Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-03-15
From the Philadelphia Casket.
THE COQUETTE.
A STORY OF REAL LIFE.
BY HENRY Il. HIRST.

Mary Moatagne was perfect Hebe,
living personifcation of divine beauty
-one of those rare emanations Of Mo-
Their Earth-whose very brilliancy de-
lights as the sparkle of the diamond
Her form was Of the medium-her face,
and such a face-Gods, it seems spark
ling before me now in its intensity of
beauty. Long, luxurious golden hair
foated in lustrous, woven cYrls above
neck pure as the stainless alabaster.-
Lips of red, paling into the exquisite
tint Of the Indian rose--and eyes Of
blue, eyes that might not equal, but
seemed 10 have won heavens own sap
phire hue. have seennone like Mary
Montague.
But Mary, with all herloveliness,was
woman, very woman. She was a
Coquette. | thought her cold and
heartless, how | wronged her. Well
might she laugh, and sing, and flirt, for
her admires were like the sands on the
sea shore-to look on heI was to love.
One bright summers night. in the
warm mellow month of June, [ know
not how, but | found myself at her feet,
and looking into those eyes, the inten-
sity of whose smile had won my early
admiration | breathed forth the deep
devotion that filed my very soul. |
told her of my burning hopes-and !
sigh as | think of it--for shall never
forget her. She told me, with kind
ness, cit was in vain | hoped, she new
err could be mine-she felt" she said,
"a sisters pure and holy feeling to
ward me, but she could not love me
with that love she felt | deserved
and"
''You love another, Mary" said !
rising to her side.
81 do"
What could l dol turned away
and left her.
Among the numerous attendants a
the shrine Of Mary Montague was
young, and | must do him the justic
to say talented and admirable gentle
man, Charles Rivers. His love 70
Mary seemed to have almost run int
idolatry, and was of that deep, fathom
less kind, that seemed to have born hir
without struggle into that wild an
tempestous sea of passion, early love
Mary smiled on him, his arm wa
hers in walks; bis hand led her to tn
dance, and whirled her through the giC
dy and enhancing mazes of the walt
more frequently than any other of he
; fattering train-deeper and deeper fe
! the quarry in the snare, he was alread
> hopelessly entangled. and ga chang
came over the spirit of my dream"
i The thOughtless observation Of or
}, ofthose Lady Pen-feathers'of domest
. life caused the change. The marke
} attentions given and so willingly rece
=" we'd had not escaped comment-at Ia
} it reached the ears ofMary Montagu
d and she determined on the instant
t obliterate the belief in the minds ofh
! acquaintance. Charles was the VI
" tim. From this moment her coqut
/ RES became tie object of remark, al
ie I,even I,pittied poor Rivers. He hu
l II, round her footsteps, and when with
) | we'll saw assumed Indifference, S
y, turned from him to receive the flatte
and attention carelessly bestowed
y one Of the hearthless things of fashit
* who foated around her, ! observed
IN would gaze on her more, far more
II sorrow than anger-Poor Rivers.
ne Poor Rivers! long and anxiously
I'D endeavoured to win back, as he thong
gu her waning attachment but in vain'
as more assiduous he became, the m
IL assidious he became, the more hau
fo ty and distant, and even more gay
Ut coquttish than before became M