Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-03-24
yaSits' 9.partmtnt.
For the Spirit of the Age.

III AOR(0 Vi 49,
Of our broken Circle, and above all to
thank our Lora for that welcome, long
wished-for letter, and the pure sentiments
Il contained, l draw my portfolio before me
and prepare once more to address our long
silent friends. And there just under my
paper, lays a little package that sent my
thoughts wandering in the shadovy past.
There, were words traced by a hand now
cold in death; there smiled a face once
pure and beautiful as an angels: for an
angels it truly was. My thoughts went
back to the time, when / had first seen that
sweet face smiling a kind welcome among
strangers.
thought of the happy years of school
life that followed. Remembered how two
wears ago, in sunny May, | stood in a crow
ded schoolroom and with faltering voice
and throbbing heart l babe farewell, in the
name Of my classmates, to our kind and
f, fsithfnI teachers, afcctionate school-mates
and friends. And never did ~sincerer pray
ers and more fervcnt wishes for others veal
glow in youthful hearts, than filed ours
that day, for the loved companions and
teachers, we were so soon to leave. For
ne sueH knesO, that no more would VIC re-
ceive that kind sympathy which we had
found SO sweet; no more could We listen
to those kind and gentle teachings we had
10 often disregarded. We knew that fer
would look on our faults, and correct them,
with the patience wehad hithertomet With
Long and pleasant had been our stay there;
we had heard pure ard holy counsel utter
ed BY lips that we loved we were shown
by pure example how to live ~'unspotted
from the world" and then we stood, to bid
farewell to those scenes of our schoolgirl
Joys and sorrows, hopes and struggles.
Our school-days had many bright spots,
that vanished all too soon, and then in that
last day Of ~school-life, we appreciated, as
VIC had never done before, the advantages
and privileges we had enjoyed. Then as
We gazed on each familiar object, we felt
that
'Ties aroundour hearts were spun,
That could not would not be undone."
Twas with full hearts, that we Lade a
sad and fearful farewell to teachers, school
mates and friends, and passed from the long
schoolroom to our distant and different
homes. One year passed, and again in sun
ny May, many of us stood in that well re-
membered room. But ,ah ! koso changed
the scene! She, who had been the pride
and ornament of our school, the best loved
of all our kind teachers was gone. We had
stood with bursting hearts around her dy-
ing pillow, and heard for the last time hel
sweet voice, telling us of that happy LAND
"far, far away to which zoe kneac she was
50 rapidly Fastening. She spoke of the
joy and peace of the christians death-bed
and that Joy and peace "unspeakable and
full of glory shone in every lineament o
Of her lovely lace lighting it up with celes
tial beauty. And in the stiffness of tina
chamber OF death, broken only by smoth
cred sobs, we listened to her thrilling voice
warbling with heavenly sweetness the son
Of Zion, where the angels must havehowe
from Heaven to catch sounds too sweet an
holy for mortal ear. Once more, for tn
last, LAST time, we felt the soft clasp of til
hand now growing cold in death, and gaze
thro' binding tears upon that radiant
beautiful face, and babe a last farewell
one Of the purest and best of earth's crei
tires whose bright example had taugl
Us how q christian should live, and who
last lesson was how a christian could die
and with bursting hearts and sealding tea
wepassed from the room knowing we won
see her no more in life.
And nop we stood again, with sad hear
and falling tears, JIM the old school-rool
waiting to follow in sad procession o
loved teacher to her body's last restil
place, while we knew her pure spirit HI
already Joined the Redeemer in Heave
and thai voice We had SC lately heard, nc
joined in the symphony of heaven" wit
out one trembling note. The sun was j
sinking in glory behind The western hi
leaving long bars of golden light on {
green turf, and the birds were twittering
the branches above, as away in the gree
wood, far from the "busy haunts Of me
we saw her loved form laid away in the
lent tomb, beside two little loved ones ~
had gone before We knew her glorif
spirit was resting pery near the great wi
throne.
Another year has passed, aud aos
pure white monument stands in the gre
woodto tell Of the love OF pupils andfrieI
and to remain as an emblem of the P
and stainless Gas far as amortafs could
life Of her who sleeps beneath. The p
ing stranger may gaze on its fair surf
and read of virtues that seldom dwell
earth, but it needs no marble to keep
remembrance of them fresh in the M.
of those who placed it there. Far d
in their inmost hearts will her men
ever remain bright and beautiful.
frosts of the world cannot chill, nor
blight of the grave quench it.
Now, dear Molie, l believe the ner
of that last sacred scene, the death-bt
that one of Gods children, whose "
life cxempliied the lessons she laugh
others, aciH do, and has done, more t
commend the Religion of Christ to sol
those young girls who witnessed it,
all the sermons they have ever heal
Who can estimate the good results
may flow from the bright example Of
who so evidently possessed the "meel
quiet spirit, that in the sight of God
eroat price, 2" Hundreds have share
instructions, listened to her gentle CO.
and above all, FELT the influence o
blameless life and | believe more tina
soul will shine in her heavenly crown
- thon ono heart NOV now hand