Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-01-07
For the Spirit Of the Age.
Letters from the Hearthside.
Dedicated to "The Social Circle"
BY GERTRUDE PERRY.

BY GERTRUDE PERRY.
Well! nine O'clock! I have dreamed and
thought away an hour in such delicious rev
cries az, if realized, would make this earth
too like a paradise. | did expect a friend
this evening, one who is often by my side,
and every 'swaying branch or distant echo
sounded Ike that light, familiar step, which
came not. [ have contemplated with the
greatest interest the fantastic fire light, the
face Of the little clock, and the BOWS Of satin
ribband on my two slippers, placed SO COM
placently upenth fender. But these objects
borfsk 4 stand, and 7 wondered + +
there w~agVeayBo7y that wanted to hear again
from Gertrude's lonely hearthside. But |
find it is in vain to thread my fingers through
my %curles, surprising | have one nev idea
left, for | haT'nt; but 'sucA as | have | give
thee" andathe little message will conleiYarm
from o Usry warm heart, tho it may not be
delivered in beautiful or pcetical language.
And you must forgive me if it is a little
"blue;o | caught the infection from a ''kin
dred spirit" I'd like to take a peep into a
certain ''blue' abode, and gaze one moment
into the face Of the occupant, and stoop aud
whisper to him a thought Of Gerty's about its
loneliness.
And now my truant thoughts wander of
to sweet "Arethusa," which [ have read of
but never seen and 1 think | should like to
clasp the hand in mine that sometimes
traces me such pleasant thoughts about it.
Now my mind wanders of to the past. |
glance back over my life path and find il
stTewnI with fragments Of day dreams, and
ruins Of airy castles. An! with that magic
word past" what a crowd of by gone feel
iags, We would feign have dead, but which
are, on1ytdormant, come softly aud sadly oveI
. thp haArE ut uoopnnru'S foiptacE aaIl IN,
smiles, tpnas,.tears, and Joys Of that ~irrevoca
BILE rast,sand all its follies, its advantage
sighted, and its blessings unimproved {
Thea comes the memory Of a pair Of smiIin;
eyes, whose sunny glances often flashed sun
beams over LIES path in days gone by
Then we think Of those same eyes shadowe,
with the sadness of q parting hour, when th
petteb maynard one left homes sweet CT
dearaierats for the far Of sea, and othe
, chimes. And then comes the painful though
Of our dlversing life paths, and IF rumore
! errors, sins. and f%ollies, and we turn sadl
1 from tho past, with the sad c-onsciousnes
5 that a careless, unthinking haad has madl
/ untwined affections golden chain, severed i
shining links, and traiIed them low to eartl
Then l turned to the present, the swee
blissfai present, with its alternate clouds al
sunbeams, its mixture Of blended,,sweets az
bltters, ! think Of sweet smiles, p!easal
faces, and echoes Of low toned Voices. Tue
. my thoughts came home again, and Il quiz
culver OF the lip told that she thought vi
: near holae. My absent sister tones Of y1r
q voice linger refund me. I hear your step u
on the, stair and upon the threshold Of Ii
room. AMI look up to fud myself talone, a
utterly alone" But time will restore to /
the giadseehoes of that reerry laugh, anI Il
hgilt form ard elastic step. Then | TIL.
OF our other wanderor. now breathing IL
/" sweet air OF his southern home. Alas brot
u er, We are q .broken band, and Rose Vale
lie grown a nourntal place missing It's 5rigIlt'
1T and its best. How marriage, estrangemeI
separation and death, Jar The taocd strir
Of orr spirit harp, and draw thence wailin
of grief, instead of the ministrely of lf
W music tones.
/ Then L Thought of the future, that futl
n which is wisely curtained from our NOR
pit eyes. Yet L dreamed a sweet dream of
Id future, and saw it painted upon the CURL
Id flaming of my dancing freight. But | v
keep that little picture close in a little c
a ner of my heart, nor breathe a word of {
- sweet home, nor of the shadowy prese
" WhIehls to make 1t SO deeply, and so inter
ly dear. But it does seem to me that in
he dreams | have heard the voice, which ne
he yet has spoken to me words Of gentleness
trath.e~
~ . .PescylWarland disposes of my ''other
~ ture'' very unceremoniously in two b
and comprehensive sentences. Yes. Per
lys Ihave not only 'peeped," but taken a |
nd and deliberate survey at the place a bach
he calls his hong; besides, | have a living, b
Il thing. walking personifeation of the W
bachelor before my eyes every day; one
is looking for female perfection, like y
!. Percy | fear that you will find the foil
the the search, when too late. I fear too, q
Tell Percy, that I have not the golden key, th