Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-09-10
g. s.
LADlES' DEPARTMENT..
For the Spirit of the Age.
A Picture of Real Life.

n GlCtulC "a v $500
It was morning. The sun doomed from
his eastern home in all the beauty and
grandeur of the blushin5 morn. Each I'll
nv blade Of glass, each unfolding rose, each
pendent willow bough and each leaf in the
woodland g%littered with diamonds from the
caskct of night and eachdew-drop flashed
more brilliantly as the early sun-ray kissed
It away from earth. Birds carolled their
early mptins in their leafy homes. Earth
could not have been more beautiful unless,
when it first came from the mould Of Om-
impotence. 1t was the bridal of the fair
young Ella Leslie.
Ella was not a gay, dazzling beauty that
enslayed hearts at first sight; but there
was 4 tenderness in the depth Of her dark
eye that marked a flow of feeling in the
heart, a high estimation Of moral worth,
ms well as q love Of mirth and pleasure
Nurtured by the hand Of affection, the
pride of her family, and surrounded by
enough to make life gay and enticing, she
could not fail in being happy.
While this blissful dream of girlhood was
passing, she had often met Charles Nelson
in her fathers house. He had taught her
heart the first lessons of love. The vary
ing dreams of the future had woven a spell
about her heart and, almost unconsciouslXs
she had yielded to its sway. This day was
20 make her the bride of Charles Nelson.
All her anticipations were now to be fully
realized. All her fancyings were now to
form themselves into brightest beings of
reality. How wildly her heart beat as she
gazed on the being Of her love. And he
was handsome. That proud brow, the
dark clustering locks 50 tenderly lifted by
the passing breeze, the deep flashing eyes,
the lofty mien, and the brave noble heart
that throbbed in his manly bosom rendered
him all the young bride could wish. Could
it be sin to love so deeply, yea almost to
idolize so fair an image Of the great Crea-
tor? Could Elias passionate nature fail
TO enshrinc his image on her hearts altar
as the combination of all that is great, good
and noble in man ? Sun never smiled on
a happier pair than was Charles and Ella,
rs they were seated in the ivy bower, gaz-
ing on the resplendant west, ere yet the
last suu-ray glided from the hill tops
Tears of delight stole from the eyes of the
young bride, for her heart was wildly heav-
ing with happiness. Hope weayes golden
letters about the hearts Of those who love.
But we must pass over the parting with
the home circle, and find them in their
new home. All was bright and cheerful.
Such love of cottage, nestled among wa
wing trees, fragrant shrubbery, vines, flow
ers, and all these eulivened by the singing
of the crystal rivulct that danced away o'eI
pebbles AMI moss beds. They were happy
Charles was proud of his lovely wife, was
kind, indulgent and noble-hearted and Ell;
was all too devoted to think any effortfo
securingher husbands happiness too great
Years passed and new ties of love bount
them together. Merry children clusters
around, and their gleeful faces made HON
more attractive. But amid all this q Sigh
shade settled upon Elias brow. A sci
peut had coiled itself in the fountain {
their happiness. The wine glass sparkle
too brilliantly on the side board. Th
husbands eyes sometimes flashed too wild
~, aud bis step grew unsteady after sippin
from the trimming goblet, and the bloc
would mantle Elias cheek, and then cours
its way to her heart leaving horpale, frigh
fully pale. Slowly but surely the work
death was being accomplished. At frs
from custom in her maiden home, Ella ha
mingled thesparkling draught for Charles
she had slipped it with him, for there mol
thought it sin. A few years after the
marriage Charles sought to increase h
wealth by erecting a distillery, and he h;
fallen in his own net. What fall r
ined fortune, ruined reputation, blast'
hopes and fearful gloom met his eyes whe
ever he gazed into the future. Each We
thcdrunkard' home became more wretchc
But all know the drunkard's course t
well to require tracing it here. Charlc
after years of dissipation and misery, /
came the maddened victim of Deliriu
Tremens. With frightful groans and b
ter cursings he struggled to free hims
from the grasp of those who implored h
90 be quiet. The dying man cursed cart
cursed his wife, cursed hell, heaven, a
CURSED Con. lie screamed, "begc
devils I will not go. Fiends, furies, d
lis, BECOME! Go E! go! This burning
Va in my bosom. Death, eternal deaf
Demons crowd around to drag me doN
down, Oh God, to die ~cternally J" ]
Death severed the life cord aud with
wild bound he fell back a CHASTITY corr
Oh the uuearthly silence of that one
ment after the spirit fed I! But a lC
loud vail of bitter anguish from the wi
torn heart rent the midnight ~stillnes;
Children wept in agony and strong
trembled at the scene. The drunkard
buried it was a drunkard's burial.
Months passed and the wife left her
tive State with her children to find a h
in the West, but the hushed anguish
buried deep in her bosom still.
The drunkard's home is now in ruin
Old men look grave as they pass its di
dated walls, and little children, CLAN
askanee, whisper ga drunkard died I'll
it is haunted" Thus has set the bril-
star that beamed so brightly over the y
of Charles Nelson. Aud shall any
may perchance read this true story
true it really is) go, and with the
rccklcssnoss work his own ruin
any for love Of wealth heap up gold gra
from the hand of poverty, and rush II
on to the net he has woven for other
Will any unsuspecting bride mingl
draught that shall seal her own life-sor
Will woman still smile approvingly
the insidious serpent as he coils aroun
heart-strings of those they love?
ELFRIDA IVES
Home, Yadkin.
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