Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-01-08

Oe the last person to endeavor to counteract
4 her influence over her husband
Thus silenced, Mrs Barry said no mere.
but she thought, and expressed her opinion
| to others whenever occasion offered
Mr.. and Mrs. Leighton sold their town
residence, and settled permanently in the
couRtry. They came but seldom to the city,
and then remained but few hours to trans
act necessary business.
| As Mr.. Barry had been intimate for so ma
ny years with Atwood he frequently visited
him for recreation during the long summer
days, or perhaps for days shooting in the
fall. He sometimes took his wife with him,
and she was surprised, knowing the gay, So
cial temperaments of both, at seeing them
| looking happier than since the first months
of their married life The faces of both hus-
band and wife expressed commitment and
| peace.
! Conjecture as to their strange course among
the circle of acquaintances seemed 20 have
died away, and they pursued the even tenor
of their way, happy in their children, and
each other. Thus years passed by, until
Mrs. Barry was one day startled by her hus-
| bands telling her that Atwood Leighton had
purchased handsome residence, and was
| about to remove back to the city, for the two
fold purpose of placing his children atschool
and resuming again the practice of law. At
ter they became settled their spacious man
sion was throHged with old friends, and ac-
quaintances, rejoicing once more to welcome
them amongst them. -..
! They appeared to enjoy society as much
as in their youth, but with a more chastened
| lveliness as became their maturer years.
Each and all observed the mixture of love and
reverence in the manners of Mr.. Leighton
towards his still lovely wife, and the proud
and gratified expression with which her eyes
| followed him, conspicuous in every crowd by
his noble countenance, and gracious deport-
ment Atwood went in partnership with
William Barry, and shone, as his friend had
predicted in early manhood, bright, fixed
star in the galaxy of the profession.
One day, some two years after the Leigh
toms return to the city, Mrs. Cameron and
Mrs. Barry were seated, as in the opening of
our sketch, and the conversation again turned
upon the I.eightons. b.
The strange conduct of the Leghtons Is
still inexplicabls to ns,' remarked Mrs.
Cameron. 'That they were under a cloud
OF some sort am fully convinced; that it was
Rota pecuniary one am also assured, for
my husband says that Atwood Leighton has
always been as sound any man in the
State"
just then William Barry entered, and his
wife turned to him and said .s -
I'VE are discussing that freak of the Leigh
tons moving into the country ten years ago
! without any apparent cause and when it
was universally known that they both pre-
ferred town, and could amply afford to reside
where ever inclination prompted Yoa ought
to know the cause of it; if any body does, for
you have always been Atwood Lsightsn's bo-
som friend Come, now, be good man and
relieve our curiosity" ..
81 am glad that am at liberty to do 30.
: and know that you will both be astonshed
at my revelation and feel sorry that you ev-
er imputed selfish or willful motives to Mrs.
Leighton for her conduct" replied Mr.. Bar
ry. 'You possibly remember, Ellen, when
you first mentioned this subject to me, that |
told you Alice Leighton was good and tr1e
woman : meant it from the bottom of nay
heart, for I alone, as the confidential friend Of
her husband, understood her seemingly in
consistent behavior. Drunkenness is heredi-
tary in Leighton's family. Not the drinking
in public places and all times, which leads to
brawling and scandal. The Leightons have
always had too much pride for that. When
!, they felt the fatal thirst coming upon them,
they would shut them up and indulge it un-
holds was this soul destroying habit known.
!, By the world the Leightons were only spok-
en- of as an eccentric family. ......-..#
atwood inherited this unhappy propen-
! sity, and often, both at college and elsewhere,
have | sat up all night at his earnest request
to prevent prying eyes from seeing him in
his degraded state. He saw and loved Alice
Merton, and for a long time determined to
, live a lonely and unloved life rather than
: unite the destiny of the sweet girl with his.
, him, and hoping, that with his good angel in
her forever by his side, he could subdue the
demon within, he married her.
!. sand for season he did succeed in doing
, so, and Alice was perfectly happy. Alas at
. party, which they both attended. a friend
) unknowing his weakness, pressed champagne
. upon him The taste of liquor aroused the
q slumbering thirst within him, and leaving
0 Immediately for home he sent out for BRAN
dy, and then shutting himself up closely in
e his room he drank himself into state oi
I stupefaction A few days later he wen,
{ forth as usual, and his plea of indisposition
r aroused no suspicion anong his acquaintan-
: ces. ss#. z.. ee.ls... ...#
"Alice, at that time, had a very quick
e temper, but to her credit be it spoken, as
: her husband has since told me, never did she
give him a cross or unkind word. During
his periodical attacks, (if may so term them. J
no one attended him save his devoted wife,
! who was anxious as he could be to hide the
: mortifying secret from the public. She lost
: all relish for society for she dreaded to hear
E the blasting whisper-'Atwood Leighton is q
E drunkard' She saw that the pernicious hab-