Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-04-06
For the Spirit of the Age.
Texas Correspondence.

which | have lived for ten years, is {
one of the most beautiful little places extant.
1t is situated on the left bank of the Colorado
river, whose waters are as clear as crystal,
giving view to all the different scaled tribes
which TEEN therein great abundance. On
the opposite side of the river, just above the
city, is a large mountainous cedar brake,
which exhibits more grandeur than would
generally be anticipated by those who have
never seen it. The mountains rear their lofty
peaks hundreds of feet above the level of the
river, with arecipitous bluffs of solid rock,
standing perpendicularly above the water,
two or three hundred feet high.
And the Prairies, which surround the City
on every other side, are majestic to behold,
the natural productions of which surpass the
beauty of any flower garden which art could
devise. They aressliterally covered with the
most beautiful of the floral kingdom the eyes
of man ever beheld. There are mets OF tim
Der interspersed among the prairies, which
decorate them very much. 1t is strange what
a wonderful effect those little mots of timber
have upon lovers. They may resort there
with comparative indifference for each 9th
er, but after remaining awhile among the
scattering live oaks, and amid odoriferous
zephyrs which emanate from the natural gar
dens of Texas, they become wonderfully at
tached to G&ch other-almost desperately IN
7TcAAI sU0nla NAV 90 upop-tha hVnoth-
tic places, their affection for each other as
suddenly ''evaporates" and they have to 90
back again to resuscitate the good feeling
but not so; one trip of that kind will kindle
a small spark of love to an enormous flame,
which sets the heart on fire with pure and
undefiled and affections, which are lasting in
their nature.
There are exceptions, however, to all known
rules or at least that's what a great many
people say and in this case | am disposed t.
believe it because, once upon a time, after
having heard of the marvellous efficiency Of
those romantic s~trollsnI was slightly inclined
to test the virtue of it, and try and gain tt
my good graces, an helpmeet of which I pre-
sumed | stood greatly in need. And being
somewhat impressed with the all importan-
idea of taking to myself a ''better half" a.
some choose to call a certain household god
dess, [ selected what I termed my 'swee
heart" i. e. [ was willing to concede for tn,
time that she was my sweetheart; though
according to Webster's definition of the wore
sweetheart" | learned in the course of tim,
that she was not such a sweetheart as [ woul,
like, for to be plain about the matter, sh
had a kind of a ''hankering" after anothe
'%feller,' . though concluded to try my lucl
with her anyhow. And having a kind of pre-
sentiment, that | was not in the ascendanc
in her good graces, | proposed (knowing tn
effect that those romantic strolls general
had on the hearts of the fair, angelic ere;
turesO taking a stroll over the prairies to on
of those little mots, where | was ~sanguine i
the hope of winning her over to me. W
strolled along slowly, casting significant lool
at each other, i. e. | did, and | thought ST
did toe. At length we arrived at the plaC
where | intended doing the thing up brown
We seated ourselves upon the incest log
could find any where in the grove, and
pitched in to hard talking; and not beir
overly bashful, neither of us, ! soon fattere
myself that | was getting along swimmingl
She looked lovely and loving, and | began
anticipate future happiness.
After having remained there about tV
hours, and, as | thought, had things fixed
admirably, we took the road for home !;
~iiaking that in the shortest conceiyab
SPACE of time we would launch ourselves
upon the broad ocean of connubial bliss.
lenjoyed myself extensively.
A week or two elapsed, and | thought til
T | was doing tolerably well in my love m
T tiers, though | did not get along as fast az
: desired so [ concluded it would be we'll
} take another romantic tour across the bea
: tiful prairie. So I proposed, and she asse
l ted, and we sauntered off, feeling that t
) trip would be very conducive, Cat least d
3 to our interest.
| We wandered along slowly until we reac
ed a beautiful little grove of live oaks, (whi
: produce the ~prettiest shade imaginab
e where we selected a nice seat on the gre
terrace, side by side. began talking in 81
+ a manner, [ thought, as would have b.
t sufficient to arouse a feeling of devotion, e1
I in the heart of an old croaking maid (thou
[ guess l just imagined that I was talk
e eloquently, but | suppose no one else pro
If bly, would have thought se,) and | beca
y very lofty in my future expectations, and
1 solved to marry right off and be done with
n But at the close Of one of my leftiest pc
a ~rations, and when | expected her to fall i
1T my arms, like a ripe pear into a gals apr
she put her thumb on her nasal append
and wagging her little finger, the mischiev
little elf said-"Can't come it o.;
going to have that 'tother Teller next TIL
day night" And that's the reason |
not marry that time. o. H.. {
Austin Texas, March 1853.