Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-08-15
From the Southern Field and Fireside
THE CURSE OF DIsOBEDIENCE.
BY LAURA LINCOLN.

don sat a middle-aged lady clothed in deep
black. The evidence of past suffering, bit
ter and protracted, was stamped upon every
ilneament of the pale mild face. She look
ed as though she had been baptized in the
merry hood OF sorrow, and had come forth
.he purer from its regenerating waters. Her
dress was neat though humble-in a word
she was the music teacher to the beautiful
Aliee Herndon, and was now awaiting her
coming.
Light footsteps were heard pattering down
the staircase, and then the door opened, and
as lovely a creature as the eye e'er rested
upon entered the room. Tall and shapely,
with dark brown hair and eyes, a complexion
where the rose and lily were harmoniously
blended, Alice Herndon was a being to lead
captive all hearts. There was a mingled dig
nifty and sweetness in her manner, as she
came forward, and kindly taking the hand of
her teacher, said:
II am glad to see you out again, Mrs,
Weston. You did not come, as usual. last
Wednesday, and | heard that YOU were not
well. | should have been to see YOU. but.
indeed, | have had such q dreadful fit Of the
blues, that my company would have been
neither agreeable nor entertaining and as
she spoke an expression of sadness, foreign
to her usual sunny look, passed over her
features.
have, indeed, been indisposed,' . respond
ed Mrs. Weston, a am scarcely able to be
out now. But you know that enc dependant
upon her labor fors her daily bread cannot
afford to neglect it. But come, let us com
mence our lesson" and raising the lid of the
piano they sat down.
Mrs. Weston loved her fair pupil very
dearly, and it panied her to see that some
I III rvnn
seemed very distracted this ~morning-strik-
ing false notes, and in various ways ~eyincinp
that her thoughts were anywhere but upon
the music before her. Her companion watch
ed her closely for some time, and then pass
ing her arm affectionately around the young
girls neck, she said:
Alice, there is something troubling you,
which it would relieve you to confide to a
sympathlzIng heart. You have no mother.
my child, let me stand in her stead-confde
your griefs to me, and they shall be held
sacred. Perhaps, too, | can help you"
: AT these tenderly spoken words the maiden
burst into tears, and leaning her head upon
the shoulders of her kind friend. answered
Indeed, Mrs. Weston, you have OWNED.
truly. l am in trouble, and need counsel sore
ly. will confide in you with the hope that
you may be able to advise me Alright. You
know Howard Tracy-or, at least. Won have
seen him. He loves me and I return that
love, but my father is bitterly opposed to our
union, and says that if / marry Howard |
shall never darken his doors again. He tells
me that my lover is a gambler, and loves the
VINE cup better than he should. How can
l believe this of the gentlemanly, noble How
ara Tracy? Surely my father is deceived.
l am haltlng between two ~contending princi-
pies; love and duty. Howard urges me to
an eioPement, and says when we are once
married my fathers anger will vanish. What
am to do ?I cannot forsake nv father. and
how can give up Howard
During this recital, the teachers male. sad
face was bowed over the bright head upon her
shoulder, while great tears rolled down her
furrowed cheeks, and dropped upon the
glossy hair.
oh my childin she cried, when Alice
paused, how forcibly do your words recall
the by-gone scenes of my own needless youth.
Listen to what am going to tell you, and
learn therefrom a lesson.
~ was, like yourself, the only child of a
widowed father, who loved me with idolatrous
affection. l too, was fair to look upon, old
and faded as am now. / had two lovers.
one OF whom was fayoured by nav father. the
other BY myself. When | told nv parent Of
Albert Weston's offer Of marriage. he be-
sought me most earnestly to reject him-say-
ing that Iccald never be happy with d man
OF Aiberts known habits. He would not
coerce me, he said, but il 1 would not bring
ms grey hairs TO the grave, | must promise
not to see my lover more. My heart was
torn with conflicting emotions, but how could
refuse my dear old father, who had never
gwen ne an unkin6 word or look since the
| hAIlr m n Uifa ~ ,nnfla, - - -
and prayed him to be both father and mother
to the babe?
Il gave him the required promise, feeling
that was ~renouncing all my hopes Of happi.
ness when | did so. After the excitement of
the interview, | put on my bonnet, thinking
tnat a walk IN the fresh morning air would
revive me.
Il had gone but a few squares, when |
heard hasty footsteps behind, and soon a face
handsome as Apollo's looked into mine. And
would you believe ii, Alice-though Thought
hat had fortified my heart strongly against
his Establishments, and begun by telling him
we must never meet again-I repeat. would
you believe it? l went home Albert Wes-
tons welded wife. will not detail all the
arguments that he used to overcome my reso-
luton, while my throbbing heart plead elo-
quently in his behalf. Suffice it to saw that
we went to the house of a magistrate and
were married.
then went home to pack up nv ward
robe. Albert was to call that afternoon and
acquaint my father with the step that we had
taken, and then we were to leave home for a
short bridal trip, giving my father time, as
ne said, to get used to the new state of things.
No sooner had l parted from nv husband
than the sin and folly of what / had done.
rushed with overwhelming force upon nv
mind, and | would have given all that | DOS
sessed could the deed have been recalled
But 1t was too late now, and / must nerve
myself to bear the consequences. I reached
home IN tim for dinner, and my poor deluded
parent met me with a smile and a caress. han
Ply in the promise that l had given him a few
hours before. l felt like a periured wretch
and would fain have hidden myself from his
sight. Thus early was the sin of disobedi.
ence beginning to bear its bitter fruit.
After dinner l vent up to nv room to
commence my preparations for departure. and
there L remained until summoned to meet nv
husband in the parlor. And while eneircled
by his arms, my head resting on his bosom,
and listening to the thrilling tones of his
loved voice, ], for the time, forgot NV father
and the impending blow, which I knew would
fall so heavily upon him. Ny father was
absent when Albert first came, but soon re.
turning, my husband sent to request his nres.
ence. When he entered the room and saw
me there, his brow darkened with a frown
and he looked at me with a tro,blad - I