Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-09-29
From the New Mirror.
A STORY BY WILLIS.

put 1t forward as fiction. Those who Wert
in London some six or seven years ago vii
have their opinions as 10 the draft on the
writer's Imagination. .
Some half dozen years ago, Mrs. Wilfrit
1efevre, a widow with manageable daugh.
tiers, suddenly rose like meteor into the thin
air Of London fashion. Her first party was
faultess combination, and her subsequent
parties went on-not by ascending grada-
tions, for there was no cl,oicer company, nc
better music, nor more admirable DISPOSE.
ton of light. supper and decorations, TO be
attained this side of Paradise, or Paris-but
they were equal to the first. and the tickle
beam-monde remained constant. OF the
small number in high society who owed
their position exclusively TO superiority OF
style, Mrs. Lefcvre was, in 1886, the indis-
putable star dominant. She vanished from
her high orbit at the close of the season, hav-
ing brilliantly married all her daughters =
And her Napoleonic genius, more parlicu-
larly in this latter field of stratagen,, remains
to this day the sphinx riddle to the managing
mothers Of May Fair.
The patriotism of ladies in no country ev-
er required stimulus; but it may add "a rose
leaf to the trimming cup of American fe-
male patriotism to mark the difference be-
tween the situation of manageable girls in
England, and manageable girls in the Uni
ted States. The difference is almost told
when we stop TO explain why it should be a
marvel that Mrs. Lefevre married all her
daughters; but a marvel it certainly was,
highly accomplished, beautiful and stylish as
were the Misses Lefevre, without exception.
In our country every young man means to
marry, and unless his abilities are very infe-
rior, he is able at twenty-five, or sooner, to
offer the lady of his choice comfortable
home. II is not the fashion, moreover, land
this is ucry wonderful to Europeans) for the
lover to make any direct enquiries as 10 the
lady's worldly substance, or to exact any
thing whatever beyond the impida camisa
in which she bushes into matrimony. The
result is that all American ladies have a
chance to marry, and most Of them con-
siderable sprinkle Of variety in choice, their
success in winning the right one depending
entirely on their own intrinsic qualities and
attractions. From the liberal freedom Of in
tercourse allowed between young people
Tho most marked popularity of our nationa
manners, by the way,) the dissimilarities o.
temper which bred repentance in wedlock
are unstarched in time, and an American
husband or wife has no apology for the dis
eovery Of flaws past matrimonial.
Audi alteram parton. or all the young
men, say fifty, who are on the visiting list Of
q family Of nice girls in England, not more
than five or six are, or ever will be, good
matches in point of fortune, and the remain.
der are not 10 be thought of, however agree
able--par,ly because the parents would op.
pose, and partly ia very essential partly ;,
because the young gentlemen, doomed to Il
limited income, are as much resolved not &c
marry, except to better condition, as the
young ladies; and mean time are not at al
forlorn as irresponsible bachelors. The five
or six matches are also 'sore beset b,
hundreds ofother nice girls, Tor by their nam
as for them,) and as rich and noble mean
not of course, gifted and wise,' the winner
not always so much bject Of envy AS sh
seems. With the forty-fve unmarriagcabl
beaux, Made noiselle may dance and chat
(properly chaperoned y but to venture upo
the uttermost limit of sentiment or Irritation
except to pique marrying man, or hide
modification, would be an objectionable in
discretion. The natural result is, that if
man is not match he finds unmarrie
girls very unamusing, and married ladies ar
80 willing to supply the deficiency. that h
seldom speaks to Miss, except it is his sis
ter or cousin, or some quite safe old maic
very useful or very literary. The change
in civilization, moreover, while they furnis
no amelioraton of female ceibacy, tend cor
tinually 10y the perfection of clubs, usage
of hospitality, depreciation of married re
serve, etc. TO embelish and make more a
tractive the life Of bachelor added ,
which the name has ceased to be reproacl
while that Of old maid has not; and thel
is very common feeling in society that
man is not justified in marrying except vii
acertainty Of ompctence-marriage not b'
ing an engagement fol better or for worse
but for better only. The chances are at lea
ten to one that an English girl never receiv,
q plausible offer, fifty to one that she new
marries, and a hundred TO one she does n
marry the man she would have chosen 70
tune aside. With this contrast are we wro'
in pronouncing America the paradise
young ladies' This by way Of digressio
And now for story which will prove Il,
there is no place like the heart Of Lond'
for a mystery.
The sun was apparently dropping into
suburban lodging at Bayswater, and the ri
in Hyde Park was deserted by all except 4
reeherches who fit with the bats by twilig
Lady Sylvia Trenor hated crowd even
Rotten Row. and usually ordered her CHI
riot for turn in the park at the hour VIII
the imper,inence of daylight became less
Gusive. Her dashng blood grays, not
less scornfully superb because pampered
dew and dust, had hardly spattered the grd
ei once round upon the pedestrians in
circle, when the primrose gloved hand of I
bes, mounted man in London was laid up
her chariot window. The perpendicu
coacbmsn instantly moderated his pace, a
the equally intelligent animal ridden by \
Fiizherbet POwys drained among other {
eomplishments for chit-chst at carriage W
dows) took care Of his legs and his masle
and incorporated his momentum into that
her ladysbip's equipsge as completely as
Hying griffin upon the panel.
How dye do, FizF