Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-03-06

AoIdHdIn, he HeaIQ the OIQ man say, To-
morrow is Christmas. You wish the day of
course
'Iwoula like it, sir, very much
And perhaps the week t?
4 consult your interest alone, sir. If you
wish me, you have only to command and 1t
shall be obeyed'
You're good boy, Abraham, good boy.
You can have the week. Go to your friends,
they will be happy to see you, and you to
see them. Pm an old man, my boy, an old
man, and have no friends to see Gcd bless
you, Abraham you can go
My dear master, do not say you have no
friends Am | not here? Do Inot study
every wish to please you P
Yes, yes God bless you God bless you'll
Abraham
| The boy dashed away a tear that had es-
capped from beneath his eyelid and left the
apartment.
You loved the old man, your master, Snap?'
asked the spirit in a hollow voice
Loved him yes-yes Even his memory
and this picture are precious to me. Loved
himP he returned, and his voice was choked
with emotion.
Loved himp grinned the spirit
| Why-why' '-faltered Snap, as the i'm
preston of something dreadful fastened upoE
his SOUL
Loved him : again said the spirit.
i would do anything to make him comfor-
table In his old age, if he lives If dead, there
| will be no more lamenting mourner at his
tomb than me. Does he live, spirit say does
he live? Where? How? WhatY
Loved hmr The spirit said the third
time, and his eye flashed upon the liquor dea-
ler, as he said it. Loved him. Yes, such
is the love Of earth. Ingrate see what YOU
have turned the old man to-the old man
whom you love-
Again the spirit plumed his wings, and
seizing the mel chant, opened way to the
homes of the poor in the great city There
was no difference in the hovel to which he
now went, with that to which he had been
with the spirit of Hatred. There was the
same story OF misery and woe told in the ma
ked walls, the filthy floor, the begrimed and
stuffed windows, the sickening atmosphere
and fading light There was the same story
told In the helpless figure that lay stretched
out upon the pile of rags in the corner of the
room. There was no difference except in the
human being. There was a man of eighty
years within it. Without motion, almost as
dead, lay he there, in the cold winter night
the old man with the touch of the demon up.
on him, with the blast playing with unruiy
fingers amid his white locks, and breathing
icily upon his shiyering form. There lay the
poor old man.
Love him! Love your old master T again
said the spirit There is more love within
the hollow chest of the inhabitants of nv
own home of skeletons, than in your heart
Behold him! Look upon me, and tell that
filthy lie again.
My God? said Snap, as he gazed in terror
| q bod L
1T is your old master, Abrraham Snap
Here he lies tonight. / have shown him to
you thirty years ago, when you were his ap-
prentice. l could have shown him to you,
when you were of age, how he gave you
money, you, poor, fr;endless orphan, gave
you money to bring him at last to this-he
gave you money and you bought poison with
1T and gave it to him. All, you shudder,
well you may, Abraham Snap. Icould TOO,
have shown you, when you were youth of
ten, how he took you to his breast in pity,
when no one else would, how he cared for
you, and let you visit your aunt-the only
friend beside him that you had-when you
wished, and when he-he, your master, did
your menial labor to give you a days pleas.
ure. | could have shown you every deed oil
kindness done to you. Now show you what
you have done for him.
Have pity-have pity? groaned the Ii.
quor dealer, as he raised his hands to his
i breaking head.
Did you have pity upon himT sneered
! the ghost in his ear. No, l will not have
r to drink-you sold it to him. 4Abraham Snap
! you, your
r There was another pause when the wlnc
n hA hal nj
e old man in the face.
4 You brought him to this. After all h
Y did for you-taking you to himself, poor anC
J. helpless. with all your relations poor and un
e able to support you, after giving you time ant
c money, and thousand other indulgenceS
d after giving you money to start life with, at
S ter all this you bring him here and to this
e And you lie to me, william Of earth, you lie t,
I me when you tell me that you loved him.
r What answer have you? Take down YOU
: hands and see the curse of the old man--th
d old master whom you love See his wither
ing curse-for you cannot hear it-upon you
f head as he yields up his ghost to me. | an
G his master now, and death awaits outside th
q portal to strike the last, terrible blow, and Il
a give his soul to me- Yes, | have his sou
D now. | loved him too, Abraham Snap
f loved him too, ha ha ha and am going
d to damn him forever-be is doomed to dam
g naton-terrible, horrid, everlasting damn a
S ton amid the sulphuro US flames of hell
! Demon shouted Snap, i will not see thi
/ deed Away Take me back to my room
It Back, say, by all the powers of heav-'
Hushl hush replied the spirit BE 81
Of lent and immovable, or shall bind you.'
TX oh, then pity me! Spare mel Spare me
S, No! the answer was firm and fell like
e, heavy weight upon the soul of the lique
b. deaIer
Mt One, half goner said neighboring watcl
re man. as he announced the time of night
st near corner.
q. The sound fell upon the ear of the old m;
ed and he raised himself upon his elbow, al
= glared vacantly around.
IN. 'One-half gone / he muttered in brok
ly language, 'yes-yes one-half gone, Ho
nd cold-it isl Ny bones-are-clattering
in. against-my skin yet-my head-burI
y. nv stomach gnaws-for food-and yet the
act is-none On! God-how long-shall-
he suffer thus? One-half gonel Yes-l
nd half conc-where? Oh! that-I knew
;ed Tn half-gone--half gone Oh, this wo
ere this cold--this cheerless--this migrate
he world--how glad-I am to-leave it! Yes
m. leave ito go-ohl God-where? But
care not-let me-de. There is one-sw
he in my cup-of bitterness-out Oft the wo
me me out of the woild-yes-yes-out OF
world. And-where are-the friends
tv NV vouth-and-t friends-of my pro-
yf ncritv. Are-they all-gone? My ger
~ wiie.-she-she-is gone-and-my d
ler I darling boy-my darling boy-he's g
rht toowand3 ra-ham--Snap-my goo