Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-10-02

recognize this, her whole mind was too
much pre-impressed with the belief in his love
for her friend; and she was very young, and
the idea Of love. to her, was as of something
eternal and unalterable that, once having been
could never cease to be. She knew that Eustace
Fame loved Flora Beresford, because she
knew he had loved her months ago SO ran
her simple logic. Thus was she blinded =
She thought she understood it all, when, one
morning Eustace called at their house. sud-
denly, to take leave. He had received let.
ter that morning. he said, and he must go to
town instantly. His face was radiant, and |
his voice was softened almost to tenderness,
as he whispered to Evelyn, | shall return,
trust-I beieve-soon'
The letter was from Flora, Evelyn was
sure; they were reconcied, and they would
return to A that they might be mar
riedat the old church. And as she thought |
thus, Evelyn tried to smile, and believe what
she said to herself, they will be happy-and
IL am content-I am quite content
Flora and her mother sat in q splendid
apartment in one of the most fashionable of
London houses. The young girl lolled on
sofa, and negligently turned over the pages
of novel she held in her hand but scarcely
appeared to be reading. And at length she
tossed it on the table, and said, yawning as
she spoke:
Stupid tupid-stupidl Every thing in
the world is stupid, now -
You-most of all 2 and Mrs. Beresfora
raised her lively, still pretty face, from her
netting, and dropped the words from her
mouth, as if they were little pebbles cold,
hard and stony.
No more lectures, mamma, entreat-
I'm harassed to death as it is feel feel
what people mean, | suppose, by 6lase.:
every thing seems so uninteresting; the
world looks to me as dull, blank, and hazy
as thick fog
The fog is in your brain. / knew there
was one there uttered her mother, still with
the same icy, yet sharp and firm tone of voice
that so contrasted with her look of animated
good-humor.
can imagine people under the influence
of these kind Of moods, plungng into rivers,
still, calm, and deep, that look like the very
visible embodiment of rest
You talk nonsense; don't understand
you
That is not strange murmured Flora,
with sudden melancholy, and she sighed
deeply.
Bah ? and Mrs, Beresford ierked her nee
die so violently that the silken thread broke
will you listen to reason, for once?
Il will listen to you, mamma said the
girl with saucy smile.
will you agree to make both of us hap
py? Will you marry Lord Courtnaye?
: | don't love him; why should | marry
him 1t would be wicked to do so, wouldn'
it.
You will love him in time; he is hand
some, clever, rich: above all, he loves yo'
desperately
a. IL
wanting
SILLY sentiment! you are absolutely foo
ish, Flora. What can you require more in
e husband? He gives you rank, wealth, pc
sition, with his own affection, which, as
:, said before, is considerable What more d
II you wantT
e Flora seated herself on stool at her mott
er's feet; she twined her arms about hi
e knees, and looked earnestly into her eyes
3 those eyes that sparkled and glanced, an
&c looked SO pretty-at distance.
"a Mother, did you love my father when yo
&c married him?
Mrs Beresford recoiled as the clear, 10
70 I, tones fell on her ear momentary palene
II fitted over her face, and she bit her lip
"a she put aside her daughters arms, and DIRE
u her chair somewhat backward. But Il
u emotion was soon over; the cold sparkle r
30 turned to her eyes, and her voice was stead
le feelingless unfaltering as ever, when she
~ piled:
u, Yes, loved him when married him. al
L for a whole week afterwards
aI And then
And then began to find how transce
a dainty foolish | had been, to give up
rk * chance of wealthy establishment for pc
cn niess soldier, who was now as unlnteresti
o. to me as last years newspaper.
Flora looked at her mothers calm face W
l. kind of wondering incredulity. She /
Oh her hand to her temples and unused.
1t Are you convinced 2 asked Mrs. Bresfol
ut 'can not you learn wisdom from my exp
IN riencey
n 4 think said Flora slowly, without ra
ing her head; 1 think my love would
zen longer than week
y: 4 month perhaps. As you are sentim
Ell tal and even more foolish than was at y
e. age, say month, and after that, what
us' mainS?,'
There are some women whose love
eF lasted all their lives