Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-10-23
From the Cin, for 1874.
THE UNKNOWN BELLE.

are my deiestaIion. W hen a boy, study
ing Ovid, used 10 regard the conduct
OF Sphinx with uumtIgaled disgust. /
considered her the most intolerube OF
antique bores, and EdIpus potien,
Ounce The proceedings Of Alexander
In cutting the Gordian knot, instead o.
puzziing himself by attempting to un.
Tie 1t, met with my hearty approval. /
loved him from the moment | was made
aware of that incident in his career
But when u mystery comes in the shape
OF pretty woman, that is a different
matter altogether. My antipathies give
way like blocks of ice before u spring
freshet. Listen TO my story.
IL was one OF the gayest OF the gay
seasons at Washington. The first Of
series OF brilliant balls at the White
House had commenced. Tho east room
was crowded with all the beauty, resi-
dent and transitory, of the District.
Foreign ministers aud attaches, with
their stars, garters, ribands, brooches,
anu SILK neutrality-suspicious. Of Con.
gress with their thumbs in the arm
holes OF their w0stcoat-lndian Chiefs,
depnted by their tribes with their plumes
and painted ieathers-office-h holders, Of
hce seekers, Sidlers, and lobby .lounrers
were the principal constituents oC the
male portion OF the assemblage. Add
10 these some hundreds OF invited guests,
VINO came because they felt ihep had a
proprietary interest in the mansion, aud
ali idea may be formed Of the density
and mixed character Of the crowd.
Half a dozen quadriIles and walizeI
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 jostling one another.
were cndeavoring TO retreat, when one
oil the managers called M on the yen
tlemen 10 form a new cotIllon, aud at
the same time, causing the ISLANDERS bv
TO tall back, opened a cirble, and led
forth from the dense throng, from which
she seemed to emerge like the evening
star from behind a cloud-a young and
Beautiful female A general murmer Of
surprise and admiration greeted her ap
Pearance.
who can she ber Did any one ever
see her beforer what a figurer 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 al.
most Immediately filled up. No one
seemed able 10 give the slightest infor-
nation as TO who she was-when or
whence she came. Ii ali seemed TO me
for moment, a fairy like delusion =
Was | not at the ball given by Prince
Fortunatus, and vas not this CrndrilIa
herself? ! glanced down at her feel
they were marvelously small, and the
glossy white satin slippers shone like
glass. The delusion grew stronger -
Never before had expe rienced so forci-
bly, the potency Of the imagination. II
began to won Ter whether she would dis.
appear 10 coarse a:.ire when the clock
struck twelve.
was reused from my reverie bv be
ing seized by the hand by the manager
tat the moment | took il for Prince For
tunetus) who had hastily introduced ne
as a partner to the fair unknown. and. !
as latterwards learned. bestirred him |
sell to keep back the crowd, and create |
room Tor the quadrille. How dazzling
ly beautiful she was! Ordinary beau
ties may be described in deiail-but Miss
Smith Eyes that was the name by which
she was introduced TO mel stuffed you
by the perfect unity OF her charms
You could not pick out one feature or
one quality as beautiful because it was
part OF perfectly beautiful whole, and /
was therefore faultless, as a matter of
course. Her countenance was lucid .
mirror OF every passing thought and .
emotlop 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 ia which ey.
cry change deveopes new beauties.
IL took minute or two TO raly.my |
recollectOus andto convince myself Lhat .
had neither walked into the wrong .
room nor the wrong century. The F.
lady spoke first. Her voice touched me
like an E.J ian harp.it was so unsteady |
sad. Some young fops Of my acquain. |
lance twltched ne by The e bow, and by /
significant Yinks, Indicated their wish I
To be introduced, Miss Smith penetra. |
ted their designs, aud SAID to me in a de. /
lightlul aud confidential tone-Dun'ti
introduce any to me but members Of con I
gress The remark puzzled me exces.
sively, but bowed by acquiescence.
We squeezed through the quaIrille /
with tolerabIe success, and as the gen.
lleman who had consigned the fair in
cognita TO my charge, did not make mis-
appearance, vas felIcitatinp myself
with the idea that she would ACCOMPANY
me 90 the supper rom, when. sliyhIy