Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-01-24

4 ofpndn - especially 10 one OF your temper
and situation. The person Il speak of is
Mr.. Irwin, your mothers brother, now re-
siding in the United States. I have the
promise Of his faithful guardianship, and
believe he.is worthy of the sacred trust !;
but, alas my child, you must school your
heart ocndure nameless sorrows, for the
pathway of an orphan is generally strewn
with many piercing thorns--and often cloud
ed BY the itful storms of blighting disap-
pointments. Yet, thank heaven, I do not
leave you the child of poverty or depend
ence. You will be the heiress of immense
wealth; but remember to prize it not above
its price. All did You but know the sac
rlhccs your father has endured to make
such your dowry, you would shrink from It's
lsbasilisk glitter This aIls:snWRrful atteac-
ason .sill Fenacf yoc. / s.sIr6es 81 tnaay
selfish, calculating adventurer, and it is on
this subject now wish you to give me
your whole attention, that you may never
forget my last injunctions Earnest has
long since been informed that he is not nv
son; but regarding the circumstance of his
birth he is ignorant-and when you should
arrive at proper age, l deemed it neces-
sary to apprize you of the same-why, your
innocent mind will ask-heed we'll nv rea-
sons. 1t has always been the chief desire
of my heart to see you united in more en-
dearlng relation to him-he is my sole
choice-and could but have you promise
to be the wife of Earnest Malcolm, should
have no fear of your future happiness, and
no regret when yielding up my spirit at the
final mandate of Heaven
When Sir Walter gazed upon the up
turned face of his daughter, so expressive
of sorrowful amazement, an inward voice
whispered Beware, thy course might in
volye darkness and misery to her, for whom
thou shouldst sacrifice all selfish desires
but that murmur of conscience was check
ed; and, like many othe S, he clung to the
hope of the ends oft sanctifying the means.
lrene,' continued he, 'you may as yet
be too young to feel what is called the pas
sion of love-but you are not too much so
not to comprehend the nature ofthat posit-
tion | wish this promise to place you in
will not be too exacting-but will only
bind you thus far-that you remain un-
married until you are twenty-one-during
that interim, to cherish Earnest in YOUR
heart as your betrothed. Say, will you
promise me this p
The fathers sunken check was not more
pale, nor his hands more deathly cold, than
that of the young Irene's, when he paused
for her answer. Her girlish form seemed
to swell into the proportions of womanhood
and her head, no longer bent like some
tender, yielding flower, was raised erect,
with the dignity of feelings just awakened.
Suppose, dear father, Earnest loves me
not, must promise to be his wife at all
hazards. True, au child, bEt I remem-
ber we'll hearing him often express great
horror at the idea of being forced to love
those we could not, and that with him the
result would be feeling akin to hate
Sir Walters brow was slightly contrac-
ted, an almost impcrceptible sneer curled
his lip, when he proudly replied
'To love unrequited | scarce think will
ever be the fate of Irene Carlton. No, nv
child, fit is promise involving a mystery
of feeling to you, it is not so with Earnest.
He loves you with the fervor of seventeen,
and in him l see the germ of all that is firm
and constant. Did | not think thus, be-
lieye me, your father would be the last to
fetter you by bond so heartless-should
a change take place either in Earnest or
yourself during the interim I have named,
you are then freed from fulflment of your
bctrothal. Speak then my child, are you
prepared to make this vow@
hop+ bo,, 6o,J
as she knelt to receive his parting blessing,
the last words that loved parent breathed
into her bewildered ear, were, Remember
your VoW'
The rosy light of morn was just peeping
through the silken curtains of the room,
where lay the young heiress of Carlton
Park, when Sir Walter lifted the rich dra-
perry of the couch to gaze, perhaps for the
last time, on her, that sole link of being
which connected him with earth. Her
dreams must have been unquiet for, even
in sleep, her young cheek seemed blanched
with anxious grief, and the trace of tears
rested on its polished whiteness, whilst her
small dimpled hands were claspcd as if in the
attitude of earnest supplication. The faith
er knelt in speechless agony, and over his
cold naughty face, coursed drops of remorse-
full anguish-for in spite of hope or pride,
there hung on his heart and mind some
weighty indefnable fear; silently his tremb-
ling lips brushed away those speaking
tears from her cheek-he could gaze no lon
ger, in another moment his proud and state
ly form passed from the threshold of his
princely mansion. Soon was he journey
ing to that lovely land, regarded by the
weary and hoping invalid as the Eden of
health, where flowers continually succeed
. flowers, and summers verdant beauty lin
!, gers in its constant bloom. Although the
n sun of Sir Walter Cartoons life had just
s reached its meridian, yetits vigorous warmth
!, was fast vanishing beneath the wasting
power Of an insidious disease, which was
Is prematurely and rapidly clouding his hori-
e T 1on with the chilly gloom of evening
:, FROM o're experience, he had long since
% iouhu the purest draughts of earthly happi-
10 ness arc not always to be slipped from a
?, goiuen cuahce-nor could the pleasures OF
" science anu Intellectual culture-the need
l. OF fame, OF the birthright of titled honors,
:. dlsperse from that sun those murky clouds
f. which an early disappointment in his affec.
st tions had cast over Its bright disk. Irene was
) the sole, but idollzed offspring Of merce.
; nary marriage-for the vast So,urv of ~,
:, mother was all that the prona 1ohloror
! sought-thinking in its dazzling Glitter -
n find that much sighed for elixir Of 1;fs it, ~oS ).
h livion of the past. Only those vho I horr
u run the same race, and batted in t%o I;s' 1;.'