Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-06-08

oCAAa ~ Il
might be asked, and differences drawn preiu-
dicial to his standing. In an evil hour.
under distress of mind and strong tempta-
ton. the young man made a false entry
which enabled him to abstract two hun
dred dollars from the funds of the bank.
This was only the beginning ola series
of defalcations, which ran through many
years, before the exposure came which al
ways follows such a crime. 1t was easier
now to supply the extravagant demands
of his wife, whose annual WARDROBE. and
bills for jewelry for which she had that
passion is characteristic of weak minds, al
most reached the full amount of his salary.
But the end came at last. One evening,
seven years from the day of their marriage,
Mr.. and Mrs. Blakely were about leaving
for the opera, when the bell was rung vio-
lently. Mr.. Blakely started and turned
pale with a sudden presentiment of evil.
"What is the matterP' asked his wife,
who saw the singular change in his counte-
nance.
Mr. Blakely did not answer, but stood
listening at the door. Mems voices were
now heard, and the tread of heavy feet
along the passage. There was a start and
a hurried movement by Mr.. Blakely then
he stood still as riveted to the spot.
"Who arethey? What is the meaning
of thisq" asked Mrs Blakely in alarm
At the same moment two ynea entered the
room.
"You are arrested said one of them,
ION a charge of defalcation."
Mrs. Blakely shrieked, but her husband
stood still and statue-like, his face of an
ashen hue.
George! George! This is false" ex-
claimed Mrs. Blakely, recovering herself.
"You could notstoop to crimer
at is true" he answered, in a low and des-
pairing voice. Then laying one of his
fingers on the diamond pin, that glistened
in her bosom, he added, speaking to her
alone
"You gained that at the price of youg
husbands dishonor! You demanded it
l demonstrated, and said l could not afford
SO costly an ornament. You repeated your
demand, and ], weak fool that l was, per
mitted the contraction of a debt that coulC
only be concealed by dishonest means.
thought, when | married you, that l hac
obtained a wife whose virtues might he'll
me upward to Heaven, but you have PROVED
only a tempting 6end, dragging me dali,
nearer and nearer to the brink of destruc
ton, over which / now fall to hopeles
ruin. l have robbed the bank, but it wa
for youq"
Then turning to the officers he said, j
a calm voice
II mr. NJ uorr ,ariooo
The words of her husband had stunne
Mrs. Blakely. She lever saw him afte
wards. That night he passed to his a
count before a higher tribunal than 6
earthly one, and she was left in power
and disgrace.
q, The story is one of every day life.-
George Blakely is the representative of
class. Not all Of them rob banks, or d
fraud their employers. But all of them,
support idle, extravagant wives, and cost
establishments-costly in comparison wi
their means-spend more than their eal
ings and profits, and fail in the end to p
their just obligations.
A modern young lady, fashionably &c
Gated, and with modern notions of sty
= fashion and domestic equipments, is al
gether too costly an article for a you
man of small means or a moderate sala
- Diamond pins, rich silks and laces, rosewc
furniture, six, seven, eight or nine hund1
dollar houses, operas, balls, fashionable +
ties, Saratoga and Newport, and success
nd, business, are altogether out of the euesti
ich If young men would unite the latter
lad matrimony, they must look into anot
circle for wives. A girl who is indep
ny dent enough to earn her own living a
pit teacher or with the needle, is a wife We
a score of such butterflies Of fashion:
a rising young man, who has only his
dustry to rest upon for success in life,
M, fool to marry any other.
Useful industry is always honorable,
le," difference of sex makes no difference
this particular!