Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-05-05


determined to begin new life lsewhere.
At first, kept my good resolution, then [
yielded to temptation, and utter ruin and
degradation ensned.
This Wrctched cough seized upon me, my
money was gone, ay. respectabilitv. nv
hopes, all that was worth living for. a
year ago | returned here to die. I found
my mother living with relative whose
doors were closed upon her degraded son.
But she left her home and came to me
during this long year, racked with pain,
Ill, hopeless, despaflng, oh, what wretch
ed life [ have led still struggling, vaiuly
struggling in the gasp of the monster up.
on whose dark ALTA | have sacrificed my
hopes aud my life. Oh, Ellen, Ellen, if
there is one man ip whom you take an in
terest, warn him, as you love him, against
indulging in the fearful vice that has
brought me to rainsapd degradation.'
!. For three weeks, / daily visited Charles
Rushton in his miserable room of sickness
aud poverty. His cough increased aud he
grew hourly weaker, but he seemed caltner
and less desparing as he neared the CON
fines of the grave. read to him, prayed
with him, and the tears would course si-
lently down his thin cheeks He chung to
me with the most grateful regard YOU
are an angel of goodness he would say, as
| leant over him to administer his nour-
ishment. The spirit of our lost Ella seem
ed ever lowering orer us, aud when I min
istered to the i'll man, an angel face SEEM
ed to look smilingly upon US. One year
before this | had received her parting words.
Ellen, she said to me in the deep still
ness Of the night she died, draw close.
dear sister, and let me reveal to YOU nv
hearts secret. Before the dust of the grave
settles upon my Fps, lae me tell you how
my whole life ueDTe forth in one wild, in-
toxicating dream Of love. ELLEN, it was
my fate to love and not be loved again if
you ever see Charles Rushtop, tell him that
| lived and died true to the one love of my
life.'
For an answer stopped and kissed her
pale brow, and f1r The first time [ under
stood the meaning nf the indifference which
she had always evinced to the numerous
gentlemen who, attracted by her loveliness,
throng ed around her.
One night, it was the last of his life. I
sat beside the bed of Charles Rushton. -
Since our first meeting we had not spoken
OF Ella, but now, he told me of his love for
her, ne dwelt upon her beauty, her lovely
qualities, and he said, I intended to ask her
to become my wife, it was my life's dream,
but when that fearful vice took possession
of me, felt it would be 'wrongiDg her to
invite her to share my wretched fate. No.
no, | loved her too we'll for that and I have
the consolation of knowing that however
dark the shadows have thrown upon the
pathway of others, never did aught to
cloud her brilliant young life. She loved
me not, thank heavens, or knew that I low
ed her.
Charles Rushton,' said, . with her dy-
/ ing breath Ella Darlington charged me to
give you this message: If you ever see
Charles RushtoD, tell him that lived and
died true to the one love of my life You
were the object upon whom the pure warm
feeling of my sisters heart were lavished,
and know that through her whole life she
never ceased hoping for your returning
footsteps which, alas for her, never came
again Believe me the love of such an one
as Ella Darlington is not given lightly nor
withdrawn easily. Yes, the love that sprung
into being in early life endured faithfully
until that life itself had ceased to be-
He groaned aloud. My cup of misery
is brimming over, he said this last bite,
drop has caused it to overflow
The next morning when called Charlie,
Rushton was dead. stood moment anc
looked at the pale sad face. What a floot
of bitterness swept over me at the sight
| could stand it no longer and quietly clos
ing the door, [ assembled the dark stair.
way.
How is he ? asked the invalid,
Dead =
God have mercy upon the SOUL sh
fervently said, of the miserable viet;m 0
antenpeyance.'