Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-06-22
WRITTEN o THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.1
SUNBEAMS AND SHADOWS.

sUNBEAMS AND SHADOWS:
Temperance Versus Intemperance.
BY ANNIE GEORGE.
(CoNCLUDED.)
CHAPTER XII.
""Too late too late! how heavily that phrase
Cemes, like a knell, upon the shuddering ear.
deiilng OF sighted duties, wasted days
VI privileges lost, of hopes once dear
NO" quenched IN gloom and darkness. Words
The worldling's callous heart must penetrate-
All that he might have been in thought he sees.
And sorrows Ger his present wreck too late.o
MRS. ABBY.
In a poorly furnished apartment in an an
Gent dilapidated building in Paris, ~leanino.
MS head between his hands, sits a venerable.
looking man. He is evidently troubled. and
as he now rises from his seat, and PAGES rest.
lessly the floor, we behold a form bent and
worn, and q face ~betraying deep and intense.
sorrow. But can it be? Yes. it is Henry
Forest That old, withered man, with hair
all white and scattered thinly over his. head
He's not more than forty-fve years of AGE.
ana yet one would suppose him seventy
his step is feeble and his frame attenuated
Alas! who would recognise him to be the,
young, handsome lawyer, whose oratory en-
chained the listening throng, with its heaven
inspired eioquence. But it is even so. Dis
sipatlon, crime, sorrow, and now deep re-
morse, have taken from him his strength
quenched all his youthful aspirations. and
now he is a wreck, q skeleton. in mind and
person, of what he once was.
More than two months Sipco ho bo5
denly become sane. His mind at once broke
from the letters which had bound it for wears.
IN bands OF iron, and sprang forth free, vet.
on !! how shattered. He left his ASYLUM. and
on learning of his benefactor's great kindness.
immediately sought him, to give him the
gratitude of his heart. And then Monsieur
Lamolr had by his kind benefits and counsel
55ff''ftfes lie lie, n an its dhetaiis. How shocked
was his friend at the relation, and before Civ
ing him any advice, he begged time for re-
Election. Then he-unknown to Forest
wrote to persons in New Orleans, making in
quiries of the whole affair concerning Ed
wards. Replies were sent, the purport of
which was that he was not killed, only woun-
ded had lived for years after, and suddenly
left the city, and was seen there no more
This was all Monsieur wished to know, and
with a joyful heart, he went in pursuit of his
friend. When he found him he told him
what had occurred after he left New Orleans.
Of Edwards recovery, etc. The poor man
looked bewildered at first, then as the truth
burst upon him, oh! who can conceive the
weight of anguish and remorse which was
lifted from his heart? He fell on the neck
OF his benefactor and wept. He was not a
murderer and his heart rose in thanks-to
whom? He trusted not God. Could he
thank Him? Well was it he had such a man
for his closest companion. His influence, ST.
lently, gradually entwined itself around him,
and he grew less miserable. He no longer
thirsted for ''strong drink" He visited no
more the gaming saloon. But it is too late"
he cried, too late. | am a ruin. I have
wasted the best years of my life-have bligh-
ted all the bright flowers that sprang so free
ly in my pathway. Ihave wandered through
the "dim groves and winding bowers of sin"
have squandered all my fortune-and the
curse of Heaven resteth upon me. | drove
my sweet, gentle wife, my precious babe
away from me-, and they perhaps lie beneath
the green grass. There is naught but sorrow
for me now-no JOY can penetrate this dark
labyrinth of sin and. sorrow"
my friend, | will not deny it is too late
for you to regain all you have lost, but you
are young, and consider, your wife is also in
I the prime Of life. She, and your child, also,
may be living. will miss you greatly, sir,
, but my advice is go and seek them, and de-
vote the remainder of your life in atoning for
: the grief you have caused them. Also, my
dear sir, | must speak to you of that which
E greatly concerns me. You despair, you
. think there is no happiness for you. There
|, is a Light which can penetrate through all
t your gloom. There is a Star which Shines
, through the darkest cloud. There is a COM
{ passionate Being who feels for his creatures,
. and a Jesus who died to save you. 1t is He,
:, who says, Though your sins be as scarlet,
: they shall be white as snow; though they
be red like crimson, they shall be as WOOL
t he looks with pity upon your state. Kneel
at His throne in deep and fervent prayer
e kneel and repent, ere yet it is too late. You
e have had sorrow, because of sin, but for this
reason, if you repent, God will not forsake
you. He seeth your heart and will open sal
s ~vation's gate. Believe and enter-it as moi
too late r"
The sorrow-stricken man listened, and re
ceiving from his friend a small pocket bible
It went home to ponder upon what he had heard
1t is at this time We meet him, dear reader
He has been reading some chapters marked
S by his friend, and is deeply impressed. A
deep sense of guilt IS pressing him to tn
earth. He cannot believe God will save on
whose whole life had been in open v~iolatio,
d of all his laws. Many weeks passed ere hi
h mind could pierce through this dark cloud q
unbelief, but at length, miserable, hopeless
d utterly heart broken, he fell submissive q
u Jesus feet, and peace was given to his SOU
: At last he was happy! happy in defiance Z
y all his sins-for had not God forgiven them
Yes, though friends might be gone from hin
whatever calamity might befall him, he Ina
now a friend on whom he could lean for GIN
fort and strength. At last the sweet peat
d OF the child of God rested upon that furrowe
brow, and spoke in that dim eye. Great " 9
the JOY of his friend when with arms ext,
= ded, and halleluiahs on his tongue. Fo,e e.