Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-25

on, vet May Is SelQOm SAD. a3 UNITE -
saaA~wecf
she music Of silvery bells L:
But Carrie Belmont, who Sits in the
cushioned chair before the fire, is de-
the beauty of the party. Beauty
is stamped p 0 that fair dreamy face,
dweIls in every curl of that black hair,
flashes from those wild, dark eyes, and
slumbers in the Grecian curves of that ex-
quisite mouth and softly moulded chin;
and the form reclining so carelessly in the
old fashioned chair, Is queenly IN It's statu-
esque repose.
Ada Delaney, who sits in the other cor
ner in a large rocking chair, with her soft
hazel eyes wandering from Carries beauti-
fnl face to May and me, in our quiet corner,
is not the least lovely of my three friends.
The braids of her rich dark auburn hair
fall with a calm, quiet grace over the intel
lectual purity of her brow and give her face
a look Of picture-like beauty. Fair, and
pale, and still is that sweet face that could
not be called beautiful, if eontrasted with
Carries. Yet the longer one looked at
her the more firm would have been the
conviction, that were a smile to soften the
serious expression of those small lips, that
it would be like the electric power of a gol-
den sunbeam and we who love her, know
that exquisite is the glow of spiritual love-
! illness, that can, and does sometimes break
over her pale sweet face.
! For a long time quiet and still did we
, sit around my cheerful freside and dream
: ed way in delicious stiffness the hours OF
= that clear, cold autumn night. | looked
" around from one fair face to another, and
. tried if could not read some of the chan
ges that had transpired in the inner world
y of the beating heart, since we had last met;
u for we four friends had been schoolmates
y together, and had not seen each other save
May and |, since last we had parted on the
= door steps of the seminary where we were
; educated. Carrie sat threading her white
? fingers through theglossy rings o her black
:" curls, and ever and anon low cummings o.
thrown back and her large dark eyes flash
ed lustrously, or were vailed beneath their
long lashes; a smiling look of happiness
and hope resting upon her face, denoted thai
what ever were the meditations of the rest
y of us, there was nothing in hers to quicker
NO into a sigh the regular heavings of her ex
'" quisite bust. | looked long at May lean
IN ing her soft cheek upon her open palm, ant
f,I her long soft curls hanging from brow t.
waist, and a curious question rose in M
mind, whether or not the kiss of betrotha
vas had left that look of serious tenderness up
on those small lovely bps of hers. Ad
zen looked across at me, and that rare exqul
ow site smile of hers curved her lips for an in
lad slant and she said,
lad 'Gertie, you have changed some since
rn- saw you last, but how or in what, | am q
ed a loss to decide for by the time | get firm
ave ly convinced you are changed, you put til
uld notion to flight by your old smile, the glar
t OF ces of your eyes, or the tone of your voice
ons and | find you are still Gertie Perry, as i
he days Nlang syne."
low "Ah! indeed, Ada, dear, amid so man
ion. of hfe's ever varying scenes, it would il
the deed be singular if alone remained til
7ers same.
10 "Why Ada should you deem it strange,
ana Should ], a hayward poet changer
;~5 As a poet friend of mine once said"
was silent for a moment and then resume
AZ in a lightertone, 1hope if there be a chang
~ it has been for the better, for there was i
~ deed wide ROOM" and l laughed, as | 70
and lighted a lamp, which at Carries e
claiming against, and declaring she bett
loved the shadowy fire light, l turned doy
and subdued yet more by a shade.
said Il think we are all changed since 0
cred schooldays," said Carrie, speaking grave
70 | feel in my heart that | am a differe
~ being from the Carrie Belmont, who us
,0i to dance and sing away the hours at Ga
led dale Seminary.
weet "Tll wager my existence, that not one
is Of US grouped around Gertrude's fire side t
evening, is in her maiden meditations f
cy free" said May smiingy.
ly to of not, we are changed then for thi
!; my we had not been particularly molested
fruit heart by any of the genas homo, when
e ap- left Oakdale," said l.
lips; Except indeed the image of a cert
hood, runaway cousin of Gertie's, who used
e left write her long, mysterious looking do
to 60 ments, bearing foreign post marks fir
star Ger the sea !" said Ada with a n
f his chievous light in her clear eyes.
ather "Or, Ada Delancy's heart was somew
d be impressed by the brilliant eyes of Fir,
a was Howord, a ward of her Papa's, who u
! and to attend our examinations with such ala
ayen- ing pertinacity" retorted Carrie malicit
'eturn ly.
tears She did not notice, but / did, the pa
IF the ofAda's cheek, and the look of sudden
return that crossed her brow. | think MAY
! faith it, for her soft eyes dweIt upon her fac,
,al. instant, then turning away said light
81 think we have all been more or
II dSo Loue-entangled ; l used to go to sleep,
the dream of a d~ark-eyed, ~curly-headed !
away boy, who used to send me amorous :
verses" and l am not quite sure, | |
i have ceased to dream of him YETI and N
did die own sweet LAUGH rang low and clear 7
of tbo stiffness of the room.
ries, a aNoTn said Carrie -0snnnoso wa 40