Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-01-18
[WHoLE No. 7l9.
})opular Gales.
From the Giit for le44
THE UNKNOWN BELLE.

am no lover ofmys,ery. Enigmas
are my deicstation. when a boy.
studying Ovid, ! used to regard the con-
duct of Sphinx with unmitigated disgust.
| consider her the most intolerable Of
antique bores, and Edipus a patient
Ounce. The proceeding Of Alexander
ia cutting The Gordian knot, instead Of
puzzling himselfby attempting to unite
it, met with my hearty approval. l
loved him from the moment | was mado
aware of that incident in his career
But when mystery comes in the shape
of pretty woman, that is II different
matter altogether. My nntipathies give
way like blocks Of ice before n spring
rreshct. Listen to my story.
IT was one of the gayest Of tho gay
seasons at Washington. The first Of II
series of brilliant balls at The White
House had commenced. The east room
was crowded with all the beauty, resi-
dent and transitory, Of the District -
Foreign ministers and attaches, with
their stars, galters, ribands, brceches,
and silk stockings--membcrs of Con-
gross with their thumbs in the arm-holes
Of their waisicoat--Indian chiefs, deput-
ed by their tribes, wDh their plumes and
painted teathers-oilicc holders, office
seekers, oilers, and obby-loungers were
the principal constituents Of the male
portion of the asscmblage. And to
these some hundreds Of invited guests,
who came because they felt they mad a
proprietary interest in the mansion, aud
an idea may be formed ofth density
and mixed character of the crowd.
Half a dozen quadrilles and wnltzcs
had been completed. A number of the
more proviGcnt and sagacions of the
guests had begun to take up line oi
march toward the supper room ; and
the dancers, tired ofios,ling one another,
wcrc cndeavoring TO retreat, when one
Of the managers called upon The gentle
men 10 form new cotilion, and at tho
fall back, opened circle, and led forth
from the dense throng- from which she
seemed TO emerge like the evening star
from behind n cloud - "A young and beau
ti(ul lc,na.c. A general murmur of sur
prise aud admiration greeted her ap-
Ipcarancc
"Who can she be I" "Did any ono
ever sec her before 20 "What a fg.
ufe !" "Nhat a face !"-were the
haSty whispers exchanged among the
spectators. So great was the anxiety
TO see her, that the space cleared for
the dancers was Immediately filed up
No one seemed able 10 give the slightest
information rs to who she was--whcn
or whence she came. IL all seemed To
ne for Eioment, iaIry-iikc illusion.
Was not at the ball given by Prince
Fortunatus, and was not this Cinderella
herself? | glanced down at her feet
they were marvcllously small, and the
glossy white satin slippers sbone like
glass The dclusion grew stronger -
Never before had experienced so for
chilly the potency Of the imagination.---
| began to wonder whether or not she
would disappear in course when the
clock struck twelve.
| was reused from my reverie by be-
ing seized by the hand by the manager,
( at the moment took him for Prince
Fortunatus,) who had hastily introduced
me as Il partner to the fair unknown, aud
as | afterwards learned, besiirrcd him
self to keep back the crowd, and create
room for the quadrile. How dazzling
ly beautiful she was Ordinary beau
ties may be described IN detail-but
Miss Smith, (ycs, that was The name by
which she was introduced to me, staIt-
led you by the perfect unity Of her
charms. You could not pick out one
feature or one qunlliy as beautiful be
cause /, was a part Of a perfect whole,
and was therefore faullless, as n matter
Df course. Her countenance was n la
I'D mirror OF every passing thonght md
emotion of her soul aud If occasionally
he expression was melancholy, II Was
always lovely, like mountain lake, iho
aspect of which 40 change "r sky eau
render less picturesque, bu, in which
Dycry change dovelopes new beauties
1t took a minute or two 10 rally my
houghls and 10 convince myself that
iad neither walked into the wrong room
lor the wrong century. The lady spokr
n ,t,,,.. 80. III.