Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-08-07

soul as the very Ideal OF perlectlon, IL seeheu
her highest earthly ambition was appeased, /
nought remained but to tread with light and /
happy step the fowery path OF welded llte.
The young husband became the idol OF his /
gentle and lovely bride. Love hid his faults |
and magnified his virtues-and in him was |
concentrated all her hopes. No higher be
ing was Acknowledged as having any claim |
upon her affections the creature was exalted
far above the Creator; and never was mortal
more ardently, more deyotedly worshipped !
than was the object of this maiden's choice.
There was joy in his presence and music IN
his tread His smile filed her with delight;
and never was she happier than when seated
by his side she could, unrestrained, drink IN
the loving tones of his voice as they fell IN
soothing accents on her ear. But such happ;-
ness was not destined to last That Being,
who is a jealous God, and who seeth the end
from the beginning, had prepared the cup
which was to bring this young idolater. to
herself The sky above looked bright and
clear, yet in the distance a cloud was gather
ing, cloud so small that none but the eye
of Jehovah could discern it, but which was
sooner or later to overshadow her whole life
and turn her Joy into sorrow. In an evil
hour the young husband imbibed taste for
the sparkling wine cup At first he drank a
glass only now and then, and that through
courtesy but soon it came to be a necessity,
and fearfully the habit gained upon him.
The young and gentle being, from whose side
short while ago nothing could have tempted
him to stray, was now sadly neglected and
forsaken and she, with all woman's love,
and confidence still trusted in him. She be-
lieVed him too pure, too good, to fall in such
way, and when, after long hours of watch
ing through the weary night, his well known
step was heard upon the door, she would haste
to meet him with all her usual tenderness
and joy, never betraying by word or glance
how sadly she had passed the time or how
keenly disappointment was preying upon her
heart. Twelve months sped quickly by, and
the once happy bride was mother. Fondy
and tenderly the bruised affections twined
around this little one, for in the new joy Of
her troubled heart she believed it's presence
would prove check to his fathers course
he would be again the kind and thoughtful
companion of other days, and once more her
heart and home would be filled with Joy
and happiness. But not so the smiles
and prattlings of her innocent boy failed to
win him to her side. Her tears, her plead
ings produced no effect his resolutions to re-
form were no sooner made than broken; and
with feeling of sickening despair the young
wife and mother opened her reluctant eyes to
the painful fact that the idol of her soul, the
being to whom her life was bound up, had not
only become strangely Indifferent to her hap
plness, but was going down with fearful haste
adescentfrom whose terrible depths no mortal
| power could ever release him. With all the
energy OF her nature she strove to reach his
heart; to arouse him to action and to aid him
by every means In her power to overcome the
Wretched habit which would eventually de-
stroy both soul and body. Moved by her
tears, her appeals, he vowed never again to
tnuch- thR faoisossed s'tc1raIrct co
her seat affection, SO long cold and torpid,
warmed his heart towards his neglected
ones,. and once more hope beamed from
the countenance of his tried and SORROW
ing wife, But the joy was of short dura-
! ton. The tempter came-vows were forgot
| ten, and, broken-hearted, weary and discon.
solate, the young wife is forced to leave her
! husbands side, and alone, and unaided tread
the rough journey Of life. They parted-he
to sink but deeper in the whirlpool Of vice
and dissipation; she to the hopeless, cheer
less task of supporting herself and little ont
amidst the scorn and contempt of an unfeel-
ing world. Slowly but surely her idol hat
been shorn of its beauty, and instead of th,
upright, noble being she once so madly wor
shipped, there remained alone the ruins o
sunken, debased, and erring mortal. Al
Fiction did its work She remembered he
guilt and trembled She felt how deepl
she had sinned in thus exalting above he
Creator, a being so paltry as man and hoy
base her ingratitude in rejectings so long Hir
who is said to be friend that sticket hate
1 eru1are but bleeding heart yearns for som
being to love, and humbled, repentant an
believing, she sinks at the foot of the Gross
Her affections centered upon one every wa
worthy of her loye-One who has promise
never to forsake or leave those who put the
. trust in Him, even Jesus Of Nasareth
Six long years have passed since she ga2
ed upon her husbands form; yes, six yeal
since she twined her hand through his dar
locks, or kissed his noble brow But ST
/ still lives her earthly prospects blaste
i while her hopes for the future grow bright
e with the lapse of time. The world looks o
2 and thinks she bears it well. Friends pit
e her sad and desolate lot; but her JOY
d stranger intermeddlcth not with Streng
V is given her from on high. A peace Il
II world can never give is hers-and she live
Y to do her Masters will lives to train b
n child for usefulness here, and happiness hel
IS after. Yes, she lives, anxously but patien
E. ly waiting to hear the welcome plandit
e well done, good and faithful servant."
le M