Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-03-13

ask her the mOmenLOuS Que6liol diu DO-
Kicked, as the questionable world says.
will ask her the same question and be trans
ported into thousand elysiums by the an
swer. All! hal shall be happy and you
will be miserable. But never mind, there
are as GOOD fish in the sea as were ever
caught by the most skilful of fshermen.-
| Cheer up, cheer up, you can't have Clara
| Dale. but there are plenty more as good as
she isr
sClara Dale win be more choice in her Sc
| lection, think replied Lorsing, as a hot
flush appeared upon his brow
| 'Ahp said the other, noticing the rising
passion, and constituting his remark as was
| intended by he who uttered it.
! CLARA Dale will nes er associate hersey with
those who are her interiors.
Why, why, my o0yS yyhat do you mean
This y said the other, rising, that the
name of Clara Dale is 700 pure and sacred to
be mentioned by idle lips before company
like this
You mean to intimate
No! mean no intimation-I have said
what have sad distinctly and plainly
Both were now upon their feet
'Then you deem me yours and her lnfe'
riorl'
Pooh! YOU are drunk said the other
turning away,
POUNDS YOU scoundrel. will not take
this insult from such as you, replied Wyatt
as LAYING his hand upon goblet, he hurled
/ it with all his force at LorSing. The trail OBJ
iect missed the aim for which it was intended
and fell directly at the feet of the terrified
merchant. The Spirit of Crime leaned for
ward and stretchi ng out his long bony and
bloody arm, gently touched the shoulder OF
the student In an instant The arm OF Lors-
ing was raised and there was something dark
in has hand. There was a flash, a cloud OF
smoke, deafening noise, fill, groan, and
the sound of many feet AS the Others rushed
TO their fallen comrade--and Snap felt the
cool air upon his brow as the Spirit hurried
him away from the scene of blood.
They were the doings of Wine-and the
wine of Abraham Snap!
Back to the city went the Spirit and he
ushered the merchant, trembling from the
view he had already received OF the power
which his guardian had over the passions OF
men, into small room, in the heart OF the
great city, which Vas occupied only by a
single inmate. 1t was broad daylight and
the busy sounds and turmoil of trade came
up to the ears of the youth, who sat within
the room. He sat silently. with his head
resting upon his hands and his elbows sup
ported by the table at which he sat. There
was paper before him, and pen was IN one
of his hands: but there was fear and irreso-
luton distinctly branded upon his brow.
Surrounded as am by clamoring debtors,
he mucmured scarcelg audiblvs what must
do? These debts must be paid, but how
cannot tell my father of what have done,
| cannot ever look upon his face without the
consciousness of guit-that worst OF all
outlines, tilial ngratitude. | have spent
nv patrimony, wasted it in riotous living
and here still debts upon debts to pay. Oh!
my evil genius, prompt me not to this deed
1t is-it is-too fearful-too terrible 10 think
of-oh how can do it?-yet by the stroke
of this pen, my debts are. paid and | am &
man again, and. aided by resolution and i'll
dustry can easily make up the amount. Bu
if am detected ! ah! that IS the great Sc
cret that keeps me from it now. detection
have no filial love the fires of wine hav
burned up every atom of love of any kind il
my heart. must, must, there is no othe
alternative but disgrace and ruin
There was sound as the pen ratified has
tily over the paper, and the youth starte
up hastily and left the room. He was
forger
The demon bade the wine merchant gaz
there as he spread out before hifu pano
rama He saw the check presented at tn
bank-t was honored and the youth fe
full of fear from the house Of gold. Bac
speedily to his room he FASTENED to sprea
out the notes and coin he had received. Il
counted the full amount, and he had enoug
to pay all his clamoring dehtors, and NOR
to start his life anew. But there was some
thing that drew him to the window, an il
tuition which ne could not explain. BIT
why started he back--why turned his fac
an ashy whte-why gasped he for hreat
and why seized he the table for support ?
In the hurrying crowd he caught a glimps
of youth rushing hastily past with his ha
streaming in the wind, and with his breat
shortened, painting with his haste and anxr
ty. 1t was the messenger of the bank. t
knew him Well, and he was fastening to h
father to be convinced of the truthfulness
the check The forgery was in imminel
danger of detection. There was but OF
way tn meet it. He knew that the mesSe
ger would no: find his father whittier be WI
, going He was at home, confined to his bt
by helpless illness, and the forger haY SEE
the messenger hurrying on to his place
business. lie braced himself for the fin
struggle and FASTENED from the room.
Swift as the electric fash, went the Spin
of Crime touching the youth as he sped awi
to his evil deed Yes the Spirit encourag
him on, and Abraham Snap groaned with
him, praying in vain for the power to wit
s hold the hand Of the patricide. But |
princely mansion was reached-up-up-
the room where the rich man lay. He sic
and affection had gently drawn the CT
tains and left him undisturbed and alone.
The purpose of the almost detected forg
could not be thwarted. Bracing his Ii
firmly together, he barred the sick maj
heaying bosom; there drawing 'th 10
silver pin from his garments, he placed
opposite the aorta with one push he Dire
it home, and without one groan, one mo
ment of the body, the old mans life was
ded, the forged check could not be discov'
cd, the forger was for the present safe.
was done-the crime was complete, ard
Spirit of Crime chuckled loudly as be c.
graduated himself upon the success of
plpil.
They were the doings of wine-and
wine of Abraham Snap
What the thoughts were that fed thror
the mind of the wine merchant, as the yo
- stealthily crept from the apartment, no IN
can conceive! He had seen singular c
of murder recorded in his evening pap
and these was exactly the facts of the ca
rv He read that if silver pin be inserted
he the aorta of living person. such is he
ar tion of the metal upon the artery that in
,;e date and comparatively painless death
es sueS' pu. !" as not upon the sing u'Ai
a of the death that Abraham Snap pondere