Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-01-12

pressed thick and fast upon me. thought
OF wild careless girl, who entered the
church two years before, for the first time.
How full of life and JOY she was. No
cloud of sorrow had power to cast sh ad
ow over her sunny spirits | thought of
her again as she stood beside the last res
ting place of loving father. She was sad,
yet the rainbow of hope still illumined her
heart. There, like meteor which for a
moment blinds the vision by its excessive
i brllliance, then fades and leaves all in utter
darkness, comes the memory Of another
era, the ninth of August! The brightest
of her life. Then | thought of the few
blissful months that succeeded it, and then
the months of dark despair, when her very
soul was bowed to the earth Then a
light, brighter than the noon day sun, dis
PEELED that midnight darkness, and the
stil small voice Of Religion, whispered
peace into her storm-beaten soul. Oh !
the true pure JOY that arises in heart that
really believes. Then another dark ami
versary arises. The second ninth of Au-
gust! Surrounded by friends, she was
happy, for she dreampt not of the shock
that awaited her. A letter was brought
on that brightest of all days, in the famil-
lar hand writing of Giwood Cleveland, it
accused her of framing base fabrications.'
She destroyed the letter and tainted at her
seat. For three long weeks she was pros
trated by brain fever, and when she again
mingled in society, she was a changed be
ing. Her smile vas as bright as ever, but
1t was as cold as m0Onbeam on the snow.
She has been an invalid ever since, and her
short life is nearly ended. need not tell
you, dear Journal, who it is, for You know
already that it can be none other than that
of Rosalinc May. When the services ended
| returned with Augusta to Capt. Preston's
Jul GOTH This has been Il very pleas
ant day, and [ must communicate to you,
my journal, why it has been so pleasant
| have seen and spent several delightful
hours with my old, true, and tried friend, |
DIR. Greenwood. He is still unchanged
the same whole souled, noble-hearted, !
truthful friend that he was in days Of yore |
Once did not appreciate his true good |
ness, for beauty blinded me and love cast
such radiant halo over another, as almost
to blot from my mind even the existence
of any but the object. Now | can see and
judge, and can truly say, that he is worth
a dozen of the tlattering throng that We
meet with in the every day scenes of life
and to you, my old friend, | would say
In confidence, that He is ONE Of the FEW
worthy of woman's love-
go home Ny dearest earthly friend is
sick, perhaps dying, and l am away. Oh q!
God have mercy upon me and spare me
this great trial. But why should | de
spair, | have Father in Heaven who ever
watches over and protects me. One who
will be friend when all others forsake me.
No. will not despair, but with heart with
in, and God DER head | will run with pa
tience the race that is set before me, for
getting the past, disregarding the future
and acting in the Hging present.
August 2nd. Tomorrow | leave the
district forever. l am at Roselake now,
and feel very well satisfied. God bless its
dear inhabitants, and make them true and
earnest christians l went to the grave
yard to-day; mother, father, and George
are all there. Oh L felt alone, but still
the thought that l would soon join them,
where there will be no more parting,
cheered me, and though bowed down by
care and ofttimes lonely and sad, | can
truly say with the Poet
'By death, stern sheriff, all bereft,
Iweep, yet humbly kiss the rod
The BEST of ALL, | still have left,
E My FAITH my BIBLE and my GoD."
Thus terminates abruptly, the Journal
of an invalid. | have but one thing to say
in regard to it, it is that 1 have given it
without any changes, even as it was writ
! ten by the invalid herself. Hoping that it
may interest others, even as it has me, l
will end this rather long article.
MINNIE E. RAY.
Near Wilmington, n. c.