Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-04-27
For the Spirit Of the Age.
A True Tale of Wretchedness.

ouple Of fr;ends-a gentleman and his wife !"
when an unavoidable circumstance com 2
'elled as to stop at a shabby looking hut: but :
there was nothing interesting about il, u
md we were not at all acquainted with its G
occupants, we did not 60 in. We sat down 9
On q log by the roadside to consult what we 9
should do. The sun was speeding his course !
westward-in a few short hours to sink be- J
meath the horizon-hiding his glorious face
from our view. We sat talking for some
time, and as we saw no chance to be able to
proceed farther on our journey that evening,
we concluded to walk on in search Of suita-
BILE place for nights lodging. We left our
conveyance in the care of the driver, and
walked a mile or two, when we discovered a
large, weather beaten house, a short distance
from the road. On entering we were met by
q pale, sickly, detected looking little woman,
whose c~ountenance seemed to say in more
than words, that she had seen better days
OF how many, many heart-broken, more than
widows, over this-eren this enlightened land
have seen better days. And sohy? The
reason is too well known for this pen to at
tempt to repeat it. OF is it not shocking p
Is it not enough to cause every young lady
to resolve, Meier to mary a man unless she
knoUs he neUer. tastes tastes what? Mr..
Editor, please tell me what to call it. If such
were the case, | awfplly fear the number of
old bachelors would far surpass Davies Null
tiplication Table.
But to return to our story. The landlady,
who was the only person to be seen, except
a few little negroes in the back yard, asked
us to be seated. The house was well sup
piled with rooms, and looked as if it had
sheltered several generations. Everything
looked black w~ithin-indeed, from the ap-
e IL a. Io-1 +a tnn
whether it was made of earth and 'slabbers,"
or of wood. BY the way, many q poor wo-
man, | fear, has to take the blame of keep
ing a dirty house." while if we could but get
into the secret of the whole matter, she is liv-
ing with a pack Of hounds, | would say, if
it were not for disgracing the 'dog race"
We had been seated but a few minutes,
when my eye caught a barrel by the Preside!
| never have known what was in that barrel,
but as it seemed to trouble the good woman,
for our eyes to turn towards it, We judged
what were its contents. Our gentle stranger
did not appear very loquacious-yet quite
kind-but we must leave her with a heavy
cloud hanging over her fair brow--until we
inquire inrther into her history.
We left her, not knowing which course to
take-to go back was dark, forward was
darker, but to stay there was darkest of all.
Night had well nigh overtaken us: we almost
despaired of a nights lodging: but when the
wan face of our apparently broken-hearted
woman rose up before us, we almost forgot
our critical condition. However, we return
ed to the aforesaid hut, and after much i'm
portunity, got permission of shelter for the
night. But for my part, there was no SLEEP
for my eyes that night, for many scenes O
w~retchedness and misery came up before
them, depriving them oftheir slumber. Aye
darker hours of bygone days, were brough
fresh to my memory My heart was sad
my eyes were dim-and | could but weeI
for the imprisoned Mrs. B, after hearin.
a sketch of her life related.
We learned that the old house, above men
toned, had formerly belonged to old Mr.. B
= rich farmer, who had lived and died
miserable wretched drunkardl At his death
his several sons fell heir to his estate, an
length put on 'sheep's clothing"-went t
one of the western States, and passed off 70
a gentlemdn-'Mr. B, GNorM Carolina.
He soon engaged to marry Miss H, a re
spectacle and lovely girl-promising that h
would not take her from her native State
But alas, poor girl! she knew not what a ste
she was taking! She was a beautiful bride
Her heart was light-she looked for happi
ness, even in this life, with one whom sh
loved-and thought that love reciprocal. :
But ah how soon her hopes were blighted
She was now to bid adieu to home an
friends she was to take a last look at tn
dear spot of her childhood hours.
Methinks | see her fastening to the meaC
ow-she thinks of her childhood glee amor
the flowers, which graced its dress of greer
Beautiful phenomenon! must she leave it
She returns to the houSe-takes a gener;
view Of the dear old homestead, which al
pears more lovely than ever before, and
the beautiful flowers which her hands ha
planted. She next enters the kitchen-biC
farewell to good old Jenny, who grasps he
hand with Farewell l so sorry you leay
mel" But O! she embraces her sister til
one whose joys and sorrows have been mil
gled with hers from their earliest infancy
Farewell, dear sister! if we meet no MOI
on earth, let's meet in that better LAM
'aohere the aoicked cease to trouble, and II
peary are at rest" The trying time is y
to come! would this pen could describe it.
80! my Father my Mother" The
hearts were too full-they could but gi1
vent to their feelings by tears, and breathe
long-a sad farewell!
She was now on her journey, she kne
not whittier. The one whom she loved hi
so soon proved false, and she felt, perhal
for the first time, that her MONDAY sun hi
well nigh set.
Ere long she found herself among a pack
: DEMONS in the shape of men-drinking, c
~rouSing, cursing and slcedring-enough
chill the very blood of a stony heart. Oh
God, deliver the earth from such a cURsE!-
!, Would that the above were all-but, O! c.
pity her! she was to be BEATEN by the OF
who had promised to love her Yes, il
must say so, he OFTEN BEAT her! Was it al
: " onder that her brow was sad and her hea
: heavy? Is not this enough to account for L
!, splotched floor, and to tell what was in t
:, barrel by the fire?
Poor Mrs. B.! could | but peep into h
heart, methinks | could hear it secret
. breathing, "0l that l had died in my cradl
= o! that | could bury me in the earth, al
: that my name were blotted out of existence
n Reader, surely | never can forget that DO
c woman, and wish | could tell you what |
q came of her, but am sorry to say | cam,
for the next morning, our carriage bel
/ ready, We pursued our journey, and that W
II the last | ever saw or heard of that 6rokt
t hearted woman, or the wolf who had
ceived her by "Sheep's clothing"
:, How long mnst this land suffer from t
a cursed bowl? Is there no remedy? thi
j. there might be, if our legislators would 81
n scribe for the spirit of the Age"-quit
pling themselves-redd and study their
. bles more, and learn to ''seek judgment,
IS lieve the oppressed, judge the fatherle
Or plead for the widow" ACHSAH