Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-08-29
ChOics Literature.
The ThunderboIt 70 ths Hearth

=
bank Of mighty river, like Beauty upon
the arm Of Strength, and smiling in the
beams of bright summer sun, like Inno-
cenco in the sloye of God TEesalky was
cloudless,. and the air was stu an9 lied to
faintness with the perfumo5of hoaers. =
Early in. the morning the dew-drops had
been glittering on the leaves Of every tree,
shrub, and foyer, in the lovely gardens Of
the city, and the afr had been vocal with
tho sweet songs Of birds and the glad voices
Efehi}ss ~ slie aewtisscz hale lfsSss,
the flowers, the songs Of the birdsare hushcd
in the shade, and children are housed from
the burning heat Bright city of the
waters the hour Of thy doom has come
The Angel Of the Whirlwind is lowering
over thee, albeit thou dost not see the shad-
ow of his wings The hour of noon passed
Suddenly-in moment in the twink
ling Of an cye'-the sky grew blacker than
night, noise as the roaring Of mighty wa
ters and the rushing Of mighty winds, and
the beautiful city was mass of blackened
ruins. In one stately mansion, host had
assembled his guests around the convivial
board-the wine glass was in his hand, the
toast upon bis lips-the tornado came in
power land host and guests, with house
and board, were buried in one common
ruin. Deep in the fragrant shades of or.
ange groves, youth and maiden stroled
the youth was pouring out his soul in love
and prayer, while the maiden listened with
deep JOY the tornado came in power and
the youth and the maiden became twin an
gels in heaven.
There are whirlwinds that scatter oul
family circles. There are tornadoes tha
devastate our homes. There are thunder
bolts that fall ut our firesides. | do no
here allude to common sorrows, to reverses
to sickness, or death-theSe may be calle,
the familiar rain and wind, thunder am
lightning Of the moral atmosphere, sent t
soften and fertilize, TO renovate and strength
en-. But the moral whirlwind, the socia
tornado, the thunderbolt to the hearth, ha
deeper and more fearful mission. Tho,
warn US Of the flecting nature Of riches, {
the brovity and uncertainty of life, of th
constant overshadowing of the wings
death; these of the instability of huma
virtue, the frightful power of human pa
sion.
Upon almost any day we take up new
paper, and, running our glance over i
columns, we may read, here of suicid
there OF murder. From the fHtoxfcatir
cup suddenly springs, sometimes, the thu
derbolt chat crushes and destroys. Do '
ever reflect that, the day previous, nay,
may be the hour previous, the miserab
perpetrator of that murder or that suici,
had as little thought to commit the crir
as we have at this moment and that |
or her family circle was as unprepared f
such a stroke of fate as our own is at I'll
moment-and-are we warned?
1t was a pleasant picture, that scene
home.comfort Let me describe it
1t was n middle-sized parlor, the fc
was covered with an old.fashioned Turk
carpet, so thick and soft, that the f
seemed to sink in the rich oriental flow
that composed its pattern, and which look
so natural one could almost fancy the OF
perceptible. Two large front windows W
hidden by long and heavy curtains of cr
son damask. A grand piano stood in
recess, on the left of the fire place n
ble-top pier-table covered with richly boz
ANNALS, fine engravings, and the magazi
for the month, was placed in the cor
ponding recess to the right, and near
windows. Above the chimncy-place,
a finc old-fashioned mantel mirror reach
from thence to the ceiling, and reflect
the whole apartment and the full len
images of the group around the hearth
Now, observe the scene around the com
table fire of anthracite coal. A round
tre-table, covered with rich cloth
drawn up Immediately in front of the
place. To the left of this table, and
tween il and the corner of the frepl
stood sofa, soft, luxurious lounge,
supplied with silken cushions filled
down, that might have been the deligl
sultana. Upon this lounge reclin
young woman not above nineteen. o
site the sofa, in large easy chair, rep
an old man, with white hair. Near
sat young man, his SON; he was the
band Of the young lady, and the faith
the infant boy and girl.
1t was we'll | told you that the yc
man was the husband Of the young VIC
upon the sofa you would never que
from his manner to her, which is qui
attertivc as It would be towards any
lady He is leaning back in his chair
his arms are folded, and his glance
in sadness on fulllength portrait,
pying the space between the two wine
There was a wild, startling, unearthly q
about that portrait. 1t represented a y
girl, of fourteen years of age, Of super
raj beauty, thin in form, and dark in
with wealth Of long, black shining
descending in tangled ringlets even t
feet, and eyes 50 large, so black, so bl
as were never seen in a sane creature.
dark arm supported harp, the other
clasped across its cords; the face, st
with expression, was raised the cri
blood was burning through the dark G.
the bright lips were breathlessly a
and the large eyes were thrown up,
ing, blazing, sparkling, as though
would explode. A visitor once calle
picture the Music Fiend. | was q
bout to inquire if it were not fame
ture, representing beautiful mania
the expression Fpoor Ida falling
the lips of the young mother, as she
looking with me, upon the portrait,
ted my words Years after, | learn
history of 'poor Ida, or, as | shoul'
or have called her, frenzied Ida. l