The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828, 1826-06-10
n o. rs.


butterfly. as uncatchabe AS a swallow But
her great personal beauty, the charm, the grace.
and llghtness Of her movements, and above all
her evident innocence of heart, were brides to-
indulgence which no one :uld withstand.
never heard her blamed by any human being
The perfect unrcstraint of her attitudes. and
the exquisite symmetry of her form, would have
rendered her an Invaluable study for painter
Her daily doings would have formed a series of
pictures. have seen her scud,lmg through a
shallow rlvulet like young Diana. and bound
ing, skimning. enjoying motion, as if native to
the element which might have become Naiad.
| have seen her on the topInost round of a lad
der, with one foot on the roof of IA house, fling
ing down the grapes that no one else had nerve
enough to reach, laughing and garlanded and
crowned with vine leaves, like Baccbante-
But the prettiest combination Of circumstances
under which ever saw her was driving don
key cart up hill one sunny windy day in Sep
TENDER. 1t was gay party of young women,
some walking, some in open carriages of diltl
ent descriptions, bent to see a celebrated pros
pect from bill called the Ridges The ascent
was by steep narrow lane, cut deeply between
sandbanks crowned with high ieathery hedges
The road and its picturesque banks lay bathed
IN the golden sunshine while the autuInnal
Sky, intensely blue, appeared through an are h.
The hill was so steep. that we had all dismoun,
ed, and left our different vehicles in charge OF
the servants below; Mary. to whom as neon
parably the best chariotcer, the conduct OF l.
certain non descrl pit machine. a sort of donkey
currlcle, had fallen. determined to drive deli
cate little glri. who was afraid of the walk, TO
the top OF the tmncncc. She Jumped out for
the purpose, and we followed. watching and al
inirlng her as she won her way up the hill: now
tuggng at the donkeys III front. with her bright
race towards them and US. and sprlnging along
observation-disclosures pushing the chaise from be
hHd-noW running by the side Of her streds
pattng and cares>ng them--now soothing the
half frightened chld-laug ching, nodding. and
shaking her little whip at u,-dartng about
like some winged creature-tl at last She stop
ped at the top Of the ascent, and stood for a mo
ment on the summit, her straw bonnet blown
back, and held on only by the strings her
brown hair playing in the wind ~ long natural
rin@lct,; her complexion becoming every MO
ment more splendid from excrton rcdder ard
whiter; her eyes and her smile Frightening and
dumping, her figure in lis simple white gown
strongly relieved by the deep Blue Sky. ana her
Who'll" form seeming to dilatc before our eyes,
There She stood under an arch formed Nv two
meeting elms. Flebe. Psyche. perfect god
dess Of youth and joy. The Ridges are very
Tine things altogether especially the part 10
which We were bound, a tnrtv. breezy spot.
sinking abruptly like rock into a VIA lore
ground Of heath and forest. with a magnificent
command Of distant objccts---hut we >A: not!
ln@ that day like the figure on the top of IL,
hill
After this lost o'~'t Of Ear Cor q lonr tune