Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-11-11
From the Gift, for 1914.
THE UNKNOWN BELLE.

THE UNKNOWN BELLE.
am not lover of mystery. Enigmas
are my detestation. When boy, study.
ing Ovid, used to regard the conduct of
Sphinx with unmitigated disgust. con-
sidered her as the most intolerable of an
tique bores, and GIipus patient Ounce.
The proceedings of Alexander in cutting
the Gordian knot instead Of puzzling him.
self by attempting to unite it, met with my
hearty approval. loved HIM from the
moment [ was made aware of that Incl
dent in his career. But when mystery
comes in the shape of pretty woman,
that is different matter altogether. My
antipathies give way like blocks of ice
before spring freshet. Listen 10 my
story.
1t was one of the gayest of the gay
seasons at Washington. The first of
series of brilliant balls at the White House
had commenced. The East room was
crowded with all the beauty resident and
transitory of the District. Foreign minis
tiers and attaches, with the stars, garters,
ribands, breaches, and silk stockings
members of Congress with their thumbs in
the arm holes of their waistcoat--lndian
chiefs, deputed by their tribes, with their
plumes and painted feathers-office hold
ers, office seekers, idlers, and lobby-oung-
ers were the principal constituents of the
male portion of the assemblage. Add TO
these some hundreds Of invited guests, who
came because they had proprietary inter-
est in the mansion, and an idea may be
formed of the density and mixed character
of the crowd.
Half dozen quadrlles and waltzes had
been completed. A number of the more
provident and sagacious of the guests had
begun to take up line of march towards
the supper room; and dancers, tired of
jostling one another, were endeavoring to
retreat, when one of the managers called
upon the gentlemen TO form new cotillion,
and at the same time causing the ISLANDERS
by TO fall back, opening circle, and then
led forth from the dense throng from which
she seemed to emerge like the evening star
from behind cloud-a young and beaull-
ful female. A general murmur of surprise
and admiration greeted her appearance.
"Who can she be-" "Did any one ever
see her before?" what igure~ What
a face~--were the hasty whispers ex-
changed among the spectators. So great
was the anxiety to see her, that the space
cleared for the dancers was almost imme-
diately filled up. No one seemed able to
give the slightest information as to who she
was--when or whence she came. 1t all
seemed to me, for moment, fairy like
delusion. Was l not at the ball given by
Prince Fortunatus, and was not this Gin.
derea herselfl | glanced down at her
feet; they were marvellously small, and the
glossy white satin slippers shone like glass.
The delusion grew stronger Never before
had | experienced so torcibly the potency
of the Imagination. | began to wonder
whether or not she would disappear in
coarse attire when the clock struck twelve.
was reused from my reverie by being
seized by the hand by the manager, (at the
moment took him for Prince Fortunatus)
who had hastily introduced me as partner
to the fair unknown, and as ] afterwards
learned, bestirred himself to keep back the
crowd, and create room for the quadrlle
How dazzllngly beautiful she was! Ordi-
nary beauties may be described in detail
but Miss Smith Eyes, tina, was The name by
which she was introduced TO me) startled
you by the perfect unity of her charms.
You could not pick out one feature or one
quality as beautiful, because il was part
of perfectly beautiful whole, and was
therefore fautless, as a matter of course.
Her counleRance was a lucid mirror of
every passing thought and emotion of her
soul: and if occasionally the expression was
melancholy, it was always lovely, like a
mountain lake, the aspect of which no
change of sky can render less picturesque,
but in which every change developes new
beauties.
1t took a minute or two TO rally my
thoughts and recoections, and TO convince
myself that had neither walked into the
wrong room nor the wrong century. The
lady spoke first. Her voice touched me
like an Eolian harp, il was so unsteady
sad. Some young fops Of my acquaintance
twi,ched NC by the elbow, and, by sign6,