The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-01-22


+ see, by the complacent way in which the
eye me, and the confidential whispers tn;
: they are exchanging with one another til;
t they are each intent on securing me for
party, and are anxious that their ever
ings should not clash 4; l shall however, b
hard-hearted enough to disappoint then
both. l came into the county in ques
of quiet, not of parties, and certainl
should never have come to this, had
been aware that it was otherwise than
meeting of few friends
Amerhast began a speech with "Oh
Miss Gerard" which was doubtless inten
ded to be very pathetic, but his flowers o
eloquence were nipped in the bud by The
approach of Mrs. Estcourt, followed BY
the matrons in the bird-ofparadise plume.
whom she introduced to Miss Gerard, anc
that young lady proved herself deserving
of the name of s. bill as well as of syren, fol
IN few minutes one of them hoped she
was disengaged on the ensuing Monday
and the other protested the most ardent de.
sire TO introduce her TO distinguished
amatuer on the Wednesday following.
Miss Gerard courteously but firmly de-
ciined both these invitations, and while
satisfying the ladies as to who had been
her master, whose music she preferred
and who was her favorite singer, Amherst
entered into conversation with Mrs Ger
ard, who had been allured from her work
on botany by the sweet tones of her
niece.
Can you inform me- he asked, of the
author ofthe beautiful lines which Miss
Gerard sang, adapted to an cid Scottish
melody 1?
Undoubtedly said Mrs Gerard. with a
smile; the verses were written by herself;
she has valuable taste for poetry
Mature has been very bountiful to her, ,
said Amherst.
very much so, answered Mrs Ge-
rard, 'in every respect but that of person
al attraction.-My niece Angelica, who
has just been staying with me has engross-
ed all the beauties of the family, but she
has not a single accomplishment her
masters gave her up in despair, and mind
she is Just raised above absolute Stiffness
Her intended, Sir William Holbrook, is
passionately attached to her, but think
! he will find, i'll a few months after we'd
lock that marrying girl without haIfa doz-
EN- ideas, ON account of her beautiful face,
is something like taking residence in
dull and unfrequented part of the country
for the sake of its beautiful prospect the
eye is soon tired of gazing, and the mind
i
Miss Gerard a; this moment Joined
them ;-Amerhast Immediately informed
her of his discovery ofthe authorship of
the exquisite verses she had sung, and in
few minutes they were in deep discus
sion of the merits of Campbell ords-
worth, and Coleridge. Mrs. Estcourt pc
titioned many other fair vislters for music
but none chase to exhibit after Miss &C.
rard.
Eve must contrive to get up quadrilles
she whispered to Tyrold things are
going on hatter than ever mine will be
the most stupid party of the season.
Accordingly quadrilles were got up
there was no beauty luadrilles, because
all the lady dancers were beautiful, with
the exception of one, who looked among
them much as cheap plaster image
might be supposed to doif it found its
way into the sculpture room Of the Royal
Acadamy yet to that individual did Am
herst Off his hand, and led her forth to
Dance to the no smaller anger and dis
pleasure of the fair one with the golden
locks and many other of the guests.
Miss Gerard danced in quiet and lady
like manner, but nothing more; she de-
clined joining the quadrilles second
time, and Amherst also retired from the
dancers, and resumed his conversation
in which he had ever INDUCED with
young lady; hitherto he had only breath
ed to them the language of compliment
tary adulation, concluding that all else
would be unwelcome to them but now he
was greatly surprised to find that even his
clever friend Tyrold could not quote from
the poets, or discuss their beauties so flu
emily. as the still more clever Miss Gerard.
They arrived at length at Alfred Ten
neyson, and had completely forgotten the
gay scene around them, while dwelling on
the exquisite image OF solitude, dullness
and deprivation, contained in Mariana in
the Moated Grange, when Mrs Gerard,
who was growing almost as weary as Mar
lana herself, altho' from different cause,
approached her niece to deliver her opin-
ion that lit was not right to keep even
hired horse waiting two hours after the
time at which it was ordered to attend
The party now broke up, and Amherst,
after escorting the last beauty to her car
riage, Just looked into the drawing room
to bid his aunt good night on his
way to his chamber, not being able to
summon resolution to undergo the lecture
which he feared wasin store for him respec-
ting his conduct during the whole of the
evening. Tyrold was more courageous
he purposely stayed behind. that he
might express to Mrs. Estcourt his sorrow
at having been the innocent cause of lead
ing her into so untoward mistake. He
began to address his hostess with most
penitential face, when he was startled by
seeing her whole countenance radiant
with ioy. and feeling his hand cordially