Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-11
For the Spirit Of the Az
aIRLHOOD AND woMANHOOD.
by INEz IRVING.

i had an elder sister-nay, she was more
mother, c~onfidante, bosom friend. Our
mother had died when | was young, very
"a tiny thing of three years was 1
when our angel mother Of earth was taken
TO be an Angel in Heaven. My sister, MARY
was her name sweetest name Of earth-my
sainted mothers name-was scarce twelve
years, and upon her devolved the care and
maternal attentions of her darling little
Inez,' as she would fondly call me, when
folding me in her arms and falling on her
knees before the portrait Of our mother,
night and morn, as was her wont, she would
commend me TO the protection and gui-
dance of Him who had taken our maternal
guide to himself.
Our Father was a man engaged in extern
sive business, that called him much from
home, and left us most Of our time alone,
with the kind and attentive servant slaves
whom he had provided to minister to our
comfort and attend to the business of our
household. We were not what, in these
days ofovergFown fortunes would be called
qUcalthy, but in our backwoods home, we
were regarded as the Nabobs Of the neigh
borhood. We had servants, and lands, and
horses and carriage, and the Injuries and
comforts Of life around us. And my good
sister was never more happy than when in
the bestowal Of some Of these upon our less
favored and friendly neighbors.
| have said our Fathers business requir-
ed much Of his time from home-so that
we were always glad when some of our rus
tic friends would come and spend a day or
a week with us. We had no brothers
Il, Z l,nxy "a Ioya ty,shn1 Gov ono 70 r11n
and sport with me over my native hills, to
gather the wild flowers and weave garlands
for dear Mary. But three little graves be-
side my mothers-older than hers-told
me that my Angel mother had left her two
mortal children here, to 90 and join her
cherub darlings in the skies.
At the dewy hour Of eve, when the gen
tic summer zephyr was bending in grace
full undulating waves the yielding fields of
grain, and tanning the earth with its refresh
ing breathings, Mary would take me by the
hand and walk to the little family burying
ground, and seated upon the marble slab
that covered the mortal remains of ou
departed mother, it was her wont to tell mC
how beautiful she was-how her dark lus
--treas eyes we're all suffused with tears a
our dear little brothers, Charlie and Geor
gey, and Henry, one by one fell by her sid
like beauteous flowers nipped by the un
timely frost, and were taken up to HEAVIER
of how she grew thin and pale when
was a little tiny babe-of how she grey
thinner aud paler-of how that harsh an
hollow cough would tear her emaciate
frame-of how she would comb back tn
thin auburn hair from my baby face, an
gaze with theselarge, dark, liquid eyes upo
me, and weep and weep.
And, oh how my young heart woul
beat, like a frighted bird against the wir
of its cage, as she would tell me Of the evel
ing when she died! Itwas q soft beauteo1
evening in the spring-the air was redolel
with the sweets of tlowers-the birds we
singing their soft vesper hymns, and Il
sun was sinking behind the western hill
tinging the earth with its roseate hues al
imparting a glow Of loneliness and beau
sufficient, if possible, to call back the so
from the spirit land to linger yet awh
upon the gorgeous shores of time.
In. such an hour, my Mary told me, L
mother died-zaDd her last words were
my Father, to remember her darling ch
dren, for her sake, and to love them, p
tect and cherish, as he would bave dc
had she still lived to bless his home. :.
no stranger love drive my darlings fir
your heart, Henry said she, as one, o.
one, shadow seemed 20 flat across her an
brow. His manly heart was full, and
only uttered-tNo rival shall ever reign
tween the loved on earth and the loved
heaven land o smile played upon her
gelic c~ountenance, as he bent his head
ward, and the VOW was sealed in heaven
q kiss on earth.
Calling Mary to come forward from
window, where in sobbing anguish she
witnessed this affecting scene, and tax
her hand she said-Mary, my eldest b.
my dearest loved, you are yet a child,
our Heavenly Father, who is all wisdom
about to take me to himself, and upon
will be imposed the cares and responsil
ties Of a WORadn. have not strength
tell you of the deep warnings of my he
or counsel you as ] know you will neeC
But God viii instruct you, will mature
make brave and good that young and ii
heart. ! feel that my time has com,
Here is your darling sister, my che
babe, the last, tenderCst link that binds
to earth-to your youthful care and t.
ing l commit her. Nurture her IN the
and admonition ofthe Lord. The Lord
God give thee wisdom to guide her al
may both thy footsteps take fast hol
heaven. OIL my blessed Lord
wilt love, protect and bless them. {
hither, Henry /; the silver cord is loo
the golden bowl is broken,' and taking
hands and placing them in his, she
intently in his face, as she whisper
Observation-Disclosures
and pointing to the skies, she passed
to join the loyed and lost, who had
looked for the coming Of the Angel M
in Heaven.
So my dear Mary used to tell me {
sainted mother, and point me to her
IN the skies, away above the sun, and I
aud stars. And then l would gaze III
the sky and wonder if my angel mothI
brothers in heaven were not looking
and smiling and beckoning me aw,
their far-away, happy home.