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

cP Po &c hau not heafo ner, she spoke louder.
oall no answer. She ran up to him in much
alarm; has head had fallen back the letter
had dropped from his hand and his breath
seemed entirely gone, while hi- hands hung
lifeless by his side.
Hardly knowing what she did, she ran
and called the servants, sending one in haste
for the physician, while she with the Others
applied restoratiyss. The doctor came i'm
mejiately, but nothing could do any good.
lie was corpse. The letter was read and
found to be from one who had been engaged
IN the same speculation as himself. stating
that 1T had failed. The sum lost was as
great as the whole amount Of his property !:
y was doubtless the cause of bis death. for
the proud man could net beg Poor Meta
how coald she survive this heavy blow -
but they were, IN comparison to this. as the
smallest shrub to the mighty oak of the for
est. Her dear father dead and she was not
even with him to see his last look, nor catch
the last words which fell from his kind linsI
Oh, it was toe much; and then she was nen-
nless cast upon this bleak world a lone
orphan, with no strong arm to row her fra;l
bark across the tumultuous ocean of life no
loving heart to whom she could confde her
cares and receive in return kind and lovino
words to nerve her on to higher. holier at
talnments. No, these were denied her. Int
she looked to her Heavenly Father for com
fort and prayed that he would give her ma
tlence to bear up under her afiiction.
Meta wept herself sick and was in few
days confined with raging fever. By the
most careful nursingehe at length recovered.
but 1t was long time before she was able to
leave her room and when she did. one couId
hardly have recognized in the wasted beipc
before them, the once buoyant Meta Stanley
AS soon as her health was in some measure
restored, she obtained a situation in a large
school as Music and Drawing Teacher. Il
was then May in June the property of her
father was to be sold, and the first of july abe
was to take charge of the school. She tried
not to grieVe; not to think of it; but the
nearer the time approached, the more her
heart talled her. She did not care SO much
to struggle with poverty, but to see her home.
with all It's loved objects from. their associa.
tlon with her parents, and the servants who
had ever been so faithful, pass into the
hands OF strangers, O! this was heart rem.
ding, indeed
The day for the sale at length came Ey.
cry thing was bought by the same gentleman
except few trifes. No one seemed to knoys
him, or ever to have heard of hin before
Meta was to remain at her home for few
days after the sale, before the master took
possession, to get ready for her departure
5On the evening OF the same day, Just at twi-
light, the hour she SO much loved, she was
sitting IN the parlor arrayed in deep mourn
ing and GH atone. She tried to drive bach
the sitting sobs which almost burst from he,
pallld lips, but it was in vain and buryino
her tace IN the sofa cushion, she gave vent tc
an uncomfortable food of ftears. This might
have t-stea- Ee- hop aeLuA hearins, a atan hz
her side she raised her heau ana unTUwfng
herself into his outstretehed anms, 80 Clar
ence" was all she could utter lie then con
fessed to her his love; told her how msera
bic he had been while absent from her. apC
on his knees entreated her to become his.
"You do not know all, !" said she; 81 am q
pennlless orphan, not the courted belle wa.
when you were here. On next Monday
commence my tolls for l will do anythins
rather than eat the bread of dependence"
The more tis my duty to protect you,
replied he; ''ana the home Of your childhood
shall still be yours for though you hav,
heard nothing from me, have not been ig
norant of your affairs, and have this da,
bought the homestead with everything be
longing to 1T, except a few unnecessary al
ticles." He then explained to her his rea
sons for acting as he had done and obtaine
her consent to become his bride. She wrot
to the Principal of the school declining tn
situation, but recommending in her stea
an accomplished young lady of her acquair
tance who was desirous of filling it.
They were married the following Angus
and though their heads are not white wit
age, their countenances stamped with th
traces of time, and their steps slow; they al
still as happy IN each others company, an
as inseparable companions, as when frs
united III the bands of matrimony.
EFFIE GRAHAM.