Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-10

Blossoms, and fruits, and flowers together
rise,
And the whole year in gay confusion lies.
ADDISON.
Aurora had thrown open the gates of
the east for her fiery lord, and his COM
ing had chased night from the wales, walked |
the music of morning birds, painted the
flowers, and gildcd the dew drops, in the
mountains of the "Old North State % when
a party, gay and happy as the morning was
bright and glorious, with the elasticity of
step and spirit that characterizes youth and
happiness, strobe along the grassgrown
path that leads from Westbrdge to the
summit of a stately, and grand old noun
tain IN the vicinity; and reader, excuse
me, will not attempt to describe the
scenery with which they were surrounded,
/ will not attempt a description of the
hmpid, laughing streamlets, that leap and
dance from the mountains side, filling the
air with their delicious music, or the pure
fountains that murmur at your feet almost
every step, aud offer their coeling waters to
slake your thirst, the farie wales, the sunny
hills, and towering SUBMITS; no, they alike
defy the artists pencil, and the authors
pen. You may talk of "Temps classic
yale," with all its groves, Temples and
tountainsj or of vine trcstled Italy, with
its azure skies, and pure air, or of Switzer-
land wild aud free with its lake aud noun
tains, but our own wild mountain home, is
more grad, more beautiful and more hap
py than any of these. Our friends fully
appreciated its beauty, for the merry gush
Of youth thrilled through their bosoms,
sorrow with her blighting spell had not
traced single line upon the brow, or left
single vacant spot in the heart of any Of
their number; aud as they advanced the
silent melody that gushed in each bosom
breathed q fair accompaniment to the song
of birds, and the murmurings Of the rills
There was q picnic at the top Of the noun
tain aud it was to this that the party was going
and as our mar rative concerns but two, W
will leave the others to their happiness an,
seek them out. They bring up the rear
and are earnestly engaged in conversation
but in so low tones that all We could hea
was the following exclamations.
"Charles, always thought you were a
enthusiast, and your riding with those f;
natical temperance men proved that l bC
lieved not without grounds"
Emma, said Charles" | am not an er
thusiast, and to convince you that you al
mistaken, will, since you wish it, give u
any determination to join the temperanc
society, though believe it to be GOO
institution.
But Emma was right Charles Mani
was enthusiastic and passionate, yet nobl
l.. L.
education, a fue talent, and loved Emn
Clayton with full, and undivided soul.
the other hand Emma was beautiful gi
Of seventeen summers, who having new,
known sorrow, Except in those transfer
and fitting shadows, that sometimes avi
the happiness Of youth but are soon gon
and leave the joys, which are sure to f,
low more pure, unsuloied, and exquisi
than they would have been without then
she could not appreciate it in others S
had never felt the sting of the wine cul
adder, hence she called those fanatics W
had felt it, and exposed it; and hence S
laughed at Charles Manly when he tall
Of joining the temperance society, En-
too loved charles with that love that fiji
counterpart only in the pure and unsopl
ticatcd heart of the MOUNTAIN MAIDEN;
frail tendrils of her soul were so cntwiI
about Charles that in detaching them
mingle and crush them forever, but
knew that her love was re1uited, and
was happy.
They bad reached hesummit and Cha
and Emma sat far out upon project
crag, which hung over a frowning precil
and Emma looked down, at the tall Il
at the bottom, which distance had tr'
formed to shrubs, with steady e,e,
the sublimity that causes the brain of n
maidens to reel, and grow giddy, was
for her poetic soul, and kindled only
fine frenzy in her eye.
For long time they sat silently beh
ing the imposing grandeur around th
aud breathing the very soul of the bes
ful and sublime. AT length Emma 6
Charles, did you not see how tall and
jestic those trees appeared this mornin
we passed through them ? See, now,
have melted away to little bushes. |
it all said Charles, but / see nothing
strange in it after all; distance you
dimiuishes the angle of vision, and ca
objects to appear smaller as we recede
them.
That is very true, but was goin
mako comparison let us represent
life journey by our trip to day, the ire