Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-04-17

alleged earthly happiness does not exist; for
our very life is only a small river whose wa
tiers are rendered always turbid by troubles,
trials, and disappointments, as they bear US
down to the great and boundless ocean of
ETERNITY. These, kind Editress, are some
of the reflections that occupied my mind du-
ring the forenoon of March %, 1861.
Milford, Ga.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
A SUMMER RAMBLE.
"where shall the Minstrel find a themes
Mrs. HEMANs.
This is indeed a question that might be
: asked by any one, on first taking up the pen
f of authorship. What path is left untrodden
What topic ACKNOWLEDGMENT passion net
exhausted? Yet we need not despair; for
though every mine of thought has been ex-
plored, vet nature is inexhaustible, and ina
thousand tongues she replies to our inquiries.
Where the blue lake lies Swallowed by the
: hills. where the mountain peaks soar dazzling
in the winters snow, or blush a rosy red to
ID the departing sun-where the mad waves
come dashing on the rocky shore, raising
q their crested heads in ungovernable wrath,
II or where the tiny pillows tip their sandy
70 bound, and give a brighter eoloring "a tbs tbs
n I'D moor where the unchecked winds lift
lg mn their voices; where the brook, ripping
Ger it's pebbles. sings its happiness as it goes,
n and where the flower, on its tender stalk, Hts
nm its ewes to meet the sunbeams-there Is
nourishment for the heart-a theme for the
in noat Neither solitude CT death is there In
gs Nature. The flowers bloom among the grey
rocks, vet they live not this life a one the
wild bee nestles in their bosom-the outterny
he rests for a moment on their stems, the SPIDER
ne weaves bis circle in their midst, Wnlle the
an voices of innumerable insects mlngle Win
the rushing of the wind, and the wild cry OF
the birds as they sweep over the fields. The
ne wet and splashy bed of the unclaimed marsh,
ing annarently so barren and undressing to the
eer eve. has its hordes and stores OF beauty; lot
:. tIere blooms MANY a floral gem that mans
vision never rests upon. Oh, no, there are
Oh no failures in Nature. Her stores are mighty,
Iese her gifts lavish; she fills the poets heart VIII
, her sweet presence, she breathes her tales Io
, his ear in the hush Of her quiet hooks, In tn
dimness of her wood paths, IN the noly sun
ness of her nights, and he, in the powers 0
E. his genius. and the gushings of his love, pour
forth his inspiration in words that will no
die. o..
But though nature is thus attractive, thu
;ncn;r;ng in her influence when alone, sh
, my comes with a mightier call on our hearts G
udy, feelings when there is a link, however sligh
tood between her and humanity. Inc latt
n oreathes a spirit in her outward beauty al
invests her with double charms. IhaC my
ming ta,ious,y woven chain which unites us to OF
nme- kind-the air from the waving of the etern
6 the wing whose shelter we all share, the ST
r;rh+ sad music that mingles melody and slghn
around us, the voice of suffering ana OF Jo
huge of infancy, of youth, and OF old age, each al
20 all all l. to the true roet a source of 'insplratio
des a nature herself made more potent by her &C
- nection with man. The world frets a
we're Istence,' and ffnaiktnisg ~4taf TsG m PSft te ras snar
Its undertiow, verdure amid the waste. or
to vie piI Wan n she desert.
1g the warmth of . " ENJOY me bal
Sc sun has not yet left the horizon. and his
rived, den rays give a ~coloring to hill and sire;
at the W e lolter by the side of the latter. the wa
,he, hen m gliding from the covert of the ha
u ing leaves into the broader portions of the
rang Ter, the willow fringes its banks, and the
ia the get-me-not bends its blue eye to its image
the wave. We pass DER the meadows. n
srm shorn OF their tall grass, and by the &C
:, neIos, showing signs of the coming harye
their we gaze with delight on the prospect bef
busi- us.
an to cottaa0 We p.oceeu onward, we come to a lit
aouo, NNo SHN O1OdQ STA, anu the Or
~ and purple west. Some children. half RI
holy and sunburnt, are playing about the door =
a woman, still young, once pretty, and W
r, and nearance hnt m;tL Le aooSe ner dress and {
sights is standing by with an ;nf,nt = Ina 'ea1ur
tally Her children seem happy enough. till a sh,
ow tails before the doorway, and a heavy 81
To- ba- Is nearo among them. 1t is the husband a
iatner, a man OF lowering brow, and unple
N a ar Anf
ansfer his voice unkind. The wife looks nalcr, .
IS met more miserable, the children stop in their nj.
and hush their voices, and are GLAD to sbri
. cur quietly OFT to bed, too happy to escane Wi
with out 8 harsh word. Alas that there sbo,
ems of be such homes in this free and hapnv Land
ours. Try i""o
POOR Mary Shaw, she was a village heire
and her little fortune might have secured !
ab- a comfortable home all her life, had she eh
long sen wisely the sharer of it, But Mary cor
of a not De persuaded that William Pike. the han
> b. soonest young man of the village, could e'er
I, ~. Qiner than he was, a good humored fello
= a." time discovered how fiji than. trouble.
q the in the ale house-how his good humor va
augh ished under the influence O drihk, and becol
the saoiy senslple that the man VIII IS so g
spirit often verv careless how bo n spas1t ia ae saoa1.
at home.
A dozen years have passed since that W,
ntoos ding day, and Mary and her children are
~ | have described them. Around their hea
ana l gathers no household love-beneath tn
roof echoes no blessing-a broken-hear
ooked wife-a. h~eartless, drunken husband. Dc
no. late and dreary is that home. Verify
curse deepens as the circle e~nlarges.
But night draws on, the sun has sunk
,er ac- hind the mighty hills, the grey of the sunni
- twilight is deepening, here aud there a lii
nav. is twinkling in the cottages, and there's scar
ly a sound, save the echo of our own footste
! want We inger yet q moment to listen, but
Lad INV birds have ceased their songs, and there
nothing heard but the slight %rustling Of
= anu leaves of the ever restless popular. Mi
conso- draws her curtain more closely-our ran
is over. FINLEY JOHNSON
Baltimore, Md.
6cence
WORLD ADULTERATIoN OF KEROSENE On.-M
,nu of our readers burn Kerosene oil. not only
~ account OF the cheapness and brilliancy O