The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-11-07
Miscellaneous.
From the Gift for ls44.1
The Unknown Belle.

II ,.,,,,oO When boy, studying Ovid, used TO re-
"A III, conduct of the Sphinx with unmtigated dis
sn, consider her the most ntolerable of antique
s.,,, and tEdipus patient Ounce. The proceeding
= Alexander in cutting the Gordan knot, instead of
4. ANGLING hmsclfby attempting to unite it, met with
,oybe,rly approval. loved him from the moment
NJ nm, made aware of that incident in his ca.
ree,
But when mystery comes in the shape Of pretty
woman, that is a ditfernt matter altogether My an
,n,bie, give way like blocks of ice before spring
VI irebel Listen to my story.
N Twas one of the gayest of the gay seasons at
Washington The first Ola series Of brilliant balls at
Il ,bc white House had commenced The east room
n was crowded with all the beauty resident and transit
n r, Of the district Foreign ministers and attaches
= with their stars, glrters, ribands, breaches, and silk
N s5,ings-membar# Of Congress with their thumbs
= in the armhoes of their waiscoats-Indian chiefs,
"a deputed by Their tribes, with their pumes and paint
" ed Observation-Disclosures ofice-seekers oilers, and
~ d5byOangers the principal constituents of the
4 male portion Of the assembage Add TO these some
h hundreds Of unlimited guests, who came because they
fell hey had sort Of proprietary interest in the man.
sion and an idea may be formed of the density and
mixed character of the crowd.
Half dozen quadrilles and values had been com
peted. number Of the more provdent and sa-
gcors of the guests had begun to take up n line of
march towards the supper.room; and the dancers,
tired of Jostrs one another, were endeavoring to re-
treat, when one OF the managers called upon the
gentlemen to form a new cotllion, and at the same
time causing the sander SHY to fall back, opened
circle and then led forth from the dense through from
4 which she seemed to emerge like the evening star
from behind cloud, young and beautiful female
AgeneuI murmur of surprise and admiration greeted
her appearance,
"WhOcln she bc:-Did any one ever see her
beore-What figure What face!'' were the
haiy whispers exchanged among the spectators. So
great was the anxiety to her. that the space clear
ed for the dancers was almost Immediately filled up
No one seemed able to give the slightest information
a'O whom she was, when or whence she came. It
a'eomed to me for a moment fairy-like delusion.
Was not at the ball given by Prince Fortunatus,
and "" not this Cinderella herself? glanced down
"8sf feet They were mary eously small and the
glossy white satin slippers shone like glass. The
oeusOn grew stronger. Never before had I expe-
"sOced so iOrcibly the potency of the imagination.
Oesan 10 wonder whether or she would dis
aPpear IN coarse attire when the clock struck
twelve.
was reused from my reverie by being seized by
''' nand ny the manager, Cat the moment, took
I'LL" 'O' rFnce Fortunately who hastily introduced
'"e Us partner to the fair unknown and, as after
wards learned, bestirred hmserto keep back the
''O"u and create room for the quadrille. How daz-
1~gy beautiful she was! Ordinary beauties may
vs described in detail but Miss Smith (yes-that was
"'e name by which she introduced to mel start
leu you Oy the perfect unity of her charms You
mol pick out one feature or one quality as beau
'D' because 1t was part of beautiful whole, and
was therefore fautless, as matter of course Her
SOu"'e"ance was lucid mirror of every passing
', 1''s"' and emotion of her SOUL and if occasionally
oppression was melancholy, it was always love-
- '"e mountain lake, the aspect of which no
VI SKY can render less picturesque, but in
""''' every change develops new beauties.
'00k minute or two to rally my thoughts and
I'O"''"ons' and to convince myself that had ne-
walked into the wrong room nor the wrong CEN
u'!' Inc lady spoke first. Her voice touched me
,''' an Eo'lan harp-it was so sweety and musical
:. 'aO' some young tops of my acquaintance twtich-
nv ny the elbow, and, by significant winks, nd-
''e'r wish to be introduced. Miss Smith pen
eu 'te'r designs, and said to me, in delightfully."-
n."' p'"''a 'one-Don't introduce any to me but
"''"0efs oil Congress-" The remark puzzled me ex
, WV but bowed my acquiescence.
we squeezed through the quadrile with tolerabIe
,n.'s and as the gentleman uanager who had con
bs 'e lar lncognitia to my charge, did not make
b,, p'ofonce' was facilitating myself with the idea
yboa -, would accompany me to the supper-room,
di,.., ',s"oy pressing my arm with her .,and, she
WIN hN, my attention towards young gentleman,
INN. le oeen gazing at her with undisguised symp-
X summation, and asked il he were not Mr.
the member from New York.
m,eplled in the affirmative.
no,,, m' quite favorite with the Old Romans he
mug asked the lady.
,,. acknowledgement in the lower house he is fast
-'iurlng influence
is he unmarried?n
e's' replied, COMPOUNDED at the quiet,