Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-01-31
JANUARY 81.
gaaits' Department.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.

NIuleH Justly NhEhHJA III oiHhb-SSNlhE 1hN
mountaineering. Now, that ! have returned
TO my dear home among the cedars, / have
seated myself to send this little remem
brance to you and let me here say, that
the poet spoke truly when he said be it
ever so humble, there's no place like home
l have realized it each little piece Of
furniture, each nook and corner, the hearth
stones, even the black boughs of the oaks
and the dropping limbs of the cedars, all
bear a familiar impress that you see no
where else bat at your own home.
In my travels l passed through a little
town where / knew Carrie Mason, our first
echool mistress, lived; and | determined
TO call on Carrie. My recollection of her
was quite distinct. though | was young
vixen she taught school in the old log
house down by the meadow where the
hazels grow. Isremanberedkher as = good
woman with a good Beart, via never grew
angry with US, and sang good songs every
day with the sweetest voice | ever heard.
All the children loved her and Carrie
seemed happy in their love; yet there was
a dreamy sadness about her that | could
never account for. She stayed with us only
two sessions. At the end of that time a
s~tranger-noblc looking and prepossessing,
came. and in the old church on the hill
Carrie gave her hand and heart to him. l
shall never forget the day. 1t was as bright
a May day as ever daSned, and the sun
seemed to tint the green hills with richer
hue than ever before. The flowers, as the
school children went down to the meadow
to gather the last boquets for the beloved
mistress, seemed to vie with each other for
the richest %colors, ard the birds never sang
sweeter melody before or since. | remem-
Der well the many child regrets that were
uttered there in the meadow, because the
mistress was going away and | tell the
truth when | say that there were tears shed,
aud hard things said of the stranger who
had come to bear away to a northern cline
the dear mistress we so mnch loved and
when the good old Pastor arose and blessed
them at the Altar aud pronounced them
one, there were more sad hearts than merry
ones. We all loved Carrie Mason, the
school mistress; for she was so good at
Z heart and taught us so many good things /;
and we could not bear the idea of giving
her up. We, simple creatures, did not
know then as now, that when woman's heart
becomes devotcdly attached to a beloved
one, that she will peril everything to be. at
his side. We have learned the secret now {;
we were children and we wondered /; we are
women and We know.
Harry Leland, the stranger, vas a noble
4 looking man. | have rarely seen his
equal, and we'll might Carrie have been
proud Of the prize. He was much hcl
superior in wealth and family rank bu'
a her charms and native goodness had VOL
his heart and he laid his fortune with hi
heart ut her feet.
They were married and went away. Fa
back DER the dim vista of the past l re
member the morning they drove away t
4 the stage station and memory holds frml
Y the warm farewell kiss she pressed upo
the lips Of each of the school children VIII
waved her q goodbye with hot tears il
every eye in the group. She was gone
and many an evening after l have sat b.
the Preside and talked with my mates Q
good Carrie Mason.
As | intimated in the beginning, / hav
seen Carrie. Long years had fed but tn
memory Of her sweet face was with us still
hlliflHH III a II bOHu WuGIC Il huCN
she lived, | made enquiry concerning her
None seemes to know my landlady an,
those about the house seemed to not b
aware that such a person as Carrie LelanC
existed. My curiosity aud apprehension
were aroused. A little girl, who came eve
ry morning to beg pennies, heard me spea
of Carrie. The little blue eyed, fake
haired creature told me she could show m
where she lived. l thought here is
romance, and determined at once to 90 wit
her. The poor child shivered iu the col
as we walked the street together / W;
deeply interested in the child; / found h
interesting and witty. She led down Q
alley filed with old barrels and filth.
protested against going that way, but Il
child said they lived in that alley. / W
horror stricken. They lived there T.
ragged child before me could not be Carrie
child. | hoped not but | would not a
her. We stood before y miserable ter
ment. The child pushed the old mos
door open and we entered. l never befc
saw such a terrible picture of poverty a
human misery. Four little children We
gathered around a pile of embers on t
hearth, and in the corner on a brok
chair sat a sorrowfpl womap. She "
bending over her sewing and, working il
a slave. l spoke to her and she answer
in a melancholy, mechanical way. S
arose and offered me the broken chair
was the only one in the room. knew I
how to introduce myself could seal
believe the miserable wreck before me
be my old mistress, Carrie. l asked bel
she was Carrie Leland, and if she OIL
taught school in -. She answer
in the Affirmative, with some surprise.
then told her who | was, that / was one
her scholars, Flora. The mention of I
school brought to her mind memory
better days forever flown, and tears flow
from the poor woman's eyes, and l We
too. | can't begin to tell all that was sa
she gave me a history of her life since
saw her last, of how she became the m
tress of a mansion and was happy as /
heart could wish, of how kind her husba
was and of the bright prospect that
before her but to rehearse the sad ste
as she told it to me would extend this let
beyond its limits.
| inquired Of her the cause of the
change. She wept as if her heart wol
break. One word alone explained it.
the midst of her sobs she uttered a fear
word. III was this GRuM y