Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-03-10

mothers picture How much Younger.
how much fairer she looked, than the child
rho gazed upon her. The bright lips
eemed parted, as if just about to speak,
md you could seem to see the youth-light
IN her brow, the joy-light in her eye
rSuch and so beautiful will she smile on
sae in heaven" murmured, as gazed.-
hen drew from my bosom another face.
always wore the lccket Reginald had.
sung about my neck, but it was year
ilnce had suffered myself to look upon
his features. Iopened'i it now. NV heart
vas very calm. No. pebelhoas longings
disturbed it; no tide Of passion agitated
IS tranquil waters. looked upon his pic
tured face, with its happy, beaming smile,
rut as the semblance OF one whom should
Zee in heaven. At that moment | heard a
Itep in the hall. 1t quickened my pulses,
Is had not thought sound Of earth ever
iould. The door opened, and Reginald
Percy was on his knees beside me. He
sirew me to his bosom, and kissed me as in
pther days. But sprang from his arms.
Reginald" [ sail, cousin Reginald,
ss this right? You forget what is due to
Inc, and still more, what is due to another"
Isa," he answered with reproachful sad
.less, "could do this Have not always
respected you as fully as have loved youl
Tou told me | might seek You here, when
trouble came upon me, andyou would share
t. | have come to claim your PROMISE
hare no wife -
" Is Marion dead 2" l asked, turning pale
and shuddering.
"Worse than that Isa. Death would
aave been mercy. lam divorced man.
Is that right, Reginald" 2"
" For one cause, yes And I had sucha
FEARFUL, disgraceful cause. as pray heaven
;nay never come to your pure ears. lisa,
ilaye no right to ask vou 10 marry divor-
ced man, but oh, if you would but be the
mother to Marion's unhappy child, my
soor little orphan Bell. ann but punish
ID as deserve. should have seen that
sove such as ours absoved me from my
.ow; that had no right to immediate your
sappiness and my own. | did not love
tiarion lllsEey, and never should have
married her. Perhaps, had her husband
foved her more, she never would have fall
en-. Oh, may heaven forgive me, for my
.ins have been terrible ~
And would you wed me now spite of
III Z duak uaiksa iHp sIPIjHg 5eus. through my tears
ife itself to call you NINE Oh, Isa, you
ought to hate me. Can you love me p
My only answer was the word" Wait"
went hurriedly upstairs, and returning
| placed in his hand my mothers marriage
certificate and my fathers letter. He grew
| pale as death while he read thens and lay
ing them down, he calculated
Good heavens, Isa, whcndid these come
to your knowledge?"
at will be six yearsago, in three weeks"
"And you never told me Oh, lisa, can
| forgive you9 You might have saved me
then 1t was before my engagement to
poor Marion
"No, Reginald I had seen a notice Of
i your engagement in the morning paper,
before | found them, and that is why did
not tell you"
That notice, Isa, was base fabrication,
put iB, as / learned afterwards, by the la
dy's friends. Marion seemed very much
hurt about it, and this was one of the
greatest reasons married her. l feared
; her reputation might suffer, and | DO be-
r heve she loved me then, as well as such
2 a woman can love. Alas, Isa, now your
birth is established and you are legal
: mistress Of the Hutchison estate, l cannot
!, dare not, ask you to shadow yeur bright
e path with the gloom, wherein my feet must
/ walk. must give you up. And God
e knows it is bitter. | had built such hopes
II on this last. meeting"
II "And why notp' Ifelt the Odd sunshine
; stealing back TO my face, as | asked the
IS question.
d He looked at me wildly
y "Isa," he said, " Isa, yol would not trifir
< me, it is not in your nature. Such as l am
d ,ciH you trust me! WI you be m,
Il wier'
let "Yes!"
And Bells mother"
aYesr
y Oh, cannot write about that hour.
s was too pure-too bright. | was his owl
at at last. he caught me passioaatAy to. hi
q bosom. He murnured blessings over m
= be rained kisses upon my brow-he cal
.i- ed me thousand times his wife, his ange
10 his own through all
- The next day we were married. Reg
maid was,an impatient lover. Our We
-. ding WISH very quiet one- Good, kiI
~ DIR. Hamilton gave me away, and the Gle
H. gyman's blue-eyed daughters were n
- bridesmaids. Three months afterward
- - was in Paris with my husband. He "
IL - sent for.to miserable attic, and the crur
| pied note which summoned him wassignt
- -, 0Marion." | accompanied him, and stan
!; ing over that dying bed, learned the bes
= = tiful meaning Of that petition in the LORD
Prayer Forgive us our trespasses, as
forgive those who trespass against US"
~ The roses of Province are blooming no
nae upon the grave OF the outcast penitent.-
oN Her death-sleep is calm and tranquil. IV
re- lovely, dark-eyed children cling to II
i iia. knees and call me 1Mothes," and with the
lau ever comes my older darling, poor Mario
: IN Illsley's-cllild, lifting to my face IN swe
lie confidence the untroubled azure OF b.
doubtless eyes Ny husband. my Reg
one ald.-is drawing away my paper, and puihr
use. INV pen from nv fingers. The sun is z
lich ;ng mo down, trailing after him the lsngthe
led, ;nS robe of bis glory, and must 60 o
uiet mon the terrace to watch the young mo-
tol rise. THE KND.