Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-08-11


my forehead, with firm determination tc
look fierce and fascinating; and yet with
tender and sympathetic regard Tor the eco
nomy of my elaborate curls, some what in
the style recommended by old Isaac Walton,
when instructing you to impale worm Tor
angling, he bids you handle him tendsrly
withal, and treat him like friend The
scented pulvilio. which The untwisted
hairs reproachfully effused, still seems to sa-
lutte my nose, and cutter between my eyes,
and the dipping and swimming figure Of my
partner. With what pride led her 10 her
seat, and what bewitching bow fattered
mysef had made when she biushed into her
chair. In those happy days, the next opera.
ton was regular and perseveriDg set.to; at
the genuine old English country dance and
the amusements OF the night were invariably
wound up by the BouIauger, or Sir Roger
de Coverly. One OF my nieces played me
those exploded tunes few days ago. aud
what flush of rosy reccllectlons did they
eopjure up! Their music seemed 10 pene.
trate INTO The quiet caves and grotto's of me-
mory, awakening ideas that had long slum
bered undisturbed. Melhought they issued
from their recesses like so many embodied
spirits, and fastening their aowery wIealhs
to the spokes OF times great wheel, they
dragged il rapidly backward until the days
OF my youth became evolved before me in
all the fidelity and vividness of their FIRST ex-
i-lence.
Then did again behold the rich Miss B
the sugar bakers daughter, whom my pa.
rents invariably urged me to engage for the
supper dances, with many shrewd hint that
apar,ner at ball often became partner or
lile;-nor was her corpulent mother omitted,
who carried vanity as Tar as even to affect
slight degree of palsy, that the motion OF
her head nigh, give more dazzling lustre
to the magnificent diamonds. with which it
was Tricky studded. see her now at her
old place in the card-room, shaking and
sparkling like an aspen tree in the sunshine
Of white frost. behold, also he buslling
little old man her father, receiving tn tick
els OF admission in all the pomp of Office,
with bis snuff colored suit, and the powder
ed and pomatumed peak coming to point in
the centre of bis bald head hear him
boasiing, at the same time OF his wealth and
is drudgery, and declaring that with all the
hundred: he had spent upon his bot houses
and plantations at Hackney, he had never
seen them except by candle light. As tor
the daughter, thank Heaven, / never danced
with her but once, and my minds eye still
bebolds her webby feet padding down the
middle, with the laundering porpus like
fling she gave at the end, only accomplished
by bearing half her weight upon her partner
and ny ariably out of tune Often have
wondered at the patience of the musicians.
in wasting rosin and cs,gut upon her ,imeess
sprawls. She wa, abuse m ali her percep-
tons, and essentially vulgar in all appear
ance; in the consciousness OF her wealth she
sometimes strove to look naughty, but her
features ObstinaleIy refused to assume any
expression beyond that of iuAexible s,upidi-
ty. Moreover, she had thick ancles, pud-
ding hands, with short broad pals, and in
laughing she Showed her gums She was
too opuent, according to the sapient calcula.
tons of the world, 10 marry any but rich
man and she succeeded. at length, in realiz-
ing her most ambitious dreams. Her hus-
band is yellow little nabob, rolling in
wealth, and half sufocated with bile. She
has three rickety children, whom she is
ashamed 20 produce. With no more ear
than fish. she has box at the Opera, and
gives private concerts. In short, there is no
luxury she is incapable OF relishing, which
her fortune does not enable her to command;
and No enjoyment really adapted to her taste
in which her imagined gentility does not de-
ter her from INDUCING.
What contrast was the accomplished, the
fascinating Fanny -, with her lovely fea.
lures irradisted with innocent hilarity, vet
tempered with sentiment. and deep feeling.
She was all Observation-Disclosures.
al; at least, often thought so, as her sylph-
like form seemed to he treading upon air,
while it responded spontaneously TO every
pulsation Of the music like dancing echo.
"The course of true love never did RIM
smooth" Fanny was portioness-l was
pennyless; yet even despair did not prevent