Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-06-04

hands. There was no wish we had ungrat-l
fled, and at noon and even our prayerof
praise and thanksgiving waited up to the
throne of God. Our felicity was u%nrival
ed till a foul serpent in human form, came
and fastened himself to me with a grasp SO
firm, / had not the resolution to shake him
off. He first enticed me to taste, then drink,
and finally, almost before | had thought, /
was a drunkard abhorred, debased in the
sight of mankind and myself. For kind
ness, caresses, and entreaties from her
whose pure heart was bleeding for me, Ire
turned churlishness. At length all our
fortune was swept away as chaf before the
wind, and we had to leave our beautiful
home; but no murmur or reproach came
from her. We took upour abode in a mean
hovel in the village. There with all the
tenderness, forbearance aud love of woman,
she strove to win me back to soberness and
virtue but the fire within me warmed me
up to resistance, and at last-oh fatal
hour! in a fit of desperation, when she
begged me to supply food for our starving
babe; / babe her go from me forever, and
let me hear her cry no more for bread
bread !. / started then for the Gin shop
UuG WuCH Il Was HcdI1J GHCIC, CAOuSAG1
would go back and bid her stay; but it
was too late, too late! She was gone!-
Alas! my baby tony darling boy, that
[ should have shielded with a fathers love,
and kept from starvation. The gloom
which overshadowed my heart is ineffable.
1t was the depth of winter, and feeling very
cold [ searched about me for something to
light a fire and found bit Of paper on an
old rickety chair; was just in the act Of
5 burning it when | saw my name traced on
r the back, in a trembling hand. I opened
! it and read, it was from my angel wife. And
< here it is now, almost worn away, but it's
: words are written in burning letters on my
t heart. Since that moment | have never
tasted another drop of any spirituous liquor.
d | have kept this by me as a sort of talisman
/ while | have wandered in search of it's
y author, but have only been rewarded by dis
e appointments"
lie Carrie, who had during this recital leant
n forward on a bench, now gave one shrek,
and fell senseless to the floor. Every eye
- was wet, and audible sobs came from many :;
!" but the attention was now all turned upon
~ Carrie. She was borne in the arms of Mr..
May in front Of the platform and cool water
id dashed in her face.
ry Mr.. White overcome with emotion, sat
down and buried his face in his hands, but
aS the excitement being somewhat abated he
- arose to see its cause and looked Town upon
~ the cOrpse-like face of Carrie. No wonder
us he didn't recognise his wife. lie went near.
nut err on seeing that it was Mrs. Field Hel
I'D hair had become loosened and was hanging
8 around her face in disheveled masses-tht
If color came and went in her cheek, and soor
her eyes opened and rested on Mr.. White
then throwing her arms wildly up, exclaim
Ii ed-"Oh my husband" To moment sh
'lor was clasped to his bosom and her head wa
OF baptised with his tears. And now come
res, little Arthur, with JOY beaming in his eye
Tess and fondly clasps his arms around his fatt
tle- er's neck. Never before did a fathers near
~ glow with a warmer affection than did Ar
thur Whites, as be pressed his beautiful DO
" to his heart. The audience looked on in 1
nlm mazaggf atn66tAheRf t tfff8. uffSFss ddfiffn dir if
At Carrie, and Arthur soon reached home an
his with tears and an embrace Carrie told he
mo sister Helen of her found treasure. Nj
White could not find words to express h
Nv thankfulness to the Providence that had gu
'"n ded him to his wife and child.
81 have amassed a fortune, my wife, b.
age, without you to share it, it gave me no Joy.
was Arthur think it is so strange you new
ears told me your sister lived IN Baltimore; al
res then it is stranger still that of all the other
INV | should find a nome with her. Mysterio,
ny indeed are the ways of God"
INC "She has not lived here more than Fl
nm years, and it was only a short while ago tn
But 1 knew it." After remaining a few da
ould with Mrs. May, who was now rapidly recc
urn ering, Mr.. White proposed to Carrie th
nrn- they should go home. "Home-my h,
Int band will please be kind enough first to t
ouO me where it is" Certainly nv o,
ufeu one, and where should it be but our dear
e. tie Cottage, at the foot of the Blue Ridg,
4 an "Oh, Arthur how-how ?"
the About two years ago | saw in a newsl
ietv. per that Mr.. South, our old friend, had
; tRo come insolvent, and that his house in
"a village, and also the Cottage were to be so
" Immediately | determined to buy it, a
7auy> then, if possible, find my bird-and n
MI here you are my Carrie ; what shall hind
MIR. US from flying to our beloved bower, a
aised there pour forth in strains of Joy, our hi
s+;no piness ?"
nnod Nothing my husband, nothing. ]
ri how kind In you, and now | shall never ag
q M have any fears Of your abandoning me
rCnur Alcohol, since you have found the pear
allied great price and lean on the arm of your
was deemer for strength" With many regr
light they left their friends IN B. and Ii
Mr.. Arthur SAID" Oh! cousin Matte III n
you so much"
After a lapse of four years, we will |
AS in upon the inmates of Glen Cottage,
arose, then bid the readers adieu, being very or
there full for their patient perusal of our story
d, and Arthur and Carrie are seated in the arbo
3. as an animated conversation. You would sea
voted recognize in him the temperance lecture
lie four years ago, so much does he look like
Arthur we saw in the same place, just be
sdnhe a birth night party, long ago. Carrie Il
!, the a very little older, but the quiet of her
voice tells you hew happy she is and a dear
erance tie jewel of a babe is sitting on the z
here's plot at their feet, darting its little dim
knew hands in the shade of faithful Fido's shs
80 name. Arthur sits under the shade
~ sturdy oak with his crayon and paper;
'I'ne see what it's he's drawing; there-just
tcned- over his shoulder, oh what a lovely pict
Ike the and under it is LITTLE IDA
HER PET, FIDo." 'Oh! Carrie, how many
breath Ply moments we could have spent here, |
a talac never, necer been an Ltebridte.
-
he For the Spirit of the A
chance We have had a lovely day, a day of
II n