to come, despite their golden bidding
From their more splendid entertainer
they retired more weary than before, frc
their softer beds arose more languid a
listless, and in their dazzling coach re-
with no more ease and comfort than for
erly; the French cooks failed to suit the
appetites, and merchants and milliners W.
alike unsuccessful in their attempts to m,
their wishes. At the end of a year of m
extravagant dissipation there came q era
in the affairs of Mr.. Dexter. From be-
lessness or mismanagement, or both,
late venture proved an utter failure, a
dragged after it to ruin cooks, coaches, a
all.
'What can be done p said Mr. and NJ
Dexter. And, Of course, the conclus
was any thing but coming down. Tr,
must be smothered and credit kept 90
So thousands were borrowed, and s
searching after the lost thousands, and
a while the Dexters moved in splendor
gaiety, and were, to outward appearan
greatly to be enved; but in their he;
they felt very much as if standing on
boards that for moment suppressed
fires of an earthquake.
FWhat shall we do p said both Mr..
Mrs Dexter, when no more money co
be borrowed. They did not know t
only felt anything, anything but com
down. What would all their fashions
friends say, and how they would be av
ed!-that was what they dreaded II
than any priyation they would have to
dure.
They could devise no plan of action !;
in their effort to keep up yet little lo1
there came a season Of lodging and hid
Of promising and postponing, Of evasion
of almost secret starvation. They 9
e thin and haggard; their fine clothes /
ed like fue rags, or nearly so, and
pinch of penury showed so plainly in