Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1841-04-15
THE VILLAGE BELLE

IN this story, to read al u career of glorious
comqucstS, aud her blue eyes brighten, and
hcr heart beats quicker at the thought o
some legendary prS~ep, aud of having heI
own Vir'' res recorded. Well the desire
to be b''l"srd may reign in an an,iable ho.
s"sa, may possess kind and benevolent
heart, but power is dangerous there ore
many temptations to its abuse. These
things would have my fair readers re-
member as they go along with me. and il
may be, we shall De wiser and therefore
better, before we part.
~ you should ever 60 TO Avlesbury, you
will see a sweet little cottage in the mead
0w towards the river valley, half hid among
cluster OF black alders, with It's white.
chimney and snowy palings, peeping .i,ro'
the foliage, and they win tell you that AN
NETTE MoRToN oncc lived therefor all
the villagers remember her. ], was one
OF those terrestrial paradises which the sick
heart. weary Of the ,hrongs of men, so of
ten pictures TO itself; SO often longs for !:
aud she, oh, she was beautiful creature /:
my heart even beats quicker as her image
rises up before me.
She was gay. lively girl, with the pol
isl. Vi a summer in the city and fine edu-
cation; whatever her talents might have
been she at least possessed the power Of
pleasing; the tao: Of winning hearts in
most copious measure. never could di-
vine exactly how she did it bu, there was
q frank. free, friendly air about her, that
inspired confidence; and gifted thus III
points, she played most mastery game
among the village beaux. Every body was
glad TO gallant her-was emulous which
would pay her the most attention; and
every young gentleman in the village who
could afford TO spruce up little once in
twen'y-four hours, paid her an afternoon
or an evening visit. "'
II would have been amusing to one who
went as mere spectator, to have attended
a Saturday evenings levee at tbs Alder
House, Amusing to see the address praclis-
ed BY the competitors for her SMILES in so.
Letting some distinguished mark Of her Flu.
vor, They gathered around her in the
little parlor, and IL she spoke there was Il
strife as to who should most approve what
she said (; if she dropped her handkerchief,
two or three heads were thumped together
IN the effort to restore il TO her-snd il she
walked, they were happy who cot a, her
sides aud all the rest were miserable there
were to be seen all kinds Of faces, aud eve
ry description Of teaper; aud such spec.
tstor might have been edited but the
principal impression on his mind would
pTobabIy have been, that counting under
under such circumstances. was a most par
ticular foolish kind Of business. }i .,,d
But Annette sung, ssthe moon had climb
sees 9sSifSisss! s ..,.. load boarding
love and poetry, music and pa'"iiHg ! WAS
witty, sentimental, and good natuIed; was
inviDcible always, absolutely always the
conqueror. The young ladies Of. the viii
lage saw themselves undeservedly deserted
Tucked month after month on the success
Of their general rival, and prayed prOba-
bly,, If Young ladies ever pray about such
matters, that Annette might speedily make
choice among her worshippers. and leave
them the remainder. Ii was folOrn
hope; she intended 10 do no such thing
she was she village belle, and she meant 70
be. e a3,'.
II 80 happens, however, that great beau
ties, IKE all other great folks. who have 10
take their comR,on chances in the fortune
Of humanity, sometimes, in The end, Outwit
themselves. In process Of time, one and
another, sn1 again another wedding took
place in tho village; the girls whose names
were seldom spoken, whose modest pre-
tensions aud retiring habits were perfectly
eclipssd by the Lriilianey Of the reigning
star, secured their favori.es, were wooed
and won, and married and still Annette
coquetted with all, aud was still admired
by all. How many good offers she retus-
ed or sighted, were only recorded in her
memory. Hope Deferred" saith the
proverb, " makes the heart sick" Those
who were sincere Ia their addresses, grad
nally one after another, offered themselves,
were rejected or put oG, and fell into some
easier road to matrimony. She was at
length left with cOuriiers as heartless in
love matters as herself; who sought her
Company because agreeable; Airied with
her becauss she was IS belle" aud rO'ap-
ed with and kissed her, whenever they
had an opportunity. because it was worth
some pains for such favor iroH such q
beautiful gill. We never Get tO be tOG
much Of the bachelor for this. Well Sigh'
Byron ask
"who can curiously behold
| The smOOGhnees end the sheen Of beausy's check
| Nor feel the heart can me- grow eOld r. X
I Bot time rolled sn, and the grass at
length began io grow iM the path that bed
over the meadows 10 the outage. Am-
Dctie became alarmed at the symptoms
and eReaged herself 20 il'e oRly remaining
bean she had leR. He was ut the time