Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-10

Politely inscribed to the Social Circle.
WI. the members of this band Of ''linked
spirits admit me to some retired seat in
their saRctaD1, if such an one is there and
vacant Occupying a retired room in an
old fashioned Virginia Homestead, situated
In the country, | am Of ours Of retired
habits and will promise the Circle not to
make any noise Or disturb the harmony of
the scene by asking questions. am will
ing to be almost what my mother used to
tell me, ''to be seen and not heard" Yet
[ will always be glad for a member to come
over to my corner and hear a socia5 chat.
Some Of the City members | might be able
to entertain for an hour or so, with a reci-
tarion of some ofthe exciting sports Of our
rural Districts. To me, the present, and
coming season is always h1ilcd with.dc-
light.
What is more healthful, delightful, and
bracing, than to mount your horse of a cold
clear morning, and bound ovcr hill and
plane, in pursuit Of the deer or moro willy
fox, with the clear musical notes of some
twenty hounds echoing from every hill side
and forming a grand chorus not to be SUR
passed by a cullen" or Christie" We
have also plenty Of game Of a smaller cali
bre, such as hares, pheasants, paririges, in
pursuit OF which | spend many pleasant
days.
Should any of the fair contributors see
fit to notice me, | will don my best smile,
make Jay best bow, and thank them for
a., i, ..,4x-.,-:~, 1FTE-, FL. nil w..
ter slali have babe Us his last o9ld good bye.
and smiling Hay again be atout in oul
lanl. should any Of yon then pay "WiloN
Grove i %vis!r, AMI be ]on ii angling,
will accompany you 10 cur beautiful! rive
and sec i We c,uuot catch a = Minni'.'
! have sail khis j. MY ftvorito season
and 80 1t Is; yet it causes many sd re
Elections, bat | hope u.ciui ones. When
left home, some weeks ago, the willows j
front Of my window were c0mpar.tiyei
green n,w their scar aal yellow leave
cover TIC b fore y%cr.!unt lavn, and til
moaning winds Of Noyo3b = arc sjgAin
theirrtQaiam through tho.g l2a1os3 branc,
es. Ny Il ,wcrs, too, which were 81
blooming and beautiful wacn I LEFT, al
now scen:loss and dead. have eomc bu
lying be.ug9 m3 which were Just ready
burst / rtA With aI the l,vcIino,s and bo4l
ty of yJu.h, bat alas the chilling bias
like The hand ofdaath when he clasps h
!, icy iH1aT5 round The heart OF some boaut
full and promising ide1I of affection, h;
/, left the young bud and the lifclos5 form,
5 teach US d lesson Of the mutability of h,
, man hopes and ~anticipations. | ain /
, morali.t; therefore | will step this sirai
I On my arrival ut home, [ found Il
! house deserted, save the servants. On II
0 table were lying the Age AMI several 9th
f papers, with a note from my mother whi
ran thus "Iy Dear Percy-I was COZ
PEELED to leave home On important busine.
5 hope You will not be too ioacty till t
y return Of your mother"
$ What is home without q mothcr? p
n l felt particularly lonely after rcadi
the communication from Gertrude PER-
Alas Miss Gertrude, the very bush fir,
which | pulled the scentless buds, is &c
u name-sake. | named it after you !
i, because | thought you were a "misanth
pical old maid" but because it was your
beautiful and promising; and | fancy y
! are all Of these. I thank you kindly
your sympathy, butallow me to assure }
-, that | am not at all miserable. 1t is t
r. l stick nay feet on the table, and backs
~ the chairs, smoke segars and allow my d
-, to lay on my coat; but koep the "cobweI
~ off Of my glass aud out Of the corners Of
cr room, and frequently dust of my man
Ia. piece myself. | think, Miss Gcrtie,
n have been taking a peep into some bac
no. lor's saactum, rom the exact knowler
you have Of how things, and the propric
generally look. As for the other pictl
IF I%cannot say much aboutit. Ihavc Just b
81 wondering how | would look and fee,
such was my situation.
ere During my stay in your Getty of Nc
hat ments," | saw hundreds Of its far fan
the beauties on the streets and at the Instit
to | scanned each continuance closely to 81
om it bore any resemblance to my ideal fal
ru- There was one whose image is freque
MS before my mind she was Of the med
en- height, auburn hair, soft blue eyes,
{ of whose depths you might almost read
Utmost thoughts and Oh what |
be Cleopatra-might justly have envied tt
ira In comparison there was a similarity ;
nlv the real fell short ofthe IDEAL; SO pa
inc on; but nm sorry to say with no b
tier success. Had | known the localit
will "Rose Vale" | think | should have stu
less up some excuse for getting a look at t
ow- cold ancestral Oaks, and If possible
not ting one peep at the young lady who W
but about them, and into the sanctum "
l, as you write your "Ifearthside letters"
eve Instead Of having a frown on my
file and being bw spirited and blush,
IS in one of the happiest fellows in the worl
arise | never take trouble on interest, or mt
wo- half way. | n,ver get angry or tax