Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-09-15
No. 4.

ing with cold water, and application OF
salts to the nose of the sufferer In the
midst of it all Mrs. James took her leave,
ayering that it made her so nervous to
see a person in that state that she could
do no good, and was only in the way.
When Mrs Mayfeld returned to con
sciousness sac was lying on the coach in
her own room, aad Rosalie was bending
ever her. The sight Of her daughter
brought all her woes to the mind of the
unhappy woman. She groaned, and turn.
ed her face away.
Leave me, Resalie leave me, child II
can't bear to see you or any one. Close
tie shutters, and don't come up till Iring.'
But, mamma, you are III; can not
do something for you2 Let me STAY in
the room, at any rate; will be perfect
ly quiet
NO, child, no-T can't have you.
shall do very we'll, but want to be by
myself ! and Rosalie, sadly perplexed by
her mothers sudden illness and strange be.
havior, was fairly driven from the room.
Left alone, the poor mother had to face
the conviction of her terrible mistake and
Its consequences. Alas alas and she had
been the means ofbnding Resale to the yer,
fate that, of all others, She dreaded most
for her, Her child was to marry poor
man, and, worse than that, a poor author!
Where all those blissfpI visions-those
bright pations--that had upheld her
from earth during the past few months p
All gone in a moment! She had plunged
Rosalie into the same life that she herself
had suffered SO long, and from which it had
been her frmest purpose to preserve her
child. Rosale must do as she had done !.
forego all luxury, curtail even necessaries,
and, after all, find it hard a matter to live
within her income Her beautiful child
must manage and drudge must see things
getting shabby, and have no means to re
new them must Gud her clothes worn and
out of fashion, and have no money to re-
place them. She must use delf where
other people used china; must walk where
they rode must wear calico where they
wore silk or satin. She must keep inferior
servants, and do half the work herself; must
undergo privations, notifications. The
nursery must be her opera, and the kitch-
en- her ballroom and amidst these sor-
youta depart Oh, t @ was sdqe dreadfai r an, an
poor Mrs. Mayfeld wrung her hands IN
despair. How differently had she hop
ed how differently believed! She Sh
thought Rosalie WAS safe, forever saf.
from the faintest shadow Of want 8
poverty. BUTT was not too late vet; sd
would break off the engagement. f1ss
Then came the thought of the pnblicit
the scandal. 1t was so near the wed
ding day-all the preparations. made
every one would wonder so what the rea
son could possibly be-and Rosalie migh
refuse to give up her lover, or, if she con
sented, would be SO unhappy. Then tn,
true cause would be sure to leak out, anc
they would be laughing-stocks Cor life
No, the engagement could not be broken
off. She must abide by it, however dread.
full the result
How she had misunderstood and mis-
taken Mr.. Heury's words , On asking
her consent, and making statement Of
his affairs, he had told her that he had
small property entirely independent of
his profession and authorship. She had
supposed it to be modest way of alIudinG
to his fortuue, and had made no Inquiries,
not liking to show curiosity upon the sub,
ject. She now recurrcd to his words with
ironical bitterness. Small property ?
she thought ) small enough, dare say. |
wonder how mach it j. twelve or fifteen
hundred dollars, perhaps =
Then there was that ridiculous trousseau
She fairly shuddered as She thought oil
the sums already spent, and the bills that
were yet to come. Why had she bsen SC
deaf to ali Ros2lie's circumstances, sc
; blind to all she might have seen "A
!. thousand dollars have gone for her clothes,
she thought - might muca better have
: bought her steel knives and forks, and in
grain carpeting-
Hours passed N these bitter self-upbraid
ings and fruitless repining.; but at las;
d Mrs. Mayfeld's native good sense awok,
to the folly of lamentation. What's dont
: is done, she said, 'aud all | can hope fo
now IS that Mrs James will not spread tht
J. story of her call this morning all owe
O town, and make both Rosaie and my.eI
# ridiculous At any rate will not give he
e any cleB to the mystery of my sudden i'll
d ness if can possibly help it. This bus
: ness mast be gone through with, and
n will do it bravsly.' So saying she ares,
e bathed her eyes and smoothed her hsi
Of and descended to the drawing room. Sh
g. was unusually grave and quiet all the ey,
+ ming, but that was easily accounted for
her not feeling SO we'll AS ussal.
The wedding came off IN dua t;ma ON