Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-06-09
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rur ERRINa DAUGHTER,
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low much think OF him. Tm sure you yc
lon't seem a bit like my own Nnd mother' Of
does make YOU 50 set against Char-
ieyr nm AGAINST
Charles Ear from IL; | ana Sery anxious !.
ace the young man prosperous ana laPPy.
But he is not a man who could maxi my
DAUGHTER happy. She has taken a ever
isb fancy TO his handsome lace ana us !
Ioroc seal ring, aud ] have no doubt that
.bes believes her heart Win break as she
bids hiw a Gnal farewel-but, Alice, your
rpother bas lived more years than you have,
and has seen many broken hearts healed,
many floods Of tears dried, and you will
certainly sec the day in which you Will
sbonk nae for for5idding this union, and
breakinc off your intimacy with the young
mauH in question. You did very wrong not
10 apprise nc org ago Of what was gong
on. l. might have saved you both much
disappointment"
"But, mother, what have you against
Charles a.
"Ihave already told you that he has not
bcea properly drought ,un. 44ehasfS
education, nor has lie the force of ambition
60 seekfo for one. He has a violent and I'M
reasonable temper, and many ill-bred and
ungentlemanly ways. In short, he is not
by nature or education such a person as
could possibly satisfy the heart Of a refined
and sensitive woman, such as I hope my
daughter is becoming. Submit to your
mothers Judgment, my child. Has she
not always guided you in the path Of peace
and happinessT
Allie knew she had 50 guided her, but
in her present mood, she didn't want to
say 30. She therefore uttered some ungra-
cious thing about people who have mar
.ricd to suit themselves, always being 80 I'M
reasonable when other people want to do
the same thing.
The mother took no notice of this beha-
vior, thinking that Allie would, of herself,
soon see how ungrateful and disrespectful
she had appeared, and come and ask for
g%iveness. This had been from childhood
her usual course but Allie was changed
by the blind passion that had taken full
possession Of her. Mrs. Heath had no adj
equateidea Of thestrcngth Of her daughters
feeling.for Charles Hastings. If she had
been aware. Of the control that, by magnet
ism or some other means, the reckless
though attractiyelooking young man had
acquired over Alice, che would have felt
like Fastening with her from the circle o.
his baneful influence. As it was, she die
not worry at all. She felt grieved for the
sorrow which her daughter felt, but consol
ed herself with the idea that it would sooI
pass. Her child had never disobeyed her
and she did not dream that she would dc
so. What, then, was her establishment, a.
well as alarm and distress, when Allie wa
one morning missing from her chambei
and from her home. Her bed had no
been touched. Upon her pillow was
note directed to Mrs. Heath. Hurriedlv
tearing IL open, the grief-stricken paren
her TO elope with Charles Hastings. The
would be, back, the note said, as soon a
they were, married, and mother must tr
and forgive them. She was so good, the
weresurc that she would forgive them whe:
she knew they were really man and wife
and so ought to love each other.
Mrs. Heath sat down and had a battl
with herself. When she arose, it was wit
the determination to make the best Of
bad affair. She set the servants immedi
ately to work, to fit up n chamber for th
young couple, for she at once understoo,
that she was to have them both to tax
care Of. As for Charles Hastings eve
earning has ooon living; much less that
his wife, she was not so sanghine as to at
init such a thought for a moment.
When the bride and groom arrived
which they did before night-they foun
their pleasant chamber ready for them.
good supper awaiting them, and a kin
though very pale mother to receive them
but she wept when she wished them 10,
and her tears were not turned into rail-
bows, by the usual bridal smiles.
Don't cry, Old lady," said Hastings, j
what he meant for a gentle and %concilis
ting manner. at was rather sneakish T
steal Allie away by night, but then, yo
know, you wouldn't give her up, and II
sure Wouldn't give her ND, nor she m,
so twas the only thing we could do; bu
don't let us think any more about it. Yo
see we are safe back again, and Pm pei
fectly willing to let Allie live with YOU q
long as you want her. So what is there t
cry for after all ?"
Allie blushed crimson during this speecl
the first one of such familiar tone tha
Charles had ever addressed to Mrs. HEATH
That lady replied to the remarks of he
'son-in-law only by requesting him and hi
wite|to sit down to supper. Twenty hour
OF uninterrupted intercourse with Tasting
had not made him any more interesting Q
attractive in the opinion Of Allie. Sad t
relate, now she had him, in spite of moth
er, fate, and all the world, he did not seen
by many degrees, 50 desirable an object a
he had seemed the day before. Alread
she was beginning to see him with he
mothers eyes-already she was beginnin
to feel that her mothers prophecy woul
prove true.
And It was nottwo years-it was hare
ly a year and a half-before there was
divorce of mutual consent. Charles bein
~exasperated beyond all control by Allie
exhortations to 60 to work, to find some
almost any honest-business, to try and b
somebody. And Allie was Disguised I
loathing by Charles want of all the elt
ments Of soul which 60 to make the tru