Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-07-29
Fer tho Journal. :
'i'III5 Rig H0ISII IN THR HILL
i-scGHyu er WEEmTSGTOE Ex v,r,E,
oLDECH 1ISaE.
Fer tho JOurnaI

| "ieH ti4nt Ahtt coDNCD5, stumbled upon
n package Of letters that had lain there
! undis.urbed and forgotten for I know not
how many years. They are lying cn the
table before me while [ write, and as / gaze
uDon the writing, dim with age ana almost
| li!lcgiblc, tho 1nomorica OF other days Gre
cluat orinR around my heart and dimminc
nay eyes With moisture. Scenes lcDg
| nasao0-cvelts CbacuTci by tins, como
back upon my E2ind III eli their former
| brightness, and [ almost farCF ti,ot the
lnauimat3 paper before ruo is gazing wist-
Guily in my face, and whispering III lny car
Of tae days that are past n0d tbe friends
| long 9inco departed.
| Ihe TseplcssioDa made upci, :he f0ini n
otr youthful siays ar3 always tEo most
vivid and enduring. II is true thnt il tlc
| daily pursuits of ife-in the jaTri0g con
| iiict8 Of adverse eIcm>nt8-in the heated
| struggle for EueCcsg-rhCse early iuproS
SioDs are for o time ObGcured or forgotten,
| but they are never lost. AS We advance
| III years and success crowns our exer-
| tlOna whom we reach tho summit of thai
| h'ij which tsas She goal IF our ambitiop
"la begin our descent 10 that unknown
| land, from; whose ''bourno no Traveller
-ctrrns," o:.s thoughts fly backward
! 10 tic :cu"ea o. cur Youth aild
ti.o present oli,i .he futu1c are forgot
tct III the sweet memories Of the g:ast At
sucii a tiIac Incidents the muet trivial will
JNcl'c lacinoIics ana emotions to which
We I&7 long been strangers. 4 Wi;hercd
leaf. strip Of iaI&d ribbon that bound
perhaps the EiDClet8 o: I loved aud last
one, 8 Lac .zacei Dy hand long m0uld-
crc=i into 1uat. -. little rcrd II Kindness
spoken. 3 motion or !o1r'--YiiI evoke
To1Oiiccti0nS al,at genius cannot trace or
inSY tratiOn iathon.
A. / cast my oyC over the faded au1
yonGTaLlo leaves OF these OId-!im3 letters,
filled with expressions Of cb!com from
those wi:o Lavo long, long since departed,
memory tlios baclA 10 tho timo whoa the
event which [ arn about 10 relate occurred,
and busy fancy peoples again tho scene
wi.h the friends Of my youthful days. The
friends oS my yOuth-whsTc ar0 they? l
call, but they answer not. | send my voice
into tho wide world bat no responsive
echo i5 returned. | move among the busy
throng that crowd tho streets, and gaze
wigtiully at those that jostIc and hurry
past, but no familiar face loGks up 10
friendly hand gr0sl,s lnino II warm aifuc-
!iou [ alone i'll tho crowd. Around
me and about me, or every side, the young
and the gay arc hurryln8 on with joyous
Steps and happy hearts, as if there were
10 cares oE SORROWS III the world, but shat
"il Was one continued sunshine Of huppi-
hess ant: Joy.
It's most desc ale thiug to foeI TINT you
arc IN iatr'2sioc III tho land of yonr faith
crs- 10 "utllV9 .our Baucr.tlUn--and TO
81 Strangers in tie places rcuue rcd dear
10 y0u ~ the aGenciaE'ons and halloy?od
by Gllo Icc,,iluctious OF ilio past. vi the
friends Of nay Jontit tAcro is not oac that
now remains - tighten the few Remaining
days OF my pilgrimage here with wo1ds Of
Kindness ana affection. They arc gone,
and their memories are all shat Is lett me
other generations have sprung up, and
they aro forgotten. Such is life. iVo toll
from day 10 day to add 70 our possessions
VIC hurry onward, regardless of the wants
or guIlorings OF these around ua, so long
G3 they do not interfere with our own de
sirea and paEirGtionB aIi when The pTjza
for which We LeVo so long iaJored, and
covotod, and elunod. IS IN our grasp, VIC
die, and thcn-a few days pass. and car
very name i3 scarcely mentioned.
Bat enough OF these sombr0 reflections.
i Eat down TO mention little incident that
occurred many years ago. Ill the FBig
House on the Hill," as it was called in
those days, and which the sight Of these
letters had rought'Viyidly to my mind,
for ito writer's II these letters Wcro the
principal actO1s in the incident n1D about
80 relate.
extremity Of tho town, ord, indeed, at the
time il was bulls. cDtir6ly ont of the
corporate Limits Of tho town, upon
high and almost barron sand lilI, |
near t!4C corner 0f Ana ami TiiirJ streets,
gtOod the great house Of Tho city, or as it
WAS generally called, tho big House on !
tho UilI." Ii w..= built IL She finest style,
and ali shat taste or fNncy coDid suggest, |
Or Geaith procure, was !agiailc! II ita con |
strUction. A $Iiciz G!3rubbcrv al,G0et cor |
ceaioA tl.o front OF tho building. while on |
each side extending entirely around the |
house, flowers bloOmed aul uos30med, |
filling The air with richest perfume. 1t was |
the abode ~ wealth and refinement end |
open, generous hospitality.
At tie time of which speak il waa oc- !
cupie,i by 0n LlHiiah gentleman of tho |
name Of Hilhurn, vino carried on quite an |
extensive business with the old county, |
and wGs caputad to be very wealthy. lie |
vgs "a wid0wer with an only child q !
GauGAtor, sweet Julia Wilburn-though |
the frosts of eighty winters are upon my |
heod, how plainly rs it we're but yesterday, |
DO l see you now. She could not be called |
beautiful, Tor thoTO was something about |
the mouth, know n03 what, that gave to |
her cOuntCc0uee on dir sOmeWLGt Of gravi- |
~. Her eyes were black, and when ami |
mated, they sperklc,i and danced like |
twinAiing stars. Her forehead was full |
and projected little, indicating genius Of |
-
dark brown, fell il ldxuriant ringlcts !
around her neck aud shoulders in beauti- |
full contrast with the dazzling whitcness cf |
her complexion.
Young, witty and accomplished suitors |
for her hand we're numerous. Among |
others who xorshiped at her shrine, were |
the rich Mr.. Edwards, some ten years |
her senior, and Ii youth named |
Walter Sanders, a distant relative |
Ill
each ether cousin, and it Is wonderful how |
often this cousinly affection ripens into
love, aad like fickering light oftimes
leads through devious ways and labyrinth
ian paths, until at length it bursts in |
the fun blaze of Hymen's torch.
Edwards had large possessions in houses, |
lands and bonds and was regarded the |
Nabob of the place. He had but few |
friends, however, for his character was not |
one to excite esteem or regard in the minds |
of those around him. Shrewd, calculat- |
hn ha1 ar0accaH q for l