Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-08-25

Her voice trembled, her head dropped, /
and in spite Of her self command, she
burst into tears.
"Fannie sister Fannie !" !,
"Don't mind me; / am weak, nervous
foolish. ! shall soon be better but it
makes me so very unhappy to see you all
at enmity. / had hoped, when l came
among you, to have been the olive branch,
but"
"FanHie! dear sister Fannie !" he ex-
claimed, walking up and dswn the room,
"you have beehive are ire-brands pluck
ed from the burning. You have said all
that any one could have said yes, and
done all that could have been done never
repeated any malicious speech, selected all
the wheat that could be culled from the
chat. You have softened my obdurate
heart. | have done wrong; you have
shown to me the way of return, If Jessie
will come forward and forgive and forget,
then will J."
But Fannie knew that it was not so ca
sy to make Jessie be the first to own her
errors and forgive. The brothers had done
much to make the division wider, in the
way Of hints and malicious whisperings
and'she continued weeping so wildly and
Historically, that the elder brother cndeav-
ored to console her, and was glad when
Harwood came, and lifting her in his arms,
carried her up to her room.
When he returned, the elder brother
still stood by the fireplace. He turned
and spoke.
Fannie is very fragile and pale. Is she
not well 2"
mot very. This family feud troubles
her. She has taken it to heart. When
we we:e first married, she told me a dozen
plans she had made for your reunion, and
made me a party to them, but now"
He sighed the elder brother sighed
more deeply both were silent the fire.
light leaped up, lighting the room; a fierce,
~avenging blaze then died ont, and all
was gloom. Where were the thoughts of
that elder brother They were wander
ing among the graves of the past. In his
imagination, new ones were there the
names on the tomb-stoDes were familiar;
the thirteen we're all there twelve sleep
ing his the only restless, wandering spirit.
Fannie stood before him, her face pale and
fearful. She pointed to the graves, and
said, sadly, "This is the end of all earthly
things" That night he knocked at the
door of his sisters mansion but gained nc
admittance.
The anniversary Of Fannie's bridal wa
the counterpart of the original. Sum,
and genial, with here and there a whit
cloud floating near the horizon, denotinI
a long and happy married life, with bu
threatening troubles. How was the pre-
phecy realized? Like all riddles of earth
ly solution, to the contrary?
The eight brothers, with faces of ster
grief in the same old corner, side by side
the five sisters sobbing, fearful and quit
: overwhelmed with sorrow, sat opposite
Their eyes were fixed upon the same pal
HARDWOOD knelt beside a couch in the mi
: die Of the room, and there lay Fannie; b
!. how changed! They had all been snl
; moned there. to see that new sister depa
: for another world to see the young brea
grow fainter and fainter; the bright ey
i close forever on them and their love, O
Q mystery of Life! thee we can know al
understand; but, mystery of Death, da
5 and fearful, only thy chosen ones can col
g prehenG thee. We walk to the verge
+ the valley of the shadow of death wi
IT those We love but there our steps &
stayed, and we look into the black We
u with wonder and despair. Oh faith /!
Il We come not then to the rescue, that de-
% is eternal.
Thus felt the thirteen all older, ca
4" worn, world-weary, standing beside
mere child-sister Of the family, whose S
he of life was setting from their view behi
u an impossible mountain.
" The sweet face was calm, but a /
III tic flush lay upon her cheek, as thor
es some life-cord still bound her to earth.
;: "My child" said the old, white. hal
De physician, 'if you have aught to say, sp
now when you will awaken from
"; sleep this draught will produce, it I
then be too late.
Ter any darling Fanny" said the knee
HARDWOOD, 'for my sake let nc thought
d earth disturb you all will be we'll if
a His voice was broken. He bowed
he head upon the wasted hand he held,
Ne wept.
ng, "All UiUbe well" she said, smiling fl
- ly. l feel it now. Jessie, and you, G
brother, come near; nearer yet. l
lad you both, love you all. Having no
tives of my own, my husbands are do
airs mine. My heart, since our marriage
has been living in the hope of Jour re
Citation. l was too young; l under
too much. wept when my health b
to fail l did not then know that God
lew giving me my wish. l would have
to to have seen you all happy. He has b
axe my prayer, the sacrifice is made, l go
the Ply. Jessie, my dying wish is to see
uid once more the forgiving girl you
the when you knelt with your brothers at
SIN mothers knee. Oh the chain of fl
love is never SO rudely broken but i
her, be renewed. Jessie, the young lover,
sis who died in his youth would counse
Has to forgive. The beloved parent ,
ster- whisper, love thy brother as thyself
e. who bore the the cross said Father fc
dens them Jessie, a weak, dying
are begs you, for her sake, to be true to
!" self"
Jessie fell upon her brothers necl
hu- wept. One universal sob arose fro