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

faces that any further attempt at con-
cehlment was hopeless
Poor Mrs. Dexter looked like a little
white paper womap, with kind of smile
painted on her lips, for you might see plain
~ enough it did not spring from her heart; |
and it seemed that breath of wind would
drift her away as easily as the froth from
a milk pail.
Half dozen scantily fed fires were
burning in the house, when Mrs Dexter
seated herself by ono of them in mute and
helpless despair. Night fell. and the hea-
Wy curtains made it doubly night within
the room The door opened stealthily, and !
her husband like snow. drift, still and
cod, casne to her side. -ea 4
ki ~ stsls u lle "a Sly
would not mind this terrible calamity but
for you His voice faltered, and he put his
arm about her neck with tenderness of
manner that she was not at all used to,
though he had been always kind and in
dulgent. Her heart had never stirred as
it then did when she heard him say, Here
is a thousand dollars my dear There ac-
tually came faint color to her cheek, and
real smile to the lip where the false one
had been 50 long. The happiness of that
moment was worth all the lost furtune.-I
My good noble husband she said, you
must not suffer on my account. I am
equal to any fortune so long as you love
me- and the hands she laid on his fore
head were Ikea pleasant healing dew, and
her kiss on his cheek made him richer than
he had ever been, ..*
The shell of fortune in which they had
been living was broken, and they saw, for
the first time, that. there was a great world
outside of it. The anticipated misery of
coming down lessened wonderfully when
they stood up together and faced it.
All the fine furniture was sold, the
French cooks were dismissed, dressing
maids and chamber-maids were sent away,
Mrs. Dexter herself took charge of the ba-
by, and half the house was let. One SER
want and small carriage were all the lux
uries they reserved for themselves.
All day after the coming down, Mr..
Dexter kept out of the house; he could not
bear to see his wife deprived of the elegances
to which she had been used; he could not
bear to see her tears-to hear, perhaps, her
reproaches. g.. ..--
With slow and heavy step heapproach-
ed his home, like him who
Lingering raised his latch at eye,
Though tired in heart and limb;
Who loved no other place, and yet
Home was no home TO him
Two or three times he passed and re-
passed his own door wTthout courage =
ter: but seeing one of his former friends
approaching, he chose the least of two evils,
and went in Along the dark hall and up
the stairs he groped his way opened the
door of his wifes chamber, approached the
bed, and, parting the curtains, passed his
hand softly along it, for he expected to find
his wife i'll and weeping; he had found
her so many q time in consequence of the
, falling of new dress or hat to come home
+ at a certain hour. She was not there how
: ever, and half afraid that she had gone
home to her mother, he descended to tn,
little back room which was nov parlor, sit
ting room, eating room, and all. Feelin!
J for the latch of the door, he groaned audi
{ bly,, and as by magic, the door flew, open
9 and his wife stood beside him, smiling an
u bright checked, and with such sweet word
/ of welcome as he had never heard he
g; speak till then The baby sat growing hi
a gladness in the cradle, and the fire thre'
Il Il It's bright CLEAN over the pretty china c
III the table-all was neat and orderly, eve
D, tastefullv arranged and as Mr. Dexte
u looked around, he felt all the pride an
happiness of young husband on comm
"a. into his own house for the first time
{, E, To the plain, but good and sufficient SUI
"a " per both did ample Justice; the husban
g had not eaten the accustomed luncheo
IL that day, and the wife had been busy an
9l earned what she had seldom had before
- an appetite.
u, The next day came new trial-son
7o trifing articles must be bought, and NJ
= Dexter must drive the small open carrias
i'S himself.
~ III 'I will wear my morning dress and vel
NJ 4 said Mrs. Dexter, for she saw that b
ue husband was mortified for her sake /:
m mm- they set forth together. The sun sho
'le brightly, and the fresh air and vario
'ie shows of the streets and windows were
Sos exhilerating in their effect, that Mrs. Dext
oSV soon threw back her veil, quite regardlt
lsh of the astonished looks of the ladies S
% vo- might meet. 1t was new sensation
'ne delight to the husband to manage the ht
h9 ses, and both felt what superhuities Goa
uu and coaehmen had been. Affairs went
very we'll for time they felt as if rid
10. great burden, and in earnest and hope
m mion labor experienced no depression and
l.n NJ pain. But SO deeply involved were th
~ -. that even another coming down must
1nV eiS made. Horses and carriages, and hol
.o5 must be sold, and themselves be left W
auN auo nothing in the world but their hearts a
oes' hands.
tL19 My DEAR sweet wife, what can | say
u.LLy comfort you? said Mr.. Dexter when
'ne had made the confession of their extre
poverty. And he added, signing and 81
Ia Ia ing down helplessly, things could not
Lau I worse than they are
10y 1 am glad to hear it, said Mrs. Dez
ny ,hiss laughing outright; for as nothing rema
loio o:I stationary in this world, our affairs N
~ grow better from necessity
loIo on But, my dear, what can we doY
en rowfully calculated the husband.
why she replied, begin to live,
@ ou0 dependent of burdens and restrictions
s igt For my part just begin to see someth
.ei TO live for
anu anu And drawing the easy chair to the
9e, rev and placing the baby on his knee she
OoA' nosed to make for her husband Gu