Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-08-31

HmlnarleS naVH sOeFti SIAeod, luat tie 4
denounaent be Etened. I
In few mons time Maria had re- G
ieeted two we.ly suitors, much to the
Doctors mortihtlon, and yet, so busily {
was he engasede his practice, that he {
did not. for a mosnt. suspect that cousin {
Charles had anyf $50 do with the mat
fer, and yet, d slightest observation
might have shvn Tim that the twain
were deeply, mtAily in love-
If were writs 1 fiction, or desirous
of spinning out | might tell yoa
many little tend 'ssages, between the
pair; how he tf his love, and how
she owned to the ssure of being loved
by cousin Charle j, Notwithstanding papa
had told her she.m~t treat him as if he
were her brottn-sout as / have.often
said here, it istsle and those little
things, though'le rnsaid in the nara
tive, may be imainsd without doing in
justice to the pai5gg
One evening I.arles W deter
mined, by Maria advice, to broach the
subject to his uncs, md ask permission to
make her his wifi 10 sought him in the
library and unfoIs1~she secret of his at
tachment to his q sSsin, and asked ar
IDENTIFY, but respectfully that he might be
permitted to cal l3es his.
1t were impo Die to paint the ex-
preston of DR.. rs face at this
announcement. IL grew livii and pale
by turns. He esayed several times to
speak, but the weCs only ratified in his
throat. CharlessY alarmed and pour
ed out a glass of f1le, which the Doctor
drank eagerly, al having regaineo his
speech, turned val entity upon his neph-
ew, and ordered h to leave bis presence
and hrs house, ami 20 see his daughter
no more!
The young mar gas thunderstruck =
The Doctor would give no explanations
was peremptory and the disappoint-
ed lover, without ing tho object Of his
affections, crossed the. threshold of his
uncle's house, OF wsrdly wondering at
the strange, unaes untable, and, as he
thought, unreasotA 'e and unreasonable
j. ,sah.a Ii ler1ae III = J.
On the toIionlaip day a faithful maid
servant of his cousin placed in his hand.
just as he was leaving his lodgings after
dinner, little billet, the contents o
which ran thus:
DARLING CHARLES Papa insists or
sending me away to the country. Ht
seems like one crazy. His whole nature
has undergone a fearful change. Nee
me tomorrow morning at II o'clock, a
Mrs: As. 1t may be our las
meeting. In haste, your own
MARIA.
They met; they determined upon al
important-a dangerous, shall say il
anticipation, fatal step? To make
runaway match of it. Three friends
were admitted to the secret, and agrees
to accompany them across the borde
into portion of a neighboring State
famous as the Gretna Green of that day
The parties were united and returned
and Charles, leaving Maria at the hous
| of Mrs. A, determined to see hi
uncle at once, and throwing himself up
on his knees before him, to ask his for
giveness, and to promise on behalf c
himself and Maria, their unceasing effort
to make him the most dutiful and affec
tionate children.
Of the particulars of that interview W
cannot write. They are only fully know
TO the two men and their God! Mari
never saw Charles again! 1t is said ths
when he met DR.. W in the libra
ry, and pleaded for forgiveness, an
promised him how by lifelong devo
ton he and his cousin would show th
Doctor how much they loved him, tina
the old man shook as if in, an ague Fl
and seizing the young man by his cola
drew his ear to his own white and tren
t bling lips, and whispering but one ser
tence, sank into chair, pitiable, corps
, like object, though still living al
8 breathing man!
, The effect of that one sentence WI
D like lightning. If the elder man shi'
cred and trembled with its burden
, horror, the younger one was the no les
but differently affected His fair, fl
. face seemed withered at once with
II unspeakable woe, an6 staggering rath
than walking from the room, he hurri
to his former lodgings, locked his do
+ and in half hour from the time
N words had been whispered in his ear,
OF a bleeding, senseless corpse upon
g, floor. The sharp report Of pis
lg brought a crowd to the door, when it v
n perceived that, with fatal intent, he
lg blown out his brains Phe Doctor !
Sc ceived the tiiings with an almost Idle
us stolidity. Maria was carried to
IN fathers, as the proper place for her I
10 der the circumstances, and it is said, t