Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-02-17
From the American Messenger.
THE FIRST BALL.

= A-~@ -
Ellen p was sehool-mate of mine,
and lovelier girl never knew. She was
the child of wealthy parents, beautiful and
accomplished, and so amiable that none
could know without loving her. We we're
in the same classes, and as there was but
little difference in our ages, close friend
ship soon sprung up between us
Towards the close of the fall term she
came to me one day with an open note in
her hand. It was an invitation to ball
from George S., one Of the most ac-
complished young men in the village
q But you are not going, are you n said !. |
q Why not?" she asked. at is to be
DANCING party" | replied. That is just |
the reason why want go. have new
er attended ball, and | want to 90 JUST
THIS ONCE, to see what it is"
tried to persuade her not to CO. but in /
vain. Her mind was made up, and when
the evening came she went. Alas poor
Ellen. Unused to the gayeties OF such an
assemblage, she was bewildered and capt.
yated by the glitter and show, and deceiv-
ed by the studied compliments and honied
smiles lavished upon her. For days after
the ball she was in a state Of feverish ex-
citement, and did little else but talk about
what she saw and heard there. tried to
reason with her, but she wOnld not listen
10 me.
+ Weeks passed, and whenever there was
ball or party Ellen was sure to 60. At
!, first she seemed to enjoy IT, but after a
while the giddy excitement lost something
of its power, and she began to think seri-
ously Of the course she was pursuing.
I One day | SURPRISED her in tears, and up
ON iRquiring the cause, she frankly told me
that she had been reviewing her life for
the last few months, and regrctting her
many mispent hours.
And you are now resolving to do bet
ter9" Not yet; cannot make that re-
: solve till after Christmas. ! have an en-
gagement for Christmas eve, and Imust
go this once more" she replied. But
you can ask to be excused No, no, it
will not do; +; must keep my promise, and
90 ONCE more; but | have solemnly re-
, solved that this ball shall be my last.n
And it WAS her last ball, for that eve
]. ming she took cold which brought on a
! fever, and after two weeks Of dreadful suf-
: fering she died. If you could have stood
|. by that death-bed as did, and heard the
: bitter cries that went up from that despair
- ing soul, you would never wish to attend
!, ball.
! ! We tried to point her to the Lamb o.
: : God, but she felt that she had grieved the
7 Holy Spirit and in reply to all we could
!, say, she would exclaim in the depths o
) agony No, 20; there is 80 hope for me
= l am lost, LOST FOR EVER !" At otheI
: times, she wonld beg piteously of us moi
: : to let her die. -
= Two days before her death, as | stooC
by the bedside, she looked up and called
~ my name. asked her tenderly what sh.
;. wanted, and she burst into tears, exclain
ing, F" oh, if had but listened to your ad
vice! That FIRST BALL has been my ru
40 n.' tried to comfort her; assured he
that there was hope even in the eleventh
hour, and told her the story of the thief oil
= the cross. But she would not believe, sh'
: would not look up to the blessed light
= and thus she died, not as the Christial
dies As unused upon the sad end of El
4. lcls nisHeu III llg ieshS lAde ali tiAS WIN
= know her mournful history.
Y The first ball Oh, it has ruined no
/. only this one, but thousands, who, had the,
y given their hearts to the Saviour. woul,
- have been ornamentsto society, and bright
- - ly shining lights in the world. 1t IS lik
~ the first glass of brandy, instead of satisfy
"A ing it brings ON an increased desire 70
~ more; and as general thing, the oftene
= young people attend such parties, the NOR
=, they become enslayed as it were to then
= and the more difficult they find it to II
: form. If you are in the habit of attenC
n n ing balls, stop VOW. Do not tanper wit
au "a consie and peril your soul by sayin:
- JUsT ONCE MORE" hut resolve to live fc
higher, nobler purposes. Give your hea
i. to the dear Saviour, who is waiting to pa
~ ! y don, and to live so that when your sun
" mons comes you can go checrfully to We;
the spotless robe and starry crown, whiC
await all the redeemed beyond the pear
gates of paradise III. J. 7.