Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-11


has piously retired to the shades and quiet 81
of home, to enjoy in the bosom of his fami-
ly the tranquil retirement of an old age, \
which his silvery locks betoken is fast p
creeping upon him. o! what a happy $
home is ours. t
But therei is a stranger visiting our home, L
who, to Judge blythe modest blush and win t
ming smile of Mary, is not an unwelcome
guest to her, while the frank, cordial greet C
ings he meets with at the hands of my q
father, give assurance that he is worthy of :
the courtesies and confidence he receives
there. And l often look upon him with |
childish curiosity, land wonder why he comes
so often. And then he will take me on
his knee, and tell me of foreign lands, and
teeming cities, and tranquil lakes, and
stormy ocean-and a thousand things new
and delightful to my youthful ears. And
l loved Harry Leslie and his pretty stories.
But | was jealous when | saw how much
of my Mary's time he monopolized and
would look with strange curiosity as they
would wander alone, arm linked In arm,
among the wood and along the fowery
bank of the beautiful rill that laughed and
danced over its pebbly bed at the foot of
the hill, and wondered why some excuse
was always made why I mast not go. And
| would steal and peep into the parlor door,
and try and catch the soft muTmuring words
that came from beneath the heavy damask
curtains of the western window that looked
out upon the dewy lawn, all bright and
glittering in the silvery moonlight. And
| felt sad, oh so sad, and the tears would
come into my little eyes, and | could not
tell why.
And then l would wander to the hall,
and climbing on Papa's knee would ask him
why my Mary did not take me in her arms,
as was her custom, and sing the sweet lul-
labys that had these many years lqlled me
into peaceful slumbers. And then | would
ask my good Papai if my Mary did not love
the stranger better than her little pet Inez,
else why did she not leave him and come
to me. And then the large drops of
tears would gather in his eyes, and he would
pat me on my baby cheek and call me his
own dear pet and darling, and sing me
songs of wars and conquest. And Iwenld
listen; but they were not like my dear
Mary's songs, and | would wonder and won
der why she did not come and sing to me
And still the stranger would come, and
Mary seemed so happy with him, and
would wonder and wonder.
One day | saw my Papa and the stran
ger in the parlor together, and they stai<
there a long time, but Mary was not there
;. And / ran to seek her, and found her il
our own little room, crying! l at ono,
thought the stranger had made my dea
Mary cry-and I hated him!
/ ran Immediately to the Parlor to te
, my Papa and make him drive the strange
T away, for making my Mary unhappy. Br
9 the tears were raining down his furrowe
y cheeks, while he held the stranger by th
hand and said-Take her Harry, and |
: happy. You are worthy of one another
g and may God bless you both" And Il
/ stranger was weeping too.
n Overwhelmed with astonishment I rus
L ed back to my sister and told her, Pal
W had ordered the stranger TO take her ava
"a She clasped me to her bosom, and criC
"a the more and more-and l cried too,
le knew not why but all else were cryin
III And | wondered and Wonderedi
'n And after this strange and e~ventful da
my Mary seemed much more absorbed
Id thought and engaged in making many
es rangements | had not seen before. T
milliner and dress makers were often at O
us house, and a beautiful white satin robe "
nj being made and fitted to her symmetri
re form. And she would gaze at me and G.
ne and lift the veil from before the portrait
lis, our sainted mother and weep. My M
nQ xvac aviJaptlu oOrrOuu6,1 orJ xyo& che II
NY not unhappy-for she always smiled a
,m was cheerful when the stranger came
And l wondered and wondered.
Time wore on, and after a few we,
my there were evident signs that a great fe
10 was to be at our house! And / clapl
lll- my hands in childish glee as l saw
tasted the many sweet-meats and q
1he things that were accumulating there.
And went to my good old Nurse
asked her the meaning of all these thi
and she told me of the strangers |
lgel for my Mary, and of how Mary loved h
ne That our good Papa had given away
De Mary to the Stranger-that there wa
IN be a great wedding the morrow, and g
an old Father Ward, whom we all so de-
10r- loved and so long had heard pray
Dy preach in the old brick church near
=. was to give my Mary away-of how
Ine Papa would put her hand into that of
nau stranger and ask Gods blessing upon Il
ing of how the stranger would take hel
orn, his home and she would be has Mary,
Oet they would live and love together.
90 And l wondered ifMary would leave
I;G- darling Inez," as she loved to call
|, 20 and her kind old Papa in his decli
,or+ years, and take up her abode in the b
d7 of the stranger. And they told me
"a would, and be h~appy-but she would {
III a-time and see us, like another visitor
stranger-that she would still love as.
l could not see how this could be-a
!. 20 wondered and wondered,
The next day l gazed in silent VIC
fear upon the mysterious scenes passing b
! tbv me. | saw the bridal robe, and veil,
right wreath !; gay and happy was the ira
N ON bridesmaids that aided in the prepar
Thou for the joyous occasion. The evening {
Come and with it the groom and his attend
,sed the reverend Parson, and the mum
) our throng of invited guests. saw them
IN the centre Of our spacious hall an
ed my Father give his daughters, my NJ
NJ hand away heard the good man
owav @Wilt thou take this man whom you
lone by the hand to be thy lawful and WI
-otbe. husband, and forsaking all others
only unto him" l saw her, my