Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-03
ORIGINAL PAPERS.
For tho Spirit of the Ago.
The darkest Cloud hath silver Lining.

VAlANAANNAA y tbAA oAASes
For the Spirit of the Ago.
The darkest Cloud hath silver Lining"
But few, perhaps, cf earth's care-worn
pilgrims have been made to drink more
deeply Of the ehalice Of sorrow than L
few upon whose head has been more heavi-
ly laid the chastening hand Of affection
few who have felt more keenly disappoint-
meuts poisoned fangs gnawing at their
heart strings For five long, long years,
nv SIX has been oercast with dark and
lowering clouds, while the wild surges Of
adversity in their uncurbed fury have madly
rolled Ger my devoted head. Strickenl
down by the dark angel Of disease, while
yet in life's earliest morn, and all around
was bright and gay as the May-day morn
while the sun shone brightly, and the
birds warbled blithely, and the flowers
smiled swectly, and the breezes were redo
lent with fragrant perfumes, and while
hope sang her syren song and pointed win
delusive finger from afar off; all the gol-
den anticipaiions and all the hopeful aspi-
rations Of youth and vigor in mcment
vanished like dew drops beneath Aurora's
melting rays. Alas how sudden, how al
most crushing was the transition How
bleak and dreary since then bas been the
pilgrimage of life.
But the darkest cloud which has yet
o'ercast my sky, hath had silver lining
the bitterest cup which l have ever
drained hath had its nectarcd sweets. And
fercely as has the tempest sometimes
howled around me, and madly as the waves
have often beat, never yet have l been
forced to murmur,-all, all is bitterness
For thanks be to Him "who tcmpers the
wind to the sborn lamb" that in the darkest
hours and amid the deepest gloom,
-, r,-.,-s's Tudfdhr smrTe I n1Tu -
- no % Cheer this dropping heart Of mine" !"
Tripplcs, says an old apothegm, make uT
the sum of human life. And to no one i
its truthfulness moro clearly exemplitleC
than 10 the bowed-down child OF suffering
and sorrow. A thousand little incident
are daily occurring, which in the heur 0
bappiness and health would have passe'
unuoticed, to impart the gleam OF happlnes
and ioy through the solitary chamber an
10 shed n balm Of peace and love over th
couch Of pain, which the stricken suttere
alone can value. The ministering OF
friendly hand, the sympathy otcoDgenl'
souls, cheerful word or beamlng smi
oh how they have stirred up the vel
depths Of the inmost soul, causing 1t
overflow with emotions so inefably swe
that kings and emperors might we'll cove
Were you, kind reader, never grief-wol
invalid, prostratcd by affections ruthle
arm. imprisoned for days and months, pt
chance for years, in your gloomy chamb'
shut cut from the busy world around y
and from the gay scenes upon which y
once loved to gaze Then need not
mind YOU how your darkest hours ma
been Frightened, how your kcenest pa
has been soothed by tho interest Dau'
by affection given"
How an orange or an apple, book 0
profile, hath lulled the sting of pain or eh
cd away the grim spectre of despair.
need not tell you what rapture has III
your bosom as you have traced some
come missiye, some bright pledge Of all
tion, repleto with sympathy and love FRI
from the hand Of some far-off friend.
Oh how delightful, how allied to
earthly bliss, how soothing to the woun'
snirits, to reflect that all mankind have
hearts Of stone, but that we arc surroun'
NV those whose bosoms heave in uni
with ours, whose hearts are ever alive
their brothers woes, and whose 7
prisons ever ascend like holy inc'
in our behalf! Then need portray
the 81 mpathizing reader the grateful
t;ons which were prompted by the re
tiou Of tho following beautiful aud pat
l. stanzas. from one who though conn
lively stranger, has by this simple
snontaneous Gct Of kindness, won for
self niche in affection shrine from "
times rebellious arm can nc'cr detl
her. And may not hope that my
friend will pardon me for thus presu
to present to the public, gem which tn
intended for my eye alone, is SO re
with the souls tue poetry, that trut
ness of sentiment aud deep pathos of fe
which ever mark real poetic merit,
boarded up with miser's grasp.
The Invalid.
Respectfully dedicated to w. H.
BY A STRANGER FRIEND.
When summer flowers were blooming
the blighting frost had come
when gay hearts were rejoicing, :
his quiet home;
And | found him, 0 ! how cheering,
smile upon bis brow,
A smile Of sweet forbearance, which
me, even now.
sat for several moments, and gaze
the scene,
dem xlilp