Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-01-16

An instant sunshine through the heart
As II the soul that minute caught
Some treasure IL through life had sought.
"Aa II tho very lips and eyes.
Predestind d to have all our sighs,
And never be forgot again,
sparkled and spoke before then
Il was morning lovely, calm and beau,ifll
The amber clad Aurora had no, been visible
In the eastern horizon, and the sweet Narb-
ling birds had scarcely commenced their mat-
in songs. The first dazzling rays Of the sun
Ind not vet shot uthwart the earth, but the
tingod clouds far in the east, were the har-
bingers of his coming. Il was late in April
and the unfolding Howcrels, covered with the
nectared dew seemed to invite the lovers OF
nature TO leave their downy pillows and COM
mune with their embryo beauty!
May Melville had not been invited in vain
For though early, like Fairy she was trip
ping in the garden mid the budding flowers,
and inhaling the redolent perfume with
which the air seemed ladened. May was a
lovely girl-lovely, not only because her
form was blithe and syvanlike, her face
beautiful, and her brow indicative of free
dom from care-of earnest and deep thought,
but her Kindness and goodness had alike
won for her many admirers. No wonder
lage--no wonder that many hearts beat with
strange emotion, when. with the other in
habitants, she entered each Sabbath morning
the plain old church in b -, to worship
God
May had now stopped and, unobserved as
she lsnced, was twining garland of bud
ding flowers, with the dew yet sparkling up
on them. But more than the gardener, old
uncle Tom, as he was called, had noticed her
proceedings, as the narrative will presently
show.
why laws anne Miss May" said Tom, af-
ter opening the gate, which noise attracted
our FAIRIES, notice what on airth kin you be
doing here in de gardin dis yearly?
Only admiring the beauty of the flowers,
uncle Tom; you know | am very partial to
flowers and these in my hand just unfold
ing their petals are so beautiful
Yes, Missus, dey is pretty vary exhilera
tin. as a young MasSa at College would say
and 'spcct you is so taken off wild dare
beauty, dat you failed to notice de handsome
stranger, who just passed long dc street
dare. Mlssus, did you see him?
No uncle Tom'-excamed May some
what astonished. Which way did he go
Where is he now ? Did he see meY
oh J Missus, you AK dc old sarvant toe
much at once; but all he knows bout d,
fine lookin' gin'leman is dis: | 'spied hin
walkin' slowly on dc pavement, long yondei
comm on dis way; he stopped when gins
dc guardin out dare and looked over he re
mainrd dare two or three minits like he wa
lookin at de moon, or Jupiter's star, as here
school.boy call de big star 'tother day
tell you what Missus he looked mighty sen
timymental =
4 ~, , \,
May laughing.
Yes, Missus, yes sentimental-but 70
know de old darkie don't understand dictioni
ry no way Mssus.'
But what became of the stranger, unc
TomY
lie walked on down street Mssus 'casiol
ally lootin' back dis way; he 'peard like l
hated to 20 where he was goin'
Very well, uncle Tom, inform me if
passes here tomorrow morning. In Il
meantime want you to take especial care
Daily Roses and Hyacinths,' said May as 81
arrived at the gaze where uncle Tom b;
been standing during the dialogue.
May passed out OF the garden and dancir
along with her coronal of flowers tripped /
the marble steps Of her fathers princely ma
sion, and passing up the stairway, enter,
her own elegant bondoir; here she procur
vase and tastefully arranged her flowers
preserve their beauty. n
Old uncle Tom had entered the sardc
commenced his daily toll, and was thus S
liloquiSing to himself: Nov thar was Mi
May so completely 'sorbed in dem little ros
and dallys dat she never seed the gintlem
stranger passin' on de street, defy al
body to pass here widout tractin, my 'tc
ton. This gntleman, 'spect is some ri
mans son who is travlin' for his health, a
may be will stay here long time. He III
walk out ycrly every day to take de morn
hreezes, and if he comes round dis way
de mornin' again, uncle Tom will see if
can't take good look at his physamahogor
he will datl and den can give MisSu
'scription of de felleT-can tell her if he
vors 'Donis, or is like som ebody else dat
good man said last Sunday, was gwi
about seekin' whome he might devourr
Next morning, sure enough the hortic
turiSt Tom was seemingly very busy in Il
portion Of the garden next to the street. 8
might have been seen occasionally gaz
down the pavementas as ifanxiously expect
something from that direction. At last
his utter qualification he beheld the ha
some stranger slowly coming on, rcvell
in all the beauties and pleasures of an Al
morning stroll.
The stranger soon came up and pausi
thus addressed the labOrer Look here,
Gle Peter -
Uncle Tom, is my name Massa,' the
gro replied, taking off his hat
Well, uncle Tom then, whose residenc
hat just before me-?
That is Mr.. John Leroy y's-my old Ma
sir, said Tom making tremendous effor
be polite
Those flowers and shrubbery of VI
over there seem taStefully planted and CT
waited; methinks see the traces ther,
whittier hands and more refined inte
than you possess uncle Tom.
Yes, Master Miss May governs de
vatin'-dese are all her doings over her
only works um like she tells me-
Frank Clayton threw uncle Tom a qua
for his polittness, and light cigar
about pursuing his journey, when a soft
musical voice singing Annie Laurie
upon his ear. He turned just in time t.
the retrealing figure of May Melville d
pear through the garden gate she had el
cd unconscious Of his presence, and Ii
timid and frightened gazelle had fed,