Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-06-13

been more than that; for my head is grow
ing white like it was when Lillia and play
ed among the flowers on the brooksde be-
low the mill, watching the perch and horn
ed dace' frolicking in the sun where it shone
through the elder and hazel bushes on the
bank; and as I pass my hand over my face
it feels hard and rough with wrinkles, and
here's my smooth cane, the gift of nephew
in foreign land, himself beyond the morn
of life, and if that's my shadow in the mir
ror against the wall, am now an old man.
Yes,--years have gone by since Lii
liza passed away, and have been dreaming
as if life had not winter and frosts, as
well as spring time and flowers.
The country was new then; the settle
ments were sparse and the 'clearings' only
here and there in days travel Ny faith
er came from Pennsylvania and so did Lii
las. They were scheolmates in oIden time
and they settled near each other in the
old wilderness. have heard my father say
/ it seemed lonely till James Linn came and
| bought land near him and built a cabin
Then we had neighbors. The smoke from
the two cabins curled up gracefully from
1 wide kbimneys and mingled together in the
/ the vile. tleT san;shed among the shAd9Gs Of
A blessed home was there. Trevere the
old trees that whispered so softly as the
breeze played in the boughs, and sent up
solemn anthem to heaven when the live storm
leaped upon their glossy crests The birds
sang earlier then than now, aud sweeter too,
it seems, and the creek beyond the patch"
! sang a good song not to be forgotten; It's
silvery tones linger with me yet.
Years passed by so swiftly that we scarce
ly noticed their fight Spring time with its
flowers came and went, the brown leaves of
autumn fell and went to the dust and the
winds of winter walled the death of the old
year, but Lillia and / cared little for that
The snow might fall and clothe the old earth
in cold garniture of white, but our cabin
fires were warm and we felt live love and
happiness glowing in our hearts.
When the nextspring came with new fow-
ers and birds to sing we were to be married
All we were happy
/ shall never forget that dismal winter
night. The fire on our cabin hearth burned
brightly enough to dispell dull care, but
somehow | felt comfortless and sad. My ia
ther held our old Bible on his knee and reaG
aloud the promises in its blessed pages, while
2 my mother busily applied the knitting need
: les weaving warm socks for me. Little LiZt
9 was playing with the yellow kitten on th'
: rug, and sat with my head leaning agains
: the logs of the cabin listening to the storm
: without. A sleet and cutting hail wa
e coating the old forest with cracking armor
. How the cold pebbles of ice ratified on ou
e cabin roof! can hear their pattering musi
/ yet. The sky was black and deep with rest
s less clouds, and the light of our lamp flare
! out dimly through the little window upo
s the solitude and gloom. The wind moane
: like some invisible monster in agony, as
I swept on now madly through the black wi
l. derness, then in struggling gusts dying ava
D. in the distance like the spirit-whisper
~ : ms isnrs. snst. -...- - - :
= bors. he rushed into our cabin vet and G.
~ His stout brown clothes were torn and
3 3 grimmed with dark stains of mud He b.
"a evidently been struggling through brandt
i, and forests for hours. There was wildne
u in his eyes, He stood in our cabin and trel
bled. It was Bob Linn. | knew somethiI
IN dreadful had happened and stood before hi
nr and could not speak. He shrieked rath
10 than spoke
as Lilia is lost -
le Lillia lost how the words froze into n
to heart! How it spread from cabin to cabin
Is the settlement for Lilia was the loved OF
ne Mr.. Linn was drinking man, and LII
and had spoke of it and wept together
he we sat under the cedar tree on the seat tn
eo Bob had built for u.s.,
lat The day before, he had been at the ne
On tavern that new conner. had built near t
rr, ''two hills" and when 10 came to his hor
at night he was drunk and had turned L
he liza away from the fireside. He was derang
od with rum, and thrust his daughter, and T
lty Lillia, out in the cold night and driving sl'
Ith with a curse and fastened the door upon /
md and sat with his gun, saying he would shC
Bob if he attempted to go to her rescue
red Since then hillia has not been heard of, 81
wy Bob, as he stood trembling before me.
eir had been searching field and forest for hou
int having escaped while his father slept.
'ne Lillia lost! rushed from the cabin q
and Bob after me; and the neighbors
~, W miles around gathered in groups and scar
ici1 c ed for the lost. All day through snow ;
i' ioi ice, and wind and rain, we beat the forest
'he The shadows of the dark day began to ga
er and our search had been fruitless.
~ stood alone in the gloomy forest and
loaded trees creaked and groaned un
their glistening burthen, and the wind sh
the fragile icicles from the boughs dowi
&C. nv feet Lillia lost ! and the truth viii
m through my brain till l grew dizzy, al
.ra leaned against an OLD beech tree and re
= ;f and listened. Away towards the sha
as nook ON the creek, where Lila and
re to spent many sunny oi'o' ,1' .o' .lnILoa -
and piaiht'e ciy. INV ny 80 - "a, se
Coo, long interval [ heard it again, and ran
wac wards the nook ] knew it was there
,hor, that it was Lillia. Again and again b
o,,so the same cry Of distress and | hurried
I Ioso More and more distinct as drew nearer
80 fayorite retreat | answered the cry al
- GU hu responded, | thought with hope. | MAJ
~ ,y ~ well tell Won of the place [ was going.
m was a fayorite place with Lillia. 1t was
ou' ed in on three sides by high brown ro
=. over which wild grape vines had clamo
IN on and hung them with tendrils and moss.
% cais silyery creek gargled along the open
ltrleo where the streat' and ''horned dace" pl
hgel' NJ and frisked among the white pebbles II
iooN. summer season. A wide and shelving
looVe leaned off from the southern wall OF thi
i ho treat aad beneath this was wide pc
was snuncheon,' on which Lilla and had ss
o.nei aether and talked of love and happiness,
alu II I had carved letters in the soft wood,
oiooo of them wrong end up, the honey 81
nL. no hung out from the crevices OF the old r
go. and for days together in the summer 81
we had there watched the humming-bird
i;I. ing the flowers for moment and then fly
knew Lllia was there, and | shout'
I ran towards the spot and the plaintive
a of distress s7ged Eae on. How my
a1 throbbed as if il would burstfrom my
,Doi as the tops of the rocks came in sight TIN
49, 49, the dusky shadows of the coming mig
7 49, 80 I shouted her name as / wound my
along the little path on the creek