Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-09-02

who was not kind to her. Mr.. :
Ellerton saw her and loved her at first sight. !
He persuaded the old lady 10 give her up :
her to one of the best schools in the
country for four years and then married +,
her. Never have l seen such a happy {
couple. He used to look on her, as she
would gaze at him with her large spiritual |
blue eyes, as if be was afraid she would be
taken from him the next instant. He al
ways seemed anxious about her, she was SO
frail, SO exceedingly fair, so delicate.-
She was as good as she was lovely It
was a sad day when she died. l was at
the funeral. They opened the coffin and
her friends gathered around and wept over
the pale sleeping face. Even death, the
fell destroyer, had not effaced the unearth-
" beauty Of herchildish face. Ineyer saw
such grief as was depicted on the haggard
face of the smitten husband. His wild
hook of sorrow, as he pressed the last kiss
on the clay cold lips Of his wife, haunts me
even now. o Cora, it was fearfulto behold.
Three years have passed away but be has
avoided all society and wanders about sad,
and alone, save when be leads about his
little Allie, a fairy of four years. On her
he bestows all the love which bis poor sad
heart can give. She is the image of Mrs.
Ellerton the same blue eyes, and unearth-
ly beauty, aud frail form. I sometimes
think that it will not be long before she will
meet her mother in heaven. But / heard
that he would be at Mr.. Graves tonight.
But | dare say our gallant beaux are i'm.
patiently waiting for US, let US descend
Minnie and Cora ran down into the parlor,
where they found the devoted Henry and
Mr.. Leigh waiting to accompany them to
the party of the season.
There he is, Cora ; that tall handsome
gentleman with black eyes and face as pale
as alabaster. His sad c~ountenance i'll suits
q festive scene like this whispered Minnie
to her cousin, as they entered the brilliant
ly illuminated parlor of Mr.. Graves, where
we're assembled the young and gay, and
perhaps some few whose hearts were break
ing, but on whose lips the light jest hung
and over whose face the smile was gently
playing. tDo you see himf Yes she
saw, aud her thoughts were not idle. Her
plans were formed, and by the dark fash
ing of her eagle eye, one might guess that
Cora Stanley was not to be easily foiled in
her attempts.
While the gay throDgs are enjoying the
music, conversation, &C., we will raise the
veil from the shadowy past, and view the
circumstances which made Cora Stanley
what she was. Left an orphan at an early
age, friendless and poor, she was adopted by
a wealthy uncle, who had two daughter:
about her own age. Her mother was OF
Italian origin, and Cora inherited from hel
much of the pride and passion of the dark.
haired daughters of sunny Italy. But hel
talents were of a superior order, and sht
knew it. Praised by her teachers in tht
different branches of her education, shs
felt that she was superior to her cousins
who envied her too much for her talent ant
beauty, ever to give her a sisters place il
their hearts. She too was beautiful no
the style of beauty which is found anon,
the snow clad mountains of the North, bu
which has its home along the windin
streams and under the brilliant sun whicI
illumines Italia's wave-washed shores
Her uncle spared no expense in giving he
j a polished education, and in every respect
, save one, she was treated as his daughter
, were and that one was, the precious boo
! of love, which Cora felt-ohi too bitterl
|, would never be hers. Her un Gle ha
!, never quite forgiven his brother for ma
! rying the proud vindictive Italian, and b
I felt that his brothers only child coul
: never be loved as she should be. Her aul
! was the only one who really loved the o
I phan one, aud Cora repaid this with hear
worship.
{ 1t may be easily imagined that her POI
n ton in her uncle's family, a dependent
= those who loved her not. was a CALLING DO
= dage to a naughty, independent spirit Ii
., hers. Sometimes it seemed ~insupportab
q Willingly would she nave gone forth in t
: cold, wide world, and earned her daily brea
b. but she knew too well her nncle's fam
'. pride would never permit her to do this.
= Revenge, which fourishes in all its vic
- in sunny lands, where the holy calm of \
=, ture is SO powerfully cOntrasted with the da
"a warning passions Of the human heart, "
Id Cora's master passion ; and often in its FL
it swept like a wild hurricane over the otl
qualities of her heart and laid them in
To dust, and the wreck seemed fearful to
- hold. She had determined that she woI
- be the envy of her cousins. She would
ias placed in a station in society, far above
IL cousins and they should be proud to clf
as cousin, the once poor, dependent orph
at And for this she must make some sacrif
lly 1t should be done, though happiness, trr
%. Justice should be sacrificed on the altar
~ Revenge. Pitiful indeed is it. when the
W man heart becomes so f~earfnlly depraved
ny To her great joy she received soon after
completed her education, an invitation Fl
ose a distant relative in the South, to spend
lrt. winter with her. This invitation, given '
las true southern hospitality, was thankfully
H. cepted, and soon after she found herself
mesticated in the pleasant family of
Melville, whose lovely little daughter, \
ME, loved her as her passionate nature
.ou sired.
NO But to the party Mr.. Ellerton requc
rial In introduction to the regal beauty. I
ion seemed mutually pleased. Fluent in
he versation, attractive in her manner, I
made SON impression on the sad h
mo which all had supposed would forever ren
- impervious to female charms. But who C
Try resist such attractions of beauty, wit
an grace. The evening passed pleasantly.
his Ellerson's lone, cheerless home seemed 1
ms, gloomy than ever before, on his return
con- the party. The next day he called at
lest, MeIvdlies, where ne was received by MI
with free cordiality, and by Cora with g
full ease and p~oliteness. Day after day Fl