Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-12-01
From the Gin for 1874.
THE UNKNOWN BELLE.

am no lover of mystery. Engmas are
my detestaton. When boy studying
Ovid used to regard the conduct of Sphinx
with unmitigated disgust. | considered
her the most intolerabe of antique bores,
and Hdipus patent Ounce. The proceed
ings of Alexander in cutting the Gordian
knot, instead of puzzlng himself by at
tempting to unite it, met with my hearty APP
lproyal. | loved him from the moment
was made aware of that incident in his ca
reer. But when mystery comes in the
shape of pretty woman, that is different
matter altogether. My antipathes give way
| like blocks of ice before a spring lreshet.--
Listen TO my story.
1t was one of the gayest seasons at Wash
ington. The first of series of brilliant
balls at the White House had commenced
! The east room was crowded with all the
beauty, resident and transtory, Of the Dis
trict. Foreign ministers and attaches, with
their stars, carriers, ribands, breeches and
silk stockings-member Of Congress with
their thumbs in the arm-hoes of their waist
coat--Indian chiefs, deputed by their tribes,
with their plumes and painted ieathers-oi-
fee holders, office seekers, idlers, and lobby
loungers were the principal constituents OF
the male portion OF the assemblage. Add
to these some hundreds of invited guests,
who came because they felt they had pro-
lprietary interest in the mansion, and an idea
may be formed of the density and mixed
character of the crowd.
Half dozen quadriles and waltzes had
been completed. A number Of the more
provident and sagacious of the guests had
begun to take up a line of march toward the
supper-room and the dancers, tired of jost-
ling one another, were endeavoring to re-
treat, when one of the managers called on
the gentlemen TO form new cotion, and
at the same time, causing the ISLANDERS to
fall back, opened circle, and led forth from
the dense throng-lrom which she seemed
to emerge like the evening star from behind
cloud-a young aud beautiful female. A
general murmur oc surprise and admiration
greeted her appearance.
"Who can she be r "Did any one ever
see her beforel p "What figure !" "What
face !"--were the hasty whispers eXchan-
/ ged among the spectators. SO great was
the anxiety to see her, that the space clear
ed for the dancers was almost Immediately
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 a moment, a iairy-like delusion.-
Was not at the ball given by Prince For
tunatus, and was not this Cinderella hersefl
glanced down at her feet; they were mar
velousy small, and the glossy white satin
slippers shone like glass. The deuson
grew stronger Never before had expert
| onoaJ cn.ciblu tho Of
ton. | began to wonder whether or not she
would disappear in coarse attire when the
clock struck twelve.
| was reused from my revere by being
seized by the hand by the manager, (at the
moment took him for Prince Fortunatus, J
who hastily introduced me as a part
ner to the fair unknown, and, as | after
wards learned, bestrred himself to keep
back the crowd, and create room for the
quadrille. How dazzling beautiful she was
Ordinary beauties may be described in de-
tail-but Miss Smith, Eyes, that was the
name by which she was introduced to me, J
startled you by the perfect unity Of her
charms. You could not pick out one fea-
ture or one quality as beautiful because it
was part Of perfectly beautiful whole,
and was therefore, (aultless, as a matter OF
course. Her countenance was a lucid mir
ror 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 deyelopes new
beauties.
! Ii took minute or two to rally my tho'ts
and recollectons, 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
Eolan harp, it was so unsteady sad Some
young tops of my acquaintance twitched me
by the elbow, and by significant winks, in
Dictated their wish to be introduced. Miss
Smith penetrated their designs, and said to
me, in delightful and confidential tone
Don't introduce any to me but members
of Congress" The remark puzzled me
excessively, but bowed my acquesence.
We squeezed through the quadrilIe with
tolerable success and as the gentleman
manager, who had consigned the fair ncog-
=, nita to my charge, did not make his appear
ance, ] was facilitating myself with the
+ idea that she would accompany me TO the
supper.room, when, slightly pressing my
arm with her hand, she directed my atten-
ton to a young gentleman, who had been
gazing at her with undisguised symptoms OF