Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-01-14

I what did they gaze on ? If they had be-
held an angel it could hardly have startled
them more. She was far more beautiful
than they had anticipated, but model Of
simplicity, where they had expected to find
naughty belle nagnifcently dressed.
| Her eyes glanced quickly over the crowd,
but there was no one she thought could be
"the nephew" After having exchanged
few words with her friends, and taken
her seat on sofa little remote from the
rest of the company, she saw q gentleman
whom she had not before noticed standing
10 the opposite corner Of the room, with.
hIs arms folded. He was triHe below the
ordinary height, withslarge. dreamy black
eyes and a'hichsiatallsc'aal aal forehead, from
winch his glossy black hair was combed
back with the most exquisite taste. Mrs.
H now sits down beside her, and after
the usual salutations are over, the gentle
man from the opposite corner advances
Meta thought surely her agitation would
be noticed, for thoug ii she tried to be
calm, her heart beat so violently it seemed
to her she could hear it distinctly as she
saw him start towards them She wished
to be acquainted with him, but she would
have given almost anything just then to
have been anywhere else but there.
"Allow me, Miss Stanley, to introduce
to you my nephew, Mr. Howard"
Mrs. II. then left them, to greet other
guests, ladies who had just arrived At
first, the conversation was reserved on both
sides, but, in short time, it was animated
and interesting, and Meta thought that
night, when she was again in her own
room, that she had never spent more
pleasant evening.
Mr. Howard had obtained permission to
call on her, SO when the door-bell rang the
next day, she was ready to see him. After
converslng for some time, be asked if he
could have the pleasure of hearing her
play, as be was passionately fond of music?
She consented, and playing several pieces
with much skill, she took up one Of her
favorite songs. She had very fine voice,
but much better did it sound when the
manly voice of the noble Clarence Howard
was joined with it. At least SO thought
Meta Stanley.
Mr.. Howard's stay in P was length
ened to two months, when he had only in
tended it to be two weeks During that
tlme be was almost constantly with Meta.
Now reading to her some new and interest
ing book-now looking over and guiding
her hand Alright, should it chance to trem-
bic while drawing-now rambling in the
woods, gathering wild flowers, and convers-
ing on their various colors and beauties
now sitting, by Der side in the porch, at
/ the calm still hour or uwffignr, Hnd iiutDrs--
! ing to her as she joined her melodious
, voice to the music of the guitar. All of
these, and many other things quite as plea
SAINT, were done "pour pdsser te temps"
The time of his stay had now expired, and
! he must 60, They never knew until then
, how dear they were to each other; but he
spoke not of love; he did not implore her
to let it be ever thus; he only said " Fare
well; hope that we shall meet again."
and was gone. Coul it be? What could
, it mean? He had not even asked her to
; write to him, to cheer him while absent
from her!
How different everything was, now that
| he had gone. She could take up no book,
play no piece of music, in fact do nothing
which was not associated with him. Not
{ an hour passed, while awake, but she
: thought of him, and while sleeping he was
a the principal actor in her dreams. Per-
J, haps that was the reason her cheek was
y little palcr, and her step less firm than
e before Month after month passed and
she still mingled in the gay throngs as be-
If fore. Indeed she seemed to be the gayes
J. of the gay; but had you watched her, how
often would you have seen her dark eyes
piercing through the crowd as the dool
/ opened and some one entered until, see
h ing that the one for whom she looked wa
II not there, she would turn with merr,
laugh and an apology to her partner VIII,
stood by her side, for her inattentiveness
ID and then you would lose sight of her il
" the crowd, as her sylph-like form woul,
d whirl through the mazes of the dance
But for all this, her heart was breaking an,
re though her laugh was louder when sur
ly rounded by her giddy companions, yet la,
you seen her as she entered her own cham
ber and heard those heavy sighs, seen he
Ie hands clasped, her fearful eyes cast upward
at you would not have thought she was happie
&c than before. No, she was miserable; fo
er she never heard of him she loved, and Mrs
er H had removed from P.
You may think it strange that one VIII
r. seemed so good as he, should act thus
or but his thoughts were above all meanness
h and though he loved Meta with his Who'll
IN soul, he would not marry her whilst he
ID father believed that he, as well as all 9th
gn ers who sought his daughters hand, was
he fortune seeker. If he could show bv an
in act, that it was for her self alone be wooe
he her, all would be well. If not, he woul
no try and give her up, even though it shoul
N. cause his heart to burst asunder; for sh
was the goal for which he strovc. Met
o., knew not his heart struggles She though
J" - he had forgotten her in meeting with som
~. fair one more worthy of him than herself
!, Whatever might be the case, her praye
cb Il, was "may he be happy
- One bright summers evening, while tn
.e birds were merrily singing and nature wa
ID clad in her fairest robes, Meta felt sac
Is though she could assign no particular caus
ch for grief, unless 1t was that every thing seen
an ed so lovely and cheerful. She though pc
q haps the fresh air would enliven her droopin
Re spirits 50 she took long walk which mad
H. 1T quite late when she returned She wer
into the parlor where her father was sittin
VI with an open letter in his hand. Not obser
ler wing him closely she threw down her bonnt
As on the table, and walking towards the wiz
he dows, said: Pa l do wish YOU had bee
alIh ma II L. -