Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-09-15
gahits' 9sgarimtnt.
.Spor the Spirit Of the Age.
DREAMS OF D.
nY al o. coNTRIDUToR.

hushed, and shad0wy. sat upon the lIsc al
yine-wreathcd porch, watching the creep Il
inc shadows as they waved and mingled b
among the clms. b
No rrowy-moonbealn. fraught with sill K
very light, disturbed the brief reign OF pen C
sive twilight; no starjewel rested its quiv- h
erinr radiance upon her dark but yet beau |
tifnl brow. All, none Softly, silently, i
calmly. with her glow-tinted shades, and {
sweet musings, held she gentle sway over
her mortal hahitations. I.
Unthinlingly, my soul went out through
the dream-loying twilight, and opened a
pathway to the wciLbcloyed plains OF the
Past. that bo-beautiful shadow-laud Of the
heart. peopled with early owes aud dreams,
dim. distant, vet cherished forever-the
lost Paradise OF life. In those sunny, sill
yer DAYS. I attended tie beautiful and ru-
raj seminary Of T., with many young
and lovely companions. There arc among
schoolfirls generally three particular era
ces, without which presiding deltles the
temple of instruction must certainly be at
q losA aud orr seminary could boast OF all
three, naraeiy /; a beauty, a wit, and a blue,
all cdEaB iudispeusablcat their respective
affairs.
Mabel Loriusr, a stately, graceful Venus,
was our beauty and well she deserved
that favored appellatiou. She was a dark,
flashing, magnificent creature, endowed
with 4 rich, glowing complexion, jetty hair
and ewes, aud q certain halfpleasing, half
proud air, very winning to MS.
Fanny Traycrs was our blue, a quiet,
gentle girl, who studied her lessons suffi-
GENTLY ]toregitc for a Acknowledgements,
and who always pursued the even tenor OF
her way
But Nell -, sacey, wild Nell, she, the
merry. Misunderstanding hoyden, was the
most hlitlsomc, witty, little creature that
ever WAS enclosed within the walls OF a
seminary. She was our wit, the pleasure
builder and f]ayoritc Of all the school no
teacher could withstand her merry sallies
Of mock.coaxiugs no head or heart was
proof against her we.l-pointed shafts Of wit
aud sarcasm.
We loved them all three, each so differ
crent in her own sphcrc-Ncll, with her
yiIlful, capricious mrth Fannie so apt to
win a certain reserved corner in the heart;
and Mabel, 50 stately, proud, yet incompar-
ably beautiful.
One lovely afternoon IN summer Just DC
lore INC NttttlJN NA7 ~ Commence ~O''
Fannie Mabel and | sat chatting together
idly beneath the trees IN the park, oul
book living unopcucd beside us. For once
we had succeeded IN drawing FANNIE iron
her books and now we sat conversing to
rcthcr whilst awaiting our hour for recita
ton. We spoke ofour parting, and a shad
ow seemed to droop into Nelps flashing
evos and steal their smiles away. A though
seemed to strike her suddenly, and pickin
no one Of her books, she asked me for m
pencil.
Now, young ladies' said she, solemnl
with something Of her usual mock-grayit,
time or the m6un auu year; ahd frf6P6
that each one Of us shall write underneat
it their dearest wish-proyided they hay
any
We all applauded this singular freak, ar
each one appeared to obey.
Mabel Loriuer took the pencil first, al
thought for q moment, biting her coral j
Then she wrote, in a firm, smooth hand, Il
words, ~ queen to command writing h
name in fun beneath it.
Nell laughed a low, musical laugh as S
glanced at il. So shccried, thou would
be n Zenobia among thousands
Mabel answered the glance and the lau
with her proud smile, and bowed her he
gracefully. So beautiful she looked, tn,
that we could not blame her in our hea
for wishing thus.
Nell took the book with a grave air,
o slight blush sutIuscd her face as
wrote. There she cried, throwing b;
her head and tossing her bright ringl
that's q wish worth penning'' "A he
were the words traced upon the page,
the bewitching little authoress laughed
heartily rs if her spirit were free from
malice Of such a wish-a schoolgirl W
truly
Iwrote mine beneath il, and would h
avoided the scrutiny Of Nelrs dark eye.
Il were possible; but her quick ola
caught the words, y name,' and, witt
comical expression, she bent towards
whispering,
'Ah! thou shouldst not deceive thy r
like department and deyout face, my
mure maiden
The gentle Fannie took the book nj
q softencd shadow sutfused her sweet
and a pcusive expression rested in her
eyes; then she wrote beneath ours,
home As each one read this wish, a
tain sorrowfGl feeling disturbed our ga
1t seemed 80 ike a gentle reproof to
idle wishes; Cor Fannie was an orp
homeless aud loveless-alone in the W,
Two bright crystal tears trembled |
Nelrs silken lashes, and rolled down
crimson cheeks then dashing away,
surprised with herself, half-ashamed,
stroye to regain her former brilliancy.
Closing the book, she handed it to
saying earnestly-'lIerc, take this |
and remember me sometimes and il
ter years open it and read these wish
then turn to the reality, and see if
have been fulfllo1.'
/ have that book yet. | have k
sacredly ever since the Gay we parted
= Seminary. Yesterday, in
ing over some old papers in my escrit
came across this little memento of fr
ship. An emotion, sweet, yet mingled
pain, entered my spirit, as l gazed
those wellknown names and beloved |