Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-06


The dream Of the night, there's no reason to rue,
But the dream Of the morning, is sure to come
OLD SAYING.
Pretty Pegs Alayj a bright-eyed, mer-
ry-heartcd, little darling you are Peggy!
thefe's no gainsnyiDg that fact; cunning
< lNtlo ginty and most destructive too, as
many heart can testify But WHO can
blame dee for that? as well might the sum-
mer's sun be blamed for warming the sweet
flowers into life. 1t is natural ordination
that all who see you should love you.
Pretty Peggy has just completed her
eighteenth year; in the needless gaiety of
youth, she has hitherto gambolled through
the road Of life, without grief, almost with
out thought. Oh! for the sunny days of
childhood, ere, welded to experience, the
soul brings forth its progeny of cares.
She is in love! Now, if she herself were
questioned about the matter, Pm sure she
would say it's no such thing; but | take up
on myself to declare it to be true, and for
fear you should think that | make an as
sertion which | cannot substantiate, per
NIT me to relate the substance Oft conver-
sation which took place between Peg and
her scarcely less pretty, but infinitely more
mischievous cousin, Bridget o Connor.-
They had just returned from one of those
gregarious merry-meetings, where some
spacious granary, just emptied Of its con-
tents, gives glorious opportunity for the
gladstone hearts Of the village, and call the
country round" to meet and astonish the
rats-sleek, well.fed rascals, dozing in their
holcs-with uproarious fun and revelry.
A sudden, and indeed, under the circum.
stances, extremely significant sigh from Peg,
startled Bridget from the little glass where
she was speculating as to how she looked
for the last hour or two. | may as well
say the scrutiny was perfectly satisfactory
she had not danced all her curls out.
"Gracious me!' she exclaimed, "Peg
how you do sigh!
"And no wonder, rejoined Peggy, with
a slight squeeze of acid, ''after having
danced down twenty couple twenty times
l should like to know who would nt?"
"hh!" but that wasn't tired sigh, Peg.
know the difference; one needn't dive as
low as the heart for them; tired sigh comes
flying out upon a breath of Joy, and turns
lneo iaugu peiore ~ ies'Ves 90 ''1fftsi J0u
are sad PegP
elbow you talk; why, what on earth
should make me sad?
That's exactly what want to know
now there's no use in trying to laugh, fol
you can't do it. Do you think | dom
know the difference between laugh anC
that nasty deceitful croakP
Bridget" exclaimed Peg, with lool
which she intended should be very sever
and very reproachful, "Pm sleepy
dwell, then, kiss me, and go to bed,
replied Bridget. clio! ho!" thought she
there's something curious about Peg tc
night. / think what think, and if [ thin
right, I'm no woman if don't find out bt
o fore sleep" Craftily she changed th
conversation, abused the women's dresses
and criticised their compilations, especial
the pretty ones. At last, when she ha
com pletely lulled the commotion of Peg
thoughts into calm, she suddenly erie
out: ooh! Peg, l forgot to tell you, th'
one Of the boys we danced with had his lc
broke coming home to night?
Peggy, surprised into an emotion 81
found it impossible to conceal, started W
pale as snow, and gasped out;
"Who was it-who?'
IIa! hal thought the other, the fox
some wheIe about-now to beat the cove
"Did you hear me ask you who?" sal
Peg auxiously,
II did, dear replied Bridget, 'but II
trying to recollect. 'I think" and 81
looked steadily into Peggy's eyes, ~ thin
it was Ned Riley Peg didn't even winl
She doesn't care about him, and I'm so
ry for that, thought Bridget, thereby NAL
ing an acknowledgement to herself, whiC
the sagacious reader will no doubt interpr
truly.
"No, it wasn't Ned" she continue
"now think of it, it was---it was--a''-
"Who? who?' cried Peggy, now sensib
agitated, edo tell me, there's dear
Not she, not q bit of it, but linger
with feminine ingenuity, now making
though she recollected the name, and th
with shake Of her head, pretending
dive back into memory, just as the inqu
itors of old used to slaken the torture,
enable the recipient to enjoy another do
Now | have il, said she "no | haven
90 OeACNe L We lOTSOltGu WIN ~ WaSj 7
this know, it was the pleasantestmannel
and incest young fellow in the whole hes
'Theu it must have been Markr {
claimed Peg, throwing prudence overboa
and fixing her large, eloquent eyes full
Bridgots mouth, as if her everlasting Fl
depended upon the little monosyllab
about to issue from it. .
1T ,cas Mark! that lcas the name!
} Peggy gave gasp while Bridget We
n. on, with triumphant twinkle in her wit
ed little eye which did not show over-fav
Y ably Of her humanity.
LMark Bradyp dwelling on the nal
with slow, distinct emphasis, which ma
| Peggy's heart jump at each word as thou
she had received an electric shock,
- Phantoms Of fcrutches and Of wooden i
- came crowding on her imagination, C
y trasting themselves with curious agility W
\ which poor Mark had "beat the floor"
the merry jig, until he made it echo to
ry note of the pipes. Then rose up val
spectres Of sanguinary-minded surgeo
with strange butcherly instruments; Il
she saw nothing but fragmentary Mar