Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-11-10
gaAits' 9tPartmtnt,
For the Spirit Of the Age.


For the Spirit Of the Age.
Madora Whiteolife.-A Character.
A strange unearthly light
Cleaned out from those dark eyes;
And shadows fitted DER her face
Like clouds DER summer skies.
Madeira Whitcclife vas a strange girl.
s. sid her mother, her sisters, and all who
knew her. Madora loved music, painting
and poetry. And her check would flush
aud her dark eyes flash at the sight Of a
statue. And often at the sunset hour she
would roam away into the %churchyard to
lie alone among the dead
TO watch the dew-drop silent fall.
Ger The pulseloss heart. the dreamless head,
Where hope once beat dull cares retreat,
Where the sky ofloye its star-rays shed.
Where the evening zephyrs sigh more softly
Than they do on brighter flowers,
And the thoughts, this sacred spot invites,
Are purer than those in fairer bowers.
She would sit musiug for hours at the
graves. Twilight often stole upon her;
and when this happened, she would start
NJ with the vague feeling that somehow
she had done wrong. On reaching the
threshold Of her home, her cars were inya-
Mriably greeted with-"XhY mYdsar.chid,w
AWs~cgvs 5ee6T Twas jlsfg UngH
TO send for YOU"
s"Mwber," says sister Anna, vi do think
1t is decidedly wrong for MADEIRA to be PERI
mitted to 60 to the graveyard alone; and
20 often too; it is exceedingly #imprudent
to say the least Of it,"
at certainly is highly improper. A
daughter Of mine should not do it," said
sister Mary.
"Madora knows it is against my wishes"
replied her mother. "She las always been
so; was always gloomy and fond Of being
much alone. | have noticed it from her
childhood. She was never like other chill
drcu." Aud Mrs. Whitecliife sighed deep
ly; she imagined that MADEIRA was cold
and L~oartlcss, for she was not a woman of
penetration, nor a good Judge Of character.
She looked only upon the surface of her
child's disposition, and that indeed would
have impressed any one with the idea of
coil-heartedncss for MADEIRA seldom be-
trayed feeling Of any kind. She sometimes
laughed, and frequently smiled; land who
docs not y but that smile came as often in
sad hours as in times Of gayety. And it
would have taken ain accomplished reader
Of hearts to tell when it came freely or was
forced. She had her own thoughts and
notions about things, Qikc every body else,)
yet she seldom expressed her opinion, for
it WAS almost certain to be ridiculed. She
consequently took refuge in silence, wisely
thinking it would be best not to expose hel
thoughts to those who could not, or woulC
not understand them. And very Otter
when her disposition-her peculiar, anC
20 them unpleasant traits Of character
were discussed and lamcntcd by her moth
er and sisters, in her presence, Ga thin!
they ought never to have done,) she woul,
sit apart, si,eut(earclcss, they thought,O an,
sigh deeply. 70 them it was a sigh c
vocation hut il vas not so it was a sig
Of utter loneliness and her silence almos
partook OF the nature Of despair. She "a,
they did not know her, and she bowed he
head and dropped u tear at the sad conyit
ton.
Oh! would that they did but know NJ
II they could only know with what hol
voices the flowers whisper to newt
what sad pleasure ! hear the winds moa
over the grayes-aud what grand, bcaut
fl lessons / learn from the green pages
Nature-they would not-they could n,
strive to make me Indifferent to them. b
they look not upon these things as | do
For me, there is music in every purlir
stream which moauders through yond
meadow and holy voices mingling wi
every breeze that means through yond
grove Of oaks. And when the glorious su
before sinking to s.umber on bis weste
couch, sends out his goodnight smiles Il
on this beautiful land, they know not wi
what rapture ] gaze upon the gorgeo
scene. And when the Moon follows on
soften and cool SOILS burning track with |
calm soothing suilcs-oh! they can ne,
know the feelings with which | hail I
sweet palc.faced Luna; she whowith sno
hand spriuklcs the sparkling dcw-drops
over the earth, healing the wounded, a
reyiying the dropping olsprings Of Natr
which have dropped beneath the ii,
splendor of the despotic king and ruler
day. Bcautcous Queen Of Night!
thy pale brow / see the serene tranquil
which is ever the companion Of pure, h
natures, aud in the ,instinctiyo deyot
with which my heart turns to thee, |
kAt lpNG NhlGh oNlCh hdlNACS hSNCI ldl
inspire"
Madora's bosom heayed, her 5r
though burning, was pale, and her {
flashed with that peculiar light which m
her seem 50 strange to all who at S
times bchcld her. The moonbeams
crept through the lattice work into
chamber and lay silently on the foo
her feet, She felt that she must 90
Nothing but the free winds could coax
cloud from off her brow the dew-d
alone could quench the thirst Of her res
soul. Her eyes must behold the 20
rs they plant themselves in the moonli
Her cars must drink in again the 10,
.quid-tones Of the wooing night zephyr
''The trial is yain," she murmured
cannot, cannot be what they would
me be. / cannot coniine my though
earth and the every day realities of Ii
Despite of me my spirits wing will