Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-02-23

tnat tornado OF fierce passion would |
crush over me, if refused. | read it in
the flash of his eye, when l, for a moment,
hesitated
4 must obey; resign myself to his will.
'One sultry day in July, he rowed me
over to an island lying close to the edge Of
the forest, and the long shadows of the
trees fell across the tiny harbor, into which
he moored our boat.
1T was wild spot, gloomy with the
banners of the cypress boughs flung abroad !
over it, which wove so impenetrable a
shade, that no flowers, save few pale and
sickly ones fiourished there. An arm Of
the river penetrated thce entire breadth Of
the island, which was not more than a
half-mile. The waters were deep and slug
gsh, and the funeral cypress beckoned in
the wandering winds to the mimic trees in
the CLASSY deep beneath. This was Au-
ber's favorite resort The banks were
high and precipitous, and upon jutting
crag he had placed rude seat, woven
from the branches of a pine, and thither
he led me. His face, always pale-his
eyes, piercing, in the broad sunlight, grew
more lustrous-more fierce in the gloom
4 could fancy him to be the grim boat
man, who had rowed my bark across the
Styx. | felt cold and deathlke, as if a
wave of that turbid stream had broken over
me. He brought books treating upon
death, and phantoms, and illusions; and
| seemed to take ferocious delight in read
ing to me, while, with imagination wrought
| to the highest pitch of excitement, | gIared
with frightened orbs into the dark recesses
about me-
Then he closed the books, and talked
strangely of tigers mating with doves, and
losing their natural ferocity in the gentle
ness of their companions. He said, a ma
Mae bound in chains, feeding on blood
raving, wild, naad-would become sane
through the influence of sweet, loving
heart. Then he led me to the extreme
verge of the rock, and glared into my eyes,
as he clutched in his white fingers my
shaking hands.
DO you see that water SO deep, suller,
dark@ he whispered, hoarsely. The cy-
press boughs make it so. In the sunlight
it would appear transparent, sparkling
There is more terrible blackness in my
soIl but it is not such blackness as crime
leaves. Do you hear, Martha Moreland
1t is chained down like Prometheus to the
rock; and the vulture, Memory, keeps
gnawing forever and ever at my vitaIs
without destroying. A gloom, more dense
and palpable than the shadows here, en-
) velops my brain-such gloom as hangs
over the Internal blaze, kindled by Satanic
hands, beneath us. My heart is on fire
: You may be the water to quench this in.
sufferable burning-the cool breath to dis
2 pell these murky clouds-to lift the smoke
of my torment And he, gnashed hi,
teeth, and strove to fling me down thc
: precipice.
81 shrieked and clung to him.
E ''Ahn he said, growing instantly tende
and subdued, you cling to nc you low
!, me. Your parents told me you might b.
my little wife he said, reseating himseli
:, and placing me upon his knee
9 ''Oh, you will, you aOiU! Martha,' h
continued, drawing me tightly to his DO
g som. DO you know that love you
e adore you! You are so small and gentle
/ l will cherish and pet you as l would
l. snowy pigeon
e There was something in the warn
:, impaSsioncd tones that entranced me.
d do not think | felt affection for him.
g was but the power which a strong, detel
s, mined spirit gains over one less resolute.-
is l murmured something in reply, alno.
unconscious myself of the import of m
50 own words, which was, in reality, that
would become his wife,
I'd Rememcer, Martha be said, you al
mine always, forever and ever; in healt
It. in sickness, in life, in death. Death p |
of again slowly enunciated. This was OF
% betrothal.
US 'We went together homeward :; be, sie
* and moody; |, awed and bewildered. III
ed sun had gone behind cloud slowly upl
OF sing from the western horizon, and Il
mt wind moaned in fitful gusts, lashing Il
IN water into miniature pillows, then sub
1g ding to portentious calm. | felt old :
ly The crystal palace had built in my gi
to sh soul, and filled with images of beaut
ne was shattered by my own hand; and I S
ur calm and statuc-like among the fragmen
Our anticipated union, | knew, wou
on not be productive Of happiness; yet, ma
cit netized by the glittering eyes Of Auber
aw walked on, blind to coming ills or apI
a rent incompatibilities. looked back |
ad on path strewed with flowers; forward
ng but, thank God saw not the whole aft
lth life of misery. 1t wonld have render
~, me wretched Hen-wretckednes ca
me soon enough.
gil ARNOLD Aubcr wished for an early W,
ny ding; and two weeks from the Sund
for following our betrothal was named.
ost was my mothers choice-the Saba
Auber would have chosen the next d
es- but mother would not consent.
len 81 have thought upon it often, how pare
the should with no misgivings, have yielded
M to comparative stranger; but, impetuC
,w as he was, sometimes, swhen alone with I
~ to them he was serene as a cloudless 81
- During the time intervening between our
'iu trothal and marriage, he often drew me
side and whispered:
tie "'You are now mine. You have pied;
,ud yourself-remember the awful God above
.oil tened to your vows. He will cruelty ayen
to if you prove untrue.
go 1--WE were married one still Sabbath mo
- Ing. The heavens were draped with t
= .Gu clouds, through which the sun looked {
the and cold upon the earth At the conclus
ing Of the ceremony, which took place in the p
r i =