Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-01-02
For the Spirit Of the Ago.
THE TWO LIFE PATHS.
ny CHARLES A. B1GELow.

since when | was a student at the p Acad- dl
envy. About a furlong down the lane that Fl
led thither, there had stood, not long since, tn
an old mansion, and around 1t were stlll eyi- LEI
denccs of taste and caltlvation the wood le
binc. the iessamine, and the sweet-brier- to
these still fourished in unshorn lu~xuriance. II
And arrived near in full view Of the lake on pc
one side and the village on the other, | paus- tn
cd to e1joy the prospect, when yielding to
the influence Of the place and the time, mem
ory soon wandered free over the scenes OF
the past, and, in fancy, | was a youth again.
There are memories, sunny memories they "
are in the main, which indellibly fixed in the r
heart OF child, uiH linger there with a holy VI
and soothing influence, long after the frosts
of age have withercd all memory Of, perhaps, Z
more important events of later life. The I
merry, c~are-frcc laugh Of the lad, who with 7
US, trod daily the pleasant path to the old
school house-.he happy exclamation OF de- I
light By the rosy-cheeked sis, who would stop
for every violet and snowdrop on the way, ]
exciting ever them as over rich treasures
in moments Of thoughtfulness, how they rise |
on the mind Of the weary seeker after happi- :
ness, But how few Of those with whom we
start in life, can we keep in view through
their changeful career! thought of this as
| looked again over the familiar scene, while
two in particular Of those who were school
mates here, were called to mind-Emersou
Carroll and Frederic Gray and one incident
Of school life, may illustrate their respective
characteristics.
At the end of a term, which was to close
with a public exhibition, prizes were announ-
ced for the best defamation, and Carroll and
GRAY, from their oft shown talents and ambi-
ton, were looked upon as the chief competl-
tors. On the evening in question, after the
usual variety of pieces, Gray reclted his, an
extract from 'Othello'-and Such an Othello
probably never before so confounded the pre-
viously formed conceptions of a listening au-
dience-thc gestures fierce and not always
well timed-in fact, as one of his friends OBJ
served in not very low whisper, it was torn
to %tatters ; while following soon after, next
preceding the valedictory, Carroll gave an
extract from one of Willis's best poems, Alb
salon. with an carnestnessa and pathos, which
in the breathless stiffness of rapt attention,
drew from many there the tribute Of a tear
and from the judgment Of the committee, at
ter the exercises, a we'll won prize.
The students, haring nearly equally natur-
al gifts, were in character widely dissimilar:
Gray, a great favorite among his free and
easy boon companions, professed little moral
restraint, and r~esorted often to the wine cup
as a stimulant for effort or for the flow Of
: soul at c~onyivial gatherings, and on the ex-
hibition evening had taken a little too much
of the stimulant for the correct exercise of
judgment and the notifying result was a
subject which his friends did not fail to ban
ter him upon for a long time thereafter. Car
roll, opposed from principle to intemperance,
t saw also that even a moderate use Of alcohol
ic liquors was in time ruinOus to the powers
of both mind and body, and with a Jealous
i care for the full development of both, ever
c abstained from aught that could intoxicate
With equal ambition, but with aims anG
views thus differing, the two friends, for such
they were, though not very intimate, left The
Academy for College, and from the time O
u their leaving College, l had not heard from
y either.
d As stood musing thus in my suppose,
u solitude, | was startled to observe the form
of a man rising from seat in what had beer
an arbor, now oyergrown with jessamine
O. trailing in wild luxuriance and to my carr
est gaze, the thoughtful, intellectual fac
h. seemed strongly like that CT a well rcmen
a bered friend Of my childhood. Could it be
- Yes, it was Emerson Carroll, thus strangel
~ met near what had been the home of HI
It. father, and soon after the warm grasping
70 hands we were seated there together, mutu;
- questions and answers followed thick an
" fast on the spur of a thousand recollection
1T starting freshly up in the minds of each.
"a diioNSl w ia ICluSot, my ONh olOlJ
quickly told" said he. "You know how n
,r term in college was passed, and of the pr
% fession which, at the call as | believe of dut
lie l decided upon. After completing my tn
Ity illogical studies, | journeycd with an inval
ey sister to the pleasant uplands of the Sum-
60 South in search of health, which there 81
soon found, and after officiating several So
'e' baths for the Centenary Church in the CT
Try Oft, | received a unanimous call to becor
by their pastor; and there, to a home ma
pleasant by the smiles of one whom l con
- der peerless among the fair daughters of t
~" South, | had the pleasure Of welcoming /
parents after the burning of the old hon
in, stead. But you r~ecollect Gray-Fred Ora
,to | have that to tell concerning him which W
grieve, if not surprise you. On my iourp
III hither, | divergcd from the direct route
on, visit our old friend at Al on the Oh
we'd and stopping at the nearest landing, | too
horse to proceed at once to the residence
:. my friend. An accident disabled the hor
III and | was obliged to stop at an obscure
les on the way, and put up there for the mig
,sti. Entering with the landlord, we passed
group of card players in the bar-room, a
how was | astonished to recognize amc
'"A' them Frederic Gray-changed indeed, be
ing in his haggard face and blood-shot ey
pre-, the fearful evidences Of a life of dissipati
now but knew him at a glance, He did not
a. cognize me, being too intent on the game !
al badly to see or care for aught else.
'rgy AS was about retiring, the sound of
will CRY voices in the room below decided IN,
60 down and stay, if possible, the strife
What a scene there met my view! The
rlns ty were all on their feet, and in their m
ing, Gray with upliftod knife was threaten
ing, his late antagonist at the game. 1t seer
hits that, rendered desperate by the loss of
=; last dollar, Gray had charged his late an
onist, a professional gambler, with Oh
ing, and not without reason.
as to with the hope of arranging it AMIGA
lany in the meantime, the landlord proposed
mis- the quarrel be settled in the morning acc
ing 10 the laws of honor, which was at lei
Jul decided on, and calling for lights all SCOT
k we tired. In the morning, before he had
this the house, | found and declared myse
avail Gray, and sought by every persuasion t
= duce him to leave his manner of life and
Gu evil companions at once, but in vain an
llned sunrise he was on the ground where all
good assembled. As | stood there, a Low
/, zest morning and a more pleasant scene | tho
- had never beheld-from the high bluff
. 'e looking the noble river rolling placid thr
Toned Its beautiful valley, the view was in
IT not magnificent, while the sweet perfumed bl
their OF morning came fresh from the flo
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