Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-12-14
SPIRIT OF THE AGE

with their fair petals. Then he bound bright /
roses into a lovely garland, and when he
paced II On my brow, the thorns pierced me-.
l passed OF and stood on the brink of a preci-
pice which | could have crossed with Franks
help, but | was alone, he stood on the other
SID and reached out his hand to me, but
when ] endeavored to take it, with a mock
ing laugh, he drew back, and / went down,
down to the bottom Of the deep ~ravine.n
1 tried to console her ; told her'it was only
produced by an overweight fancy, and b.
sought her to retire.
The next morning she left Us, promising
sometime to return. The first Portrait was
taken dnring her stay with us.
For the second, we mast pass over the pc
Rod of FIVE years. Mr.. Milford did not nc
company her to her home, but promised soon
70 follow. He did net 90. At first he wrote
often to her, then but seldom, and when he
did, there was a kind of restraint mingled
throughout all. She thought it strange, but
her loving heart was ever ready to frame an
excuse, till the truta came upon her too plain
to admit even the shadow of a doubt-he had
ceased to love her She did not write to him
again she must give him up. Her cheek
had paled long before her eye had ceased
to be kindled with anything like the old
brightness except when she thought of him,
and when at last the blow came, because it
could be no longer warded off, she sank I'M
der 1t; but her constitution was naturally
strong, and as the fever gradually subsidized,
reason again resumed her sway. She was
very calm when she came forth from her
great trial perfectly resignedto His will who
'doeth all things we'll
i went to see her once; she was sadly
changed, and though she would try to smile
the light Of JOY had all gone from ii. Ineye,
spoke of him feared it would give her pain
One evening at twilight | entered her room
and she was gazing on a likeness in a small
morocco case, which / knew to be his. for h,
had given it to her years before. Their,
was a holy smile round her lips. and some
thing OF the old light in her eve. 4 hat
him. said. could not help it, for he ha
caused such sorrow.
Hush, Clara, darlingp she replied. I hay
long since forgiven him as l hope to be pa,
doned. just now | had a bright dream {
him, he was the dear Frank of old, and wa
SO happy
ms forms the second Picture. The DO
trait painted myself, for | knew she woll
never have assumed that attitude before a
artist but she complied with my earnest r
quest to sit exactly as | found her that eve
ing.
But, Harry, if / mistake not, your que
tlonlng gaze asks, were Frank Milford to Sc,
her now and VOW eternal constancy wou
she marry him She would not. Her idle
OF noble man savors strongly of him as
once was, not what he now is. She has lol
since ceased to have any confidence in hi
though she has freely forgiven him.
but why do you stop. cousin Clara I? v
have not yet told me of Frank Milford
Il would fain pass over that part, Harr
for cannot bear to think of noble man so
: fallen from his high calling, as to trihe vi
|, q lady's affections. During the brief peri
r OF six years, he has hirted with no less tn
4 a dozen young ladies, and seemingly d
serious attention to at least half that numb
y | cannot say to whom the fault NAV by
4 tributed, but this much | know, he is S
!, unmarried and seems likely to remain so
h he too, is somewhat changed, though a cl
d observer alone could detect the difference
d lie seems as gay as ever, but in his dark
e there is a nervous restlessness which betr
az a hart III ut ease. and a shade of care, if
70 sorrow, may sometimes be seen resting
: his brow.
A | did not think those two Portraits WI
ever be recognized as the same, but your
20 lection warns me to remove them from
: gaze of the curious. Death a year ago cls
40 ed its lovely victim, or | should not fee
liberty to relate to you in a few words
% incident in the life of my early friend, bu
ed my sake you will respect her memory enc
40 to carefully guard her secret, as l shall
b do hereafter.
ht But may it not be wasted on you, Ha
You are young, wealthy, intelligent, h
is. some then as you value your own pea,
Mt mind or the happiness of another, neper
ad eoith the affections Of JelIOO being"