Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-09-14
SPIRIT OF THE AGE


ed, ike thousands VINO mao gone before nlm,
,ank lower and lower in the scale of morali-
" and virtue, as the passion for intoxicating
beverages grew upon BIN day by day. His
of resistance seemed wholly subver-- y
and in one year from the day Of his noma
nation, he had acquired the unenviable and
shameful repntationnpf Icing "a 6n6rmed
fded to e,arks and hirelings, and supervisory
neglect r.-veailY told a sad tale of his pecuni:
ary affairs. ssfhe fnanciafcrisis O 18-, gaye ,
the last blow to his fast falling fortunes and
the many thousands, and tens of thousands
amassed through wears Of sobriety, industry
and energy, were swept off in the. great gulf
of bankruptcy, owing solely&bp apathy and
inattention arising from lethargy occasioned
by the fiery fluid that 'steals away the BRAIN"
Others far less substantial, withstood the
shock, and looked with amazement upon the
mighty wreck of the rich mans shattered
barque, drifting upon the subsiding waves OF
a stringent monetorial epoch and the last
end of Henry R~ayInond's eighteen years OF
welded life, was worse than the first, IN eVe-
ry point of view-pecuniary, Social and mo-
raj. Mr.. Rivers pride received u STAB, Dy
this sad and sudden reverse OF circumstances,
from which he never recovered, and as Mrs.
r. bad passed away, in the richest hush. OF
her child's prosperity, ere long Nina Ray
mond was parentless and pennlless, with q
husband whose increasing abandonment and
lunkin&nAthe inevitable result of intemper-
ance, made her weary soul yearn fo-Naules
resting place beside them in the sombfe grave
yard. /
The bridal day Of Mary and Charles was
fast approximating, when the great world
was astounded by the unexpected failure OF
the wealthy and popular Mr.. Raymond. De
J spite his degeneracy in morals, be was still
J sought and fattered, by those who would
r worship q dime in a den of infamy, but I'M
/ mediately upon his reverse of fortune, like
I summer birds they were gone, early, and
t came no more, with soothing strains. OF sym.
pathy and friendship, to cheer his winter o.
poverty.
In other years, Mr.. Raymond would havs
d smiled with plying scorn at such an eVl
l. dence of false-heartedness and ~sycophancy
but having basked in the golden sunshine 0
y prosperity and popular favor, and his stron'
mind having been weakened by dissipation
the sudden shutting in OF the great ilgnt
social life, and topping over OF lofty position
operated disastrously upon his shattere
nerves, and plunged him recklessiy forwar
Cd into deeper excess and degradation. An
henry ymO Ddu ldilCb al
Id ly height he maintained in earlier year
tn when his pecuniary circumstances were
IT. moderate as now, and he went firmly 10
of ward in the discharge of duty, regardless
OF the neglect and ~indignities of the wealthy al
he worthless; and all because the yenomo'
WORM of the Still had Slapped the green IT
We, of moral courage, and withered the fresh, CO
leaves of selfreliance and inherent energy.
to Mr.. Percy ~peremptorily forbade his so1
ith union with the bankrupt's daughter, aid q
be- inheritance was the promised consequence
ing flial d~isobedience but despite her chang
sti- circumstances, Charles Percy, with the SC
Ter. of a true man, pleaded earnestly, with all I
ardor of a faithful lover, for the performan
a!ty of her VOW, made in brighter and better ga
ire when his ~soulless and sordidfather was pro
ned to acknowledge her as the betrothed OF his s.
Mr.. Raymond stormed at the propositr
i've. and in a state of intoxication, ordered Cnar
lim from his house, with the furious declarat
that she'd see biH p hell before the so1
ged that damnadk Ged e.