Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-01-27
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one dfeaFy Mght, Wnen Lhe MAhbeh "hius
were rudely wailing amournful dirge around
their little cottage. BY the pale pensive
face Of the mother, one might plainly per-
ceive that soon that bright-eyed girl would
be motherless.
Mother, will father come to night -
lie will die, if he stays out"
Il do not know, my child. hope he
will come Try, my dear, to make the
room comfortable, ready for his return
And all that her fond loving heart could
prompt, and her little hands could do, was
qaickly done, to render the room cheerful
and pleasant. Then sitting by her moth
er's side, she diligently studied her lessons
for the next day, listening in vain for the
well known steps, and throwing aside her
books she gazed into the fire, which was
casting It's cheerful shadows over the sweet
sad face Of the once beautiful Mrs. Linwood.
Lilly" she whispered, Il fear Henry will
not com tonight. Listen to me, my child.
| am fast passing away. Perhaps in a few
DAYS | shall be sleeping peacefully in the
grave. | wish to have a long conversation
with you before | 90 to that pure and
where sorrow will never come. You are
very young, Lilly, to be left without a
mother to guide you but remember Him
whose goodness has blessed you thus far
but promise me, my child, that you will
not forsake your poor father when | am
gone. No one else will care for hilnk Let
your love then be the light which shall cast
its radiance over his dreary path. Will
YOU promise me this, Lilly 2"
YES, mother, | will never, no never,
leave him, while he lives"
A heavy step on the threshold and the
husband and father stood there before his
invalid wife and peerless child. Not clothed
with the mantle of honor, the bright signet
of manhood written on his high brow, rea-
DIV to defend and support his dear ones, but
furnished with mud from the gutter, with
the seal Of the destroyer impressed on his
burning cheeks, he entered the sanctuary
Of home to profane it with low curses, to
utter wretched, impious words which his
pure chilA should never have heard.
But Henry Linwood was not HIMSELF
lie had n the bacchanalian feast bowed low
before the fiery rum god, and he had come
forth a polluted man. The tears ran dow
the pale cheeks Of his wife as he seate'
himself by the fire, terrifying his poor it'll
daughter by his strange, impetuous word
first Wild and startling, then soft and a
fectionate-bringing to her mind, a brigh
dream of long months ago, when he ha
loved her so well and called her his darlin
Lilly. "Lilly," he stammered, don't
afraid of your poor father. ] don't thin
you love him as you once did" Like
frightened dove, she went and put her Ii
tic arms around his neck, and leaning h
- ..l.tc fac .~o.nc4 4hn oOavea rod 70,
Of the inebriate, she said; "yes | do lov
you, father only when you say such drea
fl words | am afraid of you"
Soon the little girl, seemingly pacific
by the unusual kindness of her father, we
to her little bed and was soon asleep, al
not long after Mrs. Linwood perceived tn
her husband had fallen into the brute-li
sleep which always followed his fits of
toxication. But sleep came not to I'll
wife and mother. Memory .wqs faiihs,l
her trust, bringing to her mine the beat
full dream Of youth, the spring time OF
hopes. Visions Of past scenes OF happin
rushed magic-like before her. The magn
cent home Of her youth was visible to /
through the vista Of dark years which |
laid low her fondest hopes, which had $
her parents turn from her with no K
parting blessing, because she had 81
that precious jewel, a woman's first love
one poor aud unknown to fame. The
wears of her married life were happy,
cause she had the earnest love of her
hand. But clouds came at first III
then dark and lowering, p%ortending
final destruction of love and happlnes
Tempters came in pleasant garb, as IAN
of light persuading her husband that
was too much of q recluse-society ma
claims on him-he would find it to his
VANTAGE ta -ning~lsa@~aSt~SS-tH rrnt !
world-they who meet around the 81
board and soon forget that God has II
them only a "littlc lower than the ang
and sink themselves far below the b
creation.
lie yielded to their solicitations. Al
midnight hour the young wife sat and
over the declining scene of her happi
while the husband was drinking-drin
his reason away, and those miserable
pies for human blood were silently con,
ulating themselves with the thought
he proved such an easy victim to theil
farious designs, anG the rum-seller
chucking over his gains. Months pa
by. Sadder and still sadder grew the h
and paler the cheek of the once beau
Ellen Linwood the fond woman who, a
years before, left father, mother, friends
wealth, for the chosen one Of her he
happy though all the world frowned ON
If he would smile and call her his
Nellie. But now the sunlight of his 81
was datkencd for her, and the pre-,
treasure of his love was as q Jewel lost
ever. And this night, as she revi,
these past scenes, she felt, oh too Ike
that she was that slowly thing, a dr.
ards wife " and Lilly, her " beau
child, once her fathers darling, W
drUnkdrdS child
= = y = y 4
Not long did the feeble light of
Linwood's eyes shed their gentle rad
on little Lilly. Soon those bright
closed in death and Lilly was left alo
the world with an inebriate father.
when the shades of death were ste
over her, she, true to her woman's I
forgot not her only love, though he
lying intoxicated in the room, all vi
scious that his best and truest friend
sinking into the dreamless grave. /"
my 1arlinn foil Lio, taIl -. cAl