Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-20
0nmbsr 81.
LADIES DEPARTMENT..
TOT IHV opIIIt = tHV 1Ahus
Twilight Musings.
by vIDIAN.

ny vIDIAN.
" SIC transit gloria mundi."
Reader, / am a bachelor whether from
principle or from necessity, it is none Of
your buslness-suiice it, that | am one of
that prosecuted fraternity.
prefer beginning my musings in this
way; for / think it an honest way. | tell
You in the outset what l am thereby Civ
ing you somewhat Of an idoa as to how |
look, the manner Of my dress and the style
Of my living-thereby also giving you a
manifest advantage over me; for you know
me, and | have not the remotest concep-
ton Of what kind Of an individual you are.
Now you must know that | I'm some
what Of an architect-in fact, a master
builder for do i not build castles, aye
and magnificent ones too-castles that
woull vie in splendor with the most COR
gcous palaces that earthly monarchs inhab-
It? Granted, Aat they arc built in the air,
what Of that can't you q give to airy
nothipgs a local habitation and a name?'
If you object to my castles because they
are built Of a very aimsey material, | an
swer, that / put up my own buildings where
il suits me-and ask no mans advice as
to the material.
Having declared my independence, /
am ready TO tell you my musings.
The sun was just sinking into a bank of
rosy clouds which decked his evening couch,
and was shedding u halo of golden glory
DER sublunary things, when | was sitting
in my porch Watching his departure. /
had often seen sunsets equally as magnifi-
cent and splendid-but this evening it
seemed as if / were a boy again. / am
not Fifty YETI Faces Of old familiar friends
were before me again-some who had slept
their last sleep-some who had entered the
busting world and who were fast climbing
2 the ladder of fortune-and some around
whom misfortune seemed destined to cling.
These all passed-and coming down to my
later acquaintances, one face paused before
mel might as well confess at once that
this face has been haunting me continually
for some time, say two months.) | stopped
my busy thoughts, called in my straying
fancics and concentrated them all on that
sweet face. / dwelt with delight on every
feature became so completely wrapped
inmy mental contemplation that everything
earthly was forgotten. Ny +" one horse
establishment vanished-a large and Gle
CANT mansion arose in its place-a large
grove spread itself around-beantiful gar
dens brought up the rear-howers ant
~shrubbery bloomed in all their Fragrance,
about the serpentine walks-and a glow .
rosy happiness diiTused itself %o'erall. AnC
Vidian walked through it all, " monarch
Of all he surveyed aud he grinned will
delight aud his ugly phiz looked a%ctuall
five times better than usual. Who'd be
bachelor, says he-justthen, /" MarsteI
aunt Phoebe wants to know what you gwin
to have for supper"-broke out from a lit
tie curly headed son of Africa, who ha
crept up unperceiyed by me. Go t
thunder!' says /: " Hence, you imp G
darkness, and speak not Of earthly contest
bles when ] ain f~easting on the glories o
all An impossible future" Bob gaze
with wonder at me and merged quick
into the darkness which was spreading
self over the plaatatioh.E =
And thus, said I, it IL eyer-no soon
do we who are unblessed by those vi
would be {" partners of our toll, our feC
ings and our fame" begin to live in fame
a life Of happy double blessedness, tn
we are recalled to our real life by SCUM
which {" CRATE with harsh cacophony
our aurieular appendages." y x My mi
wandered again. Twas sailing Ger a cl(
blue sen, aud the bright waves were dG
cling aud foaming up against the prov
our little barque which carried my partr
and myself. We whispered oflove, unt
ing affection and the impossibility Of
living away from each 6thor-Said
" Dearest, do you not wish that we COZ
ever thus sail down life journey, cheeri
and comforting one another, with nau!
to mar the deep serenity which now Il
ties 50 peacefully in the lowest depths
our souls? Z"
,"Ah Vidian'-says She Aunt Pl
be says supper won't be Etten t eat eff
don't come aloug"-that confounded ]
again-with my wrath boiling over
seized the three legged chair in whic
had been sitting aud hurled it at the
cal-but the glimmer of his only garu
rs he huttered around the corner sho
that the sable descendant of Ham
I" cut his eye teeth" and knew how to
preciato the choler Of q musing bacht
1 kicked over another chair which s.
in my way and went in to see what A
Phebos skill in the culinary liue coul,
towards appeasing my excited feeling
But the sight Of my small table, dim
tive coffee urn and single plate was
much for me-I cayed in" and era,
off to bed.
Dedicated to all who banker after q
Of single blessedness.
Home Place, Aug. 9th, 1856.