Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-07-03

hun to his home, a few miles from the city. I
Ny restlve nature longed for a change l I
purposed staying for day or two. Frank |
was to take especial care of his mother and
Annette.
"A week slipped hastily away. knew
the anxiety of the mother; besides, daily in
tercourse with pure hearted woman had ex-
erted its due effect louged to be again
with Annette Brought in contact with the
world, she was no longer child as her IL
midity vanished Der strength and superiori-
ty OF mind asserted their respective claims
let dim presentiment came over me as
neared the hotel. [ recollected that, although
Frank knew of my address, / had received
no line | hurried from the carriage, up the
broad hight OF steps of the hotel. and enter
eel unsereIneE 3Risly my room. eg the ngts--
ment its darkness blinded me. then started
| back with horror. Extended upon his bed
lay my companion, with words of wild delir-
stnin naon his hps Annette. white as the
muslin robe that enfolded her form, sat at the
| foot The mother was smoothing back the
moist hair from the burning forehead; and
an expression of agony had settled arc und
her lips.
| Come in, she said coldly, as she noticed
my entrance.
! | moved to the foot of the bed. Lifting
her hand, and pointing to her son, she cx-
claimed, in tones that thrilled my very be.
| ing:
Behold your work
My work? A soul rushes into eternity
| bearing upon it the presence of my infu-
ence. The words maddened me turned
hastily from the room, and soon after left the
hotel
I drank more played deeper but in every
hour those solemn words rose up against me-
My old friend urged me to repeat my visit
w hen returned to the city, Annette and
her mother had left for home In my wri-
| ting-desk lay note, the first had ever re-
ceived from Annette, tho recognized her
Handwriting. opened it hastily. Would
its contents win me back to her? 1t ran:
God help US both can never be the
wife of a drunkard !!
L threw the note under my foot, as if it
in itself were guilty thing. But the words
were engraven upon my heart as with a
pen Of fire. There were no ties to bind ME
to my mother land. Under an assumed name
| left for England. There the ashes of the
idol Of my heart kindled into holy zeal /
resolved to dedicate my renewed powers to
the restration Of the fallen of mankind
One night, the volcanic powers of my
being burst from their narrow confines.
pictured with the graphic pen-alas! of re-
ality the fascinating but never lying ago.
ny of the wine cup AS | progressed, and
noticed the influence | exerted upon nv lis
teners, | grew bolder, depicting in my OWL
strong language its terrible blasting powers
is1cpf; al 10 tn
fading lustre of our greatest intellects.
caused woman to become interested In M
mission, and to the child | made mysel
plainly understood. If ever ieerng voic
Knocked at my warning, | pointed at tn
terrible reality in my own person; then, j
the glow Of manhood, but with shadow fol
ever resting upon me.
after an absence Of some twenty years
q strange fatality is carrying me to tn
scene Of my happiest hours. You have graf
jfed me by your attention. God grant IN
life lesson may be to many Of you neve
forgotten warning"
He bowed and would have passed, but al
arm arrested his movements, while tall forl
pushed aside the crowd. The cheeks of th
speaker blenched
my Godl" he cried, can the grave gi,
up its dead?'
'-Deadl' was the exclamation Of the stral
ger l appeal to you, my friends turnir
to the crowd, if ever ghost presented
portable frame? No. he added gravel
the lesson was severe, but salutary ben,
fit. When | witnessed my mothers toae
ing tenderness, and my sisters silent al
guish, | promised, if God should spare NJ
never again to touch the wine cup, or hand
another card. I sought for you, my frien
everywhere, grasping his companions han
Little did | dreem that night after nigf
as | perused the glowing speeches of En-
lands great lecturer, that the lofty, impa
olo taA 4k,a4
whose influence, wherever exerted, caused
!, corresponding tendency.
Thank, God 7 exclaimed the orator, clas
ing his friend in his arms.
!. But what Of Annette? questioned a
: tener.
: Myself first, gentlemen. Two years la
married beautiful girl who was firti
her first winter in New Orleans In
= home, few miles further up, We have
beyy of exotic flowers, but the fairest
! that group is my eldest boy, Robert Ira
! the namesake of my old friend"
There was prolonged shout
T L am on my way, gentlemen, to the
homestead, to witness the marriage Of
: younger sister TO a neighboring planter
. l. Is Annette married? ? questioned the
= tcner again.
= Annette he answered still wears the
- onet of madenhood, but to me is as beal
!. ful as ever, as she tenderly guides the 81
= of our aged mother. But if any of
gentlemen be passing this way within
- month, cordially invite you to wedC
II that should have taken place some TIVE
years ago.
), There was loud and prolonged dem
\ straton as the crowd moved aside The
friends, srm-in-arm, passed out.
T The next morning ascertained that
If had gotten off during the night at on
~ the landings on the river.