Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-08-03


of toll in the temperance reform, we have
met with many incidents, which are this
hour as fresh in mind, as when they occur
memories. The steady beating football of
years will never wear away their impress.
They are sad companions. Lik. shtful
spectres, they burst unheralded rom the
shadowy past, ever casting chilly gloom
over the brighnsness of the happiest hour.
We cannot forget them; and often, while
lAharnessel in the storns.est strife, the
!, thoughts turn within to listen 10 the low
sob whose echoes never die out, ana to the
I tears which are ever falling. Wasted hands
are there lifted by those whose sorrows are
too great for utterance. Faces stamped
with the narrowing ravages of lifelong an-
lguish-gloom out of the black night of
years. We still hear the curse and the
blow by the broken-hearth altar. Mad
dened demons riot amid the desolations of
the hour; and Niobes, weak and defence
less, yet elinging to shattered idols with
changeless and undying love, in vain seek
to shield the childless group from the barbs
5 which are pointed by worse than hcathen
i statute, and feathered by a worse than |
heathen-by christian people!
Many of these things stir our blood to
t lava heat. May our Father forgive us; but
this pilgrim tide will, at such times, surge
n back to the heart as if lashed to madness
! under a storm. That blood is freighted |
with a hatred of rum-a hatred which |
Il pulsed with the first of life in these veins, |
l. and is this hour as enduring as the love of
/ her who rocked our cradle. Every new
II tale of wrong sends this hatred burning to
IT the fingers ends; and we reach out invol-
g unfairly to grasp from the armory OF God
1 its reddest bolts, wherewith to smite the
r system whose Internal power burns its re-
r inorseless way over the loveliest spots of
= earth
10 Twenty-seven years ago, if we count
n them right, we stood in the crowded school
10 room and watched with boyish interest the
~ closing exercises of the winter term. The
ed mention of that humble structure mingles
II another current of sadness with these
thoughts. The sunshine was golden and
n, mellow on that threshold in the summer
sft time-cheery the blaze on its wide hearth
ur in the winter We looked in vain for the
ng old house few years since. 1t had pass
ed away-our only alma mater. The weeds
y bowed rankly by the threshold in the sum-
at mer wind, and but heap of rubbish told
m where the hearth had been. From that
al hearth the youthful band had gone out
Ter some turning aside to rest after brief pill
IN grimage; others drifting on. We thought
of that early day-of the old house --o
Mt those who once leaped and laughed in its
y yard and then sat down upon the mouldy
ey door-sill and wept for the days whose SUM-
ok shine had faded, and for the band so widely
ith scattered.
led The old schoolhouse was standing at the
ley time of which we write. Oar teacher
and gentle are the remembrance of his
,ok white hairs-had given rein to the impet
ays uous feelings and ambitions of the schol
ME ars and the school was to close with az
on, exhibition" None but those who wer,
hat educated in country school-house cal
Of dream of the greatness of such an occa
= sion. The wild thrill of excitement, anxi
nd ETY. and hope, is never forgotten.
,art The room was crowded to its utmost ca
ght pacity, leaving but a small space over tn
lnie old-fashioned hearth for the stage" Pa
the rents and friends were packed in the sur
aud rounding space. Hearts pulsed strangely
and many grave citizen watched with i'm
me, patience the uprising of that blanket cul
tain.
to Silent, vet heated with excitement,
her group was gathered in the closet hack {
the stage, awaiting an opening scene in tn
that play. One whom shall call James Ma
ned SON had part to sustain in the piece
that of drunkard. He was dressed wit
nee, painful fidelity to the character, and ha
,rful his bottle in his hand. He had, apparen
was ly in sport, or as matter of practic
ing; drank frequently from the bottle. I'll
rton cheek was flushed, and there was that
nnie his look and bearing which sent an ur
srtin pleasant sensation creeping over one. FL
alb full black eye was restless, and burned wi!
the wild, unnatural light. thought | d
end tected the odor of liquor, and spoke of m
suspicious; but he turned away and laug
lived ed in an absent manner.
id at nearly forgot my own part in the pls
rton. while watching James Mason. His spil
How was on fire. His form lowered for tin
With flashing countenance, he pour
an fearful imprecations upon the thrall of t
bottle. The "prompter" was at fanlt-
nnie, Mason's thoughts swept out from the la
guage of the play, and, in fierce bursts
cot unstudied eloquence, electrified the peop
and Then, drinking again, he dashed down
daud bottle, and with clasped hand plead IN p
has eous, wailing tones, for deliverance. T
.MER. people sobbed in rcspeDse-his sister esI
cially, as though her heart would break.
N in In rising from his kneeling position, \
who son stumbled. Agair and again he stu
E was bled. Some smiled at what they thous
d ac- his excellent acting, while others remain
fectly sad. With desperate effort he recover
him partially, and, reeling, poised mom'
rty. over the footlights, and then fell heav
kable from the stage forward into the midst
dy.- the people. From two persons in the
lrops, dience, walls of sudden agony went sim
thir- taneously up, and the mother and sis
affica- were bowed over the bleeding form
"God have mercy upon me !" were
words of the mother as she pressed
Cot. palid and quivering lips upon the hot o
n, l. Of her boy. She knesc a secret Whieh
'.n " did not--yoesng Masca had filed his
d 'of- tie sgitk wine.
along Ha abad lo.rn.a,, Love .h oun .nd
'ao Is thus reckicssly made representation
Stores +a~r,blo ,ooI. II -.