Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-08-12

beat rapid retreat; went home, put on
his worst pair of boots, and coat out at
the elbows, and weutabout his business.
1t takes some little time to heal such
woands, but they generally grow over, and
leave one all the wiser Eph shed great I
many secret tears, tore bis hair little in
private, wrote few very bad verses, and
learned In time, to despise Miss Cutter,
land himself, for thinking he had loved such
a girl.
Fifteen years passed and Ephraim Smith,
Esq, was the leading man of our village.
He owned most of the navigation that came
I up the little river half the shares of a WOO
len factory, bank stock, railroad stock, and
"a fne store full of goQdsall paid for. Where
the old house had stood on the banks OF
the river, quite anoble residence loomed
up among the old beaches. The current
bushes and pie-plants had given place to
fine shrubbery, the stinted field to lawn,
and the tumble-down barn, vocal WITH swal-
lows, to stable, out of which Mr.. Smiths
buggy or chaise, or family carriage, rolled
complacently almost every day.
Quite change had come over Mrs.
Smiths exterior, too, though she was the
same mild humble woman. Wealth is a
great softener of rugged personal traits
and wealth, the habit of it, had made
quiet old-fashiened lady, of vulgar Mrs.
Smith Many young lady, or widow,
would have been only too happy to call her
mother now, for Eph was still in the mar
ket He had been too busy in investing
and improving upon legacy from his un-
Gle, and growing rich and important, to
think of matrimony.
There was vast difference, too, between
the silly boy of fifteen years before, and
, , the good-looking sensible man, dignifed
. and we'll bred, who was so welcome in the
parlors of H. At least so thought
: Miss Cutter, still Miss Cutter, who came
3 down to spend the dog days with her un-
i cle's family, to practice her old airs and
+ graces upon the benighted people of Ell
. and to get and establishment if she posi-
+ bly, could
- She was not slow in marking advances
g to her old admirer, who was frequent WIS.,
10 itor at the Doctors, talked sentimentally of
old times, and their former friendship,
% spoke of the charms of rustic life, of her
or love for quiet, domestic pleasures, and de-
IS clared that she longed to get away from the
d dissi patton and adulation of the city.
~ Ephraim renewed his acquaintance quite
IS pleasantly, allowed the lady to fstter him
90 court "dear Mrs Smith," to ride and wall
m as with him whenever she wished, alway
,es however, taking cousin Flora, quiet cir
n of thirty, the Doct g youngest child, alonI
40 with them. Miss Cutter outdid herself
nd She chatted, and quoted poetry, and play
ed ed the sentimental girl to perfection. Sh
he made her think her. "one of the incest
Is youngest gals she knew of" she provoke'
IIv many sly smile on Eph's lips.
an One soft moonlight night in August
VS. she had fairly trapped him into walkin
,a+ out with her, and when they returned sh
,.r hesitated on the doorstep, beneath the lon
ed cluster of honey-suckles.
mt Chow this reminds one of old times
Mr. Smith," she said sentimentally; " tn
to times when you and | were younger, an
an walked under Just such moonlight"
.ol- Eph made an Indifferent answer, an
ow would have gone in, but she detained hiI
vn still.
Of How little we knew our sentiments
d those days; how different the world an
the people in it looked to me- How little
knew what l really wanted, or need
tn. loved until time and distance taught m
md How I mistook myself and you, Mr.. Smit
and when gave you that thoughtless refusi
her I assure you, | have regretted it ever sine
her | feared greatly lest you might never fc
the give it."
isle con the contrary p' said Ephraim, 8
; of considered it the kindest thing you ev
her did. I've never ceased to feel grateful
as you for teaching me little common sen!
,uld and not consenting to such piece Of m
er mating as it would have been. WI
or should we have done together, we that ha
ma so little In common now 2" and Ephra
Inc. shuddered very perccptibly. "And nc
half since we've come to such friendly und
,en- standing, Miss Cutter, perhaps you'll CO.
citv in and wish Flora and me joy of our
,ent gagement. ."-An,erican Union.