Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-07-14

ar my lSeler. my father lie cried
Let me die too! am so lonelyr'
Don't cry" whispered Flora in the
tenderest tones of her sweet voice. ~ will
DC Your sister! Papa will lie your father p
"Oh Flora" he cried, ~yon are SO kind
ana good! | will strive to be calm, but |
cannot forget him! Never! Never"
Poor Eugene! He was left an orphan
upon the world, with no idolizing parent
70 soothe his sorrow or to point his bovish
heart to the noble, beautiful aud good
let ne loved to listen to the low tones o.
the gentle Flora, as she vainly attempted
70 soothe his grief. He loved to wander in
the grove aud gaze ont upon the shining
surface OF the water, with her by his side.
Her sunny smiles and Joyous -countenance
seemed alone able to tighten the gloom,
cast over his spirit. He was indeed treated
by his adopted parents with all the tender.
ness Of their kind and noble natures /; but
ne secretly sighed for the tender caresses
Of a fond mother and the protecting hand
OF an indulgent father.
Flora and Eugene spent their childhood
days with but few acquaintance. The
singing birds, the opening flowers, and ali
the bright offspring of a fertile earth and
oaImy, air were their companions. The
rustling of the leaves as the wind stole
through the tree tops /; the low roar Of the
waves breaking upon she sandy beach; and
the mournful coo of the turtle dove. ta1oht
them the sweet and soothing music of Ma
t1re' 1t is true they were not wholly des-
t1tute OF neighborsi for Flora often visited
Fanny Rynders, a beautiful, sunpy-eyed
little girl, whose fatheFsresidence Eas not
far from that of Mr.. Beaumont. Flora and
Fanny were near the same o and MIGHT
have been from the resemblance appro1ri-
ately named Evening and Morning. Flora
with her mild blue eyes and golden locks
could have well been compared to the rich
varied beauty of a summer morn. While
Fanny with her raven curlS dark eve and
Grecian countenance, would have riyaled
IN beauty the glowing tints and golden HUGS
OF evening. My little maid of the evening
was the daughter of a wealthy planter, who
had sometime previous taken up his resi-
dence on the island. Flora had scarcely
awakened from her happy dream of child
hood, before she found herself standing up-
on the verge of womanhood. The warm
blood OF htteen umne rushed tbrouoh
her veins and tinged her check with all the
blushing tints OF the full blown rose, She
was no longer the simple, artless child
which we have before seen her. but a vouno
and beautiful girl, with allthose graces and
manners which always captivate our at
tentlon. aShe was not, it is true. what
could be called a fashionable beauty, but
she possessed that inimitable grace and
strange power of fascination, which in So
clety would have surrounded her with nu-
merous admirers. The eyes which beamed
with the holy light of love and kindly feel
ing from between her long eve iashes.
seemed to be the very windows of her soul
50 clearly did they betray her every emo
ton.
Flora had never been sent away to school,
but had received all her education from her
parents and private instructors.
Eugene too had grown to be a tall, finely
formed youth ark-eyed and handsome
tic had long since forgotten the grief of his
childhood, and had learned to love with all
the fervor of his soul the good and beautiful
Flora. lie loved to wander alone upon the
sandy beach and commune with his own
tnoughts-tne falling Leaf, the signing wind.
Ills whole SOU was wrapped up in the un-
quenchable flame of passion. Her gentleness
ana ndness had long since won his heart.
put ne had Kept the secret of his love shut
up IN the secret receSseS of his own bosom.
had always been to him as a sister. He
knew not her heart. He had never vet de-
clared his love. Sometimes he feared she had
given her affections to another, and only re-
garded him as a brother. These THOUGHTS
haunted him continually. Did she know how
.long-how truly he had loved her Would
she discard him Could the bright being of
his day-dreams do a deed, which would make
his life a burdenS She might love him. He
did not know.
No face was SO beautiful, no form SO grace
full as his own Flora's. He loved to cali her
and press her miniature to his heart.
when alone. The restless breakers roared but
to tell him of hergoodness. The stars twink
led in the sky but to remind him of the LIGHT
of her eyes. Golden sunlight glanced upon
the water, but to speak of her smiling coun-
tenance. All that was beautiful and lovely
was to him, as the gentle island maiden.
One calm summer evening he sat beside her
IN the tall, vlne-wreathed portico of the old
homestead, and while the pale, trembling
moonlight, streaming through the thick foe.
liage, lit up her beautiful face with tints more
divine, more holy, he took her soft white hand
in his own and looking into her eyes so Sc
e and eloquent, said; Flora do YOU know
that love you? How long how truly I
have loved your Oh! dearest, from the time
when you leaned above my couch long wears
ago, and looked so kindly into my face and
endeavorcd so lovingly to soothe nv trou-
spirit, | have loved you-madly, deeplv
devotedly loved you'll Tell mo! Oh! tell
me! may dare hope? Or shall another
possess the rich boon of your love? Will Won
me, to pine in miseryP Does the warm
OF affection flow ia another direction
leave me lone and desolate, upon the arid
OH Flora tell me! tell me truly ="
"~Eugene!" she said, bursting into tears
you are well worthy of an angels love. I'll
know you are sincere! | have known Won
loved me for a long whilel Tread it in vour
eyes. l felt it in your tones. / saw it in
manner. have loved you as a brother
Ask not for morei / cannot regard Won in
any other capacity. / do not love Won mas
slonately. | cannot love you! will pitv
you! Then drawing her hand from his trem-
bling. grasp, she passed into the parlor and
left him alone.
1t is unnecessary to say, that Eugene was
.retched, For a long time he sat and looked