The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-02-28
SELECTED TALES.
tFrom the Lady's Book. i
THE THREE PICTURES.
By LOUISE II. MEDINA.

Bright, beautiful, bewi,ching vet faulty
Florence Rivers, how in these DAYS of per-
fectioned pnragons and unfeeline monsters
shall your bographer attempt to describe
youl How shall the record of your ton
nften misguided actions be submitted Ia
those critical eyes used to puruse the fault
less, goodlike, heroic aud sublime savings
and doings of such models of propriety. as
the world ne'er sawl How shall the pen
which relates your folly, your sorrow and
suffering, invest you with the name of
heroine, when almost every attribute of
such being is wantlng-when you neilh-
er atlitudinlzed like the statute which en-
chants the world-talked the blank verse
Ike The player queen in Hamlet lived up-
on immateral air like camelion. nor
achieved wonders Of goodness enough to
call Socrates from the tomb of the migh,y
past, to behold the impersonalion of his
goodness-Virtue. Nothing Of all this did
you or could you do. Oh fair aud fas
clnating, but foolish Florence Rivers. Yet
such as you were-yea, such as to this
day you are, cspricious as an April day,
yet with all It's sun shiny, showery beauty, i,
linpetuous as the rushing stream, vet
bright and pure as the waters, such as you
were and are, you are my heroine.
In the hall of your fathers, that spacious.
low built fower-entwined southern man
sion, which stands far away in fair Florida,
there are three likenesses Of you. loved
you ere knew you by looking upon them.
loved you still more since | saw you FIVE
times more lovely, and fifty times more
mlschevoos they bespenk you. There you
are in the first large group, hiding in all
the wild exuberance of bounding youth,
behind the taburnam tree, tossing that
nondescnpt. bright pulmngeG bird which
you have perched in your hnnd, SO lightly
into air as if you would send it winging to
Its native skies, and Yourself follow after.
With what a delighted glee you look back
upon your delighted seekers How arch,
how mlscheivous is the smile that is hight
ening over your facet Every disordered
rnglet which is wantoning over your youny
heaving breast has grace and wilfuIness
IN its curls-every careless fold of your
torn and disarranged dress bespeaks wild
recklesness of custom or control. You new
rr gave sober, solemn siltings for this beau
tful picture, fair Florence; "a young ar,is,
who witnessed the hide and seek, aud had
that bending, buoyant form impressed all
too forciby upon his memory, painted the
picture from recollection, aud embodied
the scene forever.
The second is a full length portrait,
and was taken by your own desire, rs a
lasting memento of severest trial. II rep
resents you arrayed in the robes Of a Sui
tan for a masked ball, the rich satin gor-
geously embroidered with gold, seems to
heave and swell beneath the proud painting
ct the breast 1t covers. and the tiara which
binds the brow, expresses rot more mper-
ial command than the baughty eye and
curling lip. No smile grnces that mouth
which seems made for the home of love,
but in its place a bitter sneer seems to defy
and scorn the world. The left hand holds
~ mask, the right extends miniature.
Oust drawn from the bosom, with a cold
and proud gesture. Can this be the same
bright, joyous hider ia the gnrdenl The
features are the same, but their expression
how different 1t is an unpleasant COLI
temptation, turn we from it to the third.
Why, how Is thsl Who have we here
BY the side Of couch, but indis,inc,ly
seen, kneels a Sister Of Charity. Her
hands are folded in anguish on her breast.
and her raised countenance seem. appeal
ing to Heaven for mercy. What unuttera-
BILE we is there How hopeless, yet how
resigned is that face Yet the loose, coarse
dress and close cap cannot hiie the match
less symmetry Of form and feature. not vet
can that despairing expression utterly
change the lineaments Of Florence Rivers.
II is herself How graphic, how deeply
interesting are all the pictures; how full Of
moral lesson, how descriptive of Ilfe's varied
changes; how corrective tn passion aud
prioe
PICTURE ..
All thoughts, all passions, all desires,
Whatever sirs tbs mortal frame,
Are all bat ministers Of love,
And feed hIs sacred flame.
Coigidgs.
Colonel Wilton Rivers, the grandfather
u Florence, nigh, have had enprsven
N his tombstone that he was the friend /
md fellow soldier Of George Washington s.