Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-11-09

tiICtiI toHC. Auic Si1fS 20 iVi "oAaatA
and the sleep she now sleeps is the first
sleep of quiet peace she has had for years.
Most truly is She gone whre the weary
are at rest and God grant that her soul
may be happyp
Then her lot has been IA hard one,' I
uttered, as | turned my eyes from the grave.
and gazed into the face oflthe cid man.
1t has, indeed said be. Her name
was Danforth. She was left a widow mary
years ago, with only one child-a boy,
whom she called George. Her son grew
up to be young man; and not likelier
youth was there in tose village. He mar
EFied one Of our fairesE dttnghters, and IN the
morning of his life the sky was without
dimming cloud but ID an evil hour the
tempter came and laid his evil finger upon
George Danforth's household. The intoxi-
eating bowl had been placed to his lips, and
he had drank his own ruin. BE was not
one of those who could indulgein drink to
limited extent, but with him he appetite
became mania. His mother urged and
prayed, and his gentle wife wspt and be-
sought him to turn from his destruction.
be often promised, and as often did he fall
back. His social disposition led him into
the society of those who laughed and joked
with him over the cup, and he became
sot.
His wife had borne him two children, a
boy and a girl but even these pledges Of
affection failed to reclaim him, and in a
few short years his home had become the
abode only of poverty and wretchedness.
That was eight years ago, and since then,
nothing has been heard of him. His peor
mother will sleep here. His still poorer
wife and children must, fear, become in
mates of the alms-house.'
The old man scraped off the dirt from
the shovel, and set it against the wall then
he wiped tear from his furrowed cheek,
and, without another word, he passed ont
! from the churchyard. For some time sf-
ter the gray-haired sexton had gone, stood
and gazed into that deep grave, and
thought, if all the graves in our land could
find tongues for speech, how many of them
would put forth story similar to the one
had just heard !
Towards the close of the day, saw the
funeral procession vending its way into the
place Of burial, and joined with those
who went to pay the last tribute Of respect
to the remains of the departed. Silently
we gathered around theAgrave. The cof
asemae, aaea hot mdef basss III ane saw
manhood, sink down upon her knees and
weep over the bier, and by her side knelt
boy and girl. | knew that woman wa
Eliza Danforth, aud that those were her
children. There weredeep grief-marks up
on her brow sorrow and suffering were
stamped there in almost startling lines, ane
even the children looked wan and pale from
long and acute misery.
The clergyman made heart-touchine
, prayer, the people stepped back from th'
grave and the sexton was about to clos,
the lid of the coffin, when those who stoot
towards the road gave way, and on th
next instant man came bursting into th,
centre of the assembled throng He wa
poorly, roughly clad, and his features wer,
wild and haggard. For an instant he gaze,
! upon the coffin; then he started forward
and his eyes fell upon thesface Of her VIII
slept there. A startling cry broke from hi
lips, and convulsively he sank down at th
> head of the bier.
Mother mother 7 he cried, In accent
: that thrilled to the very souls Of all pres
: ent, o, speak to me Speak, to your el
!, ring son! am your son-your own SON
L your George! Only one word for Hes
J.. ven's sake speak Dead O, God! an,
u you did not live TO forgive mep
The poor mans voice was lest in tn
: most heart-rendering sobs, and. THROWN
;. himself across the coffin he cried like
y child.
. The gentle wife and mother for m,
:. ment forgot the presence of the dead; ST
20 only knew that one in whom her proudea
Io love was still centered was yet living. Sh
le l sprang to the side of him who wept ar
- fondly she wound her arms about him.
y y George-my husband she uttere,
:. ~ she did forgive you before she died. I'll
~ last words were of you, and the last breai
= that left her lips here to God prayer f
i. blessings upon her son. Look up, look u
* :, George; your wife and children still Ii,
= to spread blessings in your path
~ George Danforth started to his feet, al
ef strained his wife and children to his
le som. The tears rolled down his chez
IN like rain, but his feelings were too big
s utterance. Again the sexton laid his hal
p upon the lid ofthe coffin.
ef Stop stopr exclaimed the return
e SOD, as he started from the fond embra
IA IL Of the wife, mot yet-not yet
81 Once more he sank upon his knees, a.
C. he pressed his lips upon the cold brow
er his mothers form. Then he laid one ha
u upon the coffin and raised his eyes towar
u heaven.
u sSainted mother he CALCULATED, in iii
III tone. IF your spirit can still hnger ne
the scenes of earth, look down upon yc
~ son, and listen to the solemn pledge
ie' heart sends forth, ! have been wick,
~ but will be so no more; and if the
ols mainder of my life saa be passed so as
Om make any atonementfor the wrongs l hs
oi done, then the good of the future shall W
we away much of the evil of the past
vas M help me in my resolution. and strength
70 me in my work ofsirtue
de- From every lip present there burst fo
On a simultaneous Amen and in every he
eJ there was loye-place. for the returl
I'd prodigal. The old clergyman stepped
,ng ward, took him BY the hand, and led
from the spot and in few NONE
=, u more. saw the husband and wife. toget