Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-01-31
ALFRED SUE
OR THE YOUNG ooIA&IaS,s PROBATION
BY NJ. ST. LEON.

IN LIE 1OONU OOE27uIhA ~fhVDAAAON' -
BY N. ST. LEON. Fl
'Tve com to bid you good-by, Jessie, and ;,
it will be the best thing I've done this three 0
years! z
The speaker was q youth cf about seven |
teen, fine looking, and spirited, but with a
pair of large grey eyes that plainly showed :,
their owners love Of mischief must be a terri 4
bic hindrance to q sober, steady course of }
improvement. The young girl addressed
looked up in surprise at the sudden entrance :
and abrupt speech CT the animated speaker,
and a shade of amazement and rcproaca was
in her eyes as she slowly replied:
The best thing you have done for three
years is to bid me good-byAA ALFRED?
There now ! T&idn't mean anything to
punish myself
You have a most odd and singular
way of telling your intentions, certainly, and
no doubt quite above my powers of compre-
hcnsion as l cannot see in what way your
rushing into the room with the announce
ment that the best thing you've done in three
years is to bid me good-by, can be rendered
Synonymous with Pm going to punish my
SELF
There, don't get vexed, Jessie. l beg
your pardon, but the truth is, | have been
rejecting ever since | left home to com and
see you, on O plan, and forgetting you had
not been following the same train ofthought,
/ put tinis' where preface should have been.
But I'll do right at last. You know, Jessie,
Pm not the steadiest student that ever saw
the inside walls of a college. Now the tact
is, every new term l resolve to conduct my
self in such q manner that the big wigs
shall rise up in wonder. and as~tonishment,
- - ICED Sn~an.JnnJo
head. Well, to be sure, | generally succeed,
but not in the way exactly | had intended,
and in consequence, instead Of being praised
for my good intentions, and my fall from
grace being made a matter of coincidence, |
am well thrashed (by word of mouth) for
consequences it was impossible to ~foresce,
and for which Dame Fortune, not /, was to
blame.
Father looks black, mother disconsoIate,
Kate is cross, and my little Jessie, here, is
nearly drowned in tears. Now l think this
state of affairs has lasted long enough, so
I'm going to turn over a new leaf. Oh, yes !!
it's truth, and you need not look so despair
ingly. l really believe you think that ex-
preston signifies Pm going to fight, drink,
insult the president, and get expelled; but
indeed Jessie you are mistaken, and now I'll
tell you something that will prove Pm in
AASS NA OAA w " J0N 60A VA
one year of trial has proved me an altered
fellow. There, now, you know it ALL
Throughout the first of this speech Jessie
has listened half ineredulously, but at its
conclusion the tears started into her eyes az
she said:
But, Alfred, do you think that privatior
will help you any? Will it not lose all pow
er after a very short time, and shall | efec
as much by my absence as by my presence
as small as even that influence has been upol
your
No, Jessie, I don't think you or 1 know
how great a pleasure your society is to me
and Pm sure if l know l cannot see you unit
l have earned the right, and that it depends
solely on myself, it will be a short year be
fore we meet again. | have told Kate of m,
resolutions, and she laughed at me, saying
we should have a worse report of me thar
ever she had noticed it was the invariabl
accompaniment to all unusually good resolu
tions of mine ; but she don't know me yet
But it's time for me to leave you keep up
good heart and see what q year will bring
Good-by, good-by,'-and in another instan
he was gone.
Alfred Summerson was the son of a gen
tleman of fortune and family. Generous
warm-hearted, quick-witted, with a source O
amusement that was inexhaustible, goo,
sense, and faculty for all he undertook, Their
was nothing to prevent his being the best Q
scholars, except that unconqusrable love Q
fun, and the knowledge that he could max
up lost time by a little extra applicatio
never was putin practice, and in consequent
his friends began to fear for his future fat
Jessie Grey was the only child of q Wit
l owed mother, and the darling of every on
J Gentle and affectionate, she loved the wi
youth who had just left her, with her who
. heart, but her mother dreaded to allow tt
r young people to think gilmore than friendshi
q fearing that Summerson would not make
| gentle a soul as Jessie's as happy as a mo
e settled mate might and so, although SUI
IA merson's mind was fully made up thatJess
Grey was to be his wife, in time, and althou;
Jessie wore a little ring that had been give
. as q Christmas present, but by a few VIII
x pered words h~alf-laughing, half-serious, h
e1 been endowed with q deeper meaning, the
" was no definite and settled understanding.
Jessie was a great favorite with the Sut
4 mersons, who saw that she had more inf
ence with Alfred than any one else, and W
hoped she might bring him round right
i the end. BY them the match was earnest
ID desired as soon as both parties should be
as suitable age, and on hearing Of Alfred's NJ
ke resolution, resolved to make a tour to Euro
cd in the year, as it would be q good opportuni
he to fulfil the Oft-repeated promise made
= Summerson senior to the ladies ofhis fami
and Jessie and her mother were to accompa
W them.
Although Alfred was not to see Jessie,
to was not debarred the privilege of writing
if her, and her letters were always so full
ce encouragement that it gave the young stud'
fresh energy and perseverance every time
7 received one. We will not say it was
= easy thing for the wild, thoughtless youth
VI become studious, reflective, and attentive
ne his studies. 1t was very hard to refuse
OF old comrades invitations, warmly urged [
cd Fred Summerson was the life of a party,
nt join this and that scheme of lawless fun, q
+. perhaps he would not have withstood
these manifold temptations, lift had not b.
for an older collegian who took a great in
s. rest in Alfred's endeavors for amendment
er Philip Walton was nearly twenty-five ye
I'd of age, and this was his last term at cole
nv He was without relations, wealth or positi
yet he commanded the respect of every
he came in contact with, by his dignity
u genius. lie was reserved, and to be on il
mate terms with him was considered a
~tinction and that he should show sue
Id brotherly interest in wild Fred Summers
In was n subject of amazement go Alfred's
'ul mer companions.
But urging was not all Summerson ha,
contend with for finding that mode met
Gu tual to move him, his young classmates Il
lrt taunts, and Alfred's hot, proud nature
* sorely tried but even these failed, an
or. time his tormentors gave over, declal