Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-11-23
STORY.
u 1.-THE SWINDLEIR. I
OR, I'LL GAINS NEVER THRIVE.
A PRIZE STORY.
BY J, AUSTIN spERRY.

| ~ a clear, DTl8uL TcuTudFy udy hiCi d
heavy fall Of snow! Any one who had
visited the Great Emporium during
sleighing time, NAV imagine the brilliant
scene which Broadway presents on such
day. Thousands of sleighs, of every
shape, size and variety, are dashing hith-
er and thither, in such thick confusion,
as to make it matter of inexplicab!e as
Punishment how they had room to pass
each other without coming into collision.
Here and there great omnibus sleigh,
piled up with human freight, glides along
| like an overloaded steamboat out of lis
element, while glittering establishments
of fairy-like lightness are glancing by
them and around them, like glad birds on
the wing, The spray thrown up from
off the foaming coursers, and gleaming
and sparkling in the bright atmosphere.
resembles shower of sparkling dia-
monds, while the jingle, jingle, jingle, of
the bells float upon the breeze so merri-
| ly and cheerilv, that your heart leaps for
| Joy at the sound. You might ain ost fan
| cy that the bright sunbeams were all
golden bell wires, and that old winter
with white fingers was pulling them for
very fun. Then, too, the happy faces
that peeped out from warm rich furs--
the glimpses Of beauty and glances OF
bright eyes that beamed on you as they
fit by, radiant as sunshine and transient
as the meteor fash. Oh what glee there
is in old Gotham in sleigh time!
Such was the day and the scene. In
d magnificent little shell that glided along
Broadway, were seated a lady and gem
lleman,, almost buried in costly furs.-
The lady's face was one of rare lowell
ness; and the gentleman, as he listened
to her animated words, seemed to be SO
much absorbed in the contemplation OF
her, charms that he neglected the reins,
and lett the horse to canter along through
the throng at his own discretion. While
the lady chatted away in lively strain,
her glance was wandering over the
crowd on The side walk. Suddenly lay
| ing her hand upon the gentleman's arm,
she exclaimed: IA asLr f5 5Hg
Look, George, what a sweet face that
poor girl has!" 5lh
The object OF this remark was agirl
apparently about seventeen, rather UNI
comfortably clad for the season. with a
,hic faded shawl over her shoulders, and
her light rnglets straying playfully from
beneath melancholy apology for bon
net. Her features were pale and thought.
full. bat full of sweet expression, and her
large, intelligent blue eyes beamed with
touching sadness. The gentleman look
ed in the direction indicated by his fair
companion, but his eve no sooner rested
upon the girl than shade Of displeasure
or pain crossed his brow, and giving the
reins nervous jerk, his mettlesome
steed bounded feeily Onward, bearing
the sleigh quickly out Of sight OF the
poor girl who had so interested his COM
panion.
why, George!' exclaimed the lady,
what do you mean! 1t was very dis
obIiging in you to start off at that rate
when you knew, i wanted toobserye thai
girl q
/ Thegenlleman stammered out an apol-
ogy, laying the blame upon the Impotence
of his horse. The excuse, ahoweyer,
was too lame to convince thelady. She
was piqued at having her humor thus
unreasonably thwarted, and pouled du-
ring the rest, of the ride. When she al
length alighted at the door Of her fathers
residence, in Blocker street, she thank.
ed her lover flor such the gentleman was
with cool civility for the sleigh ride, and
entered the house in pet, leaving him
to drive off, anathematising the inciden,
which had damaged the morning pleas
ures. He had another source of un.
pleasant feelings, too, than the lady's
frown. The sight of the poor girl on
Broadway-whom he very well knew
had given rise to reflections, of 'lisa.
greeable nature, which will be explained
in the sequel. s.. 81, ~ "a
TO return to the young lady. When
she, entered her comfortable parlor, she
found young man standing by the win
dow, who turned to her and said: !,
We'll, sis, another lovers quarrel on
the carpet-eh! It's plain that it is So.
continued the brother, for | saw Rem
wick, as he drove off look as black as a
thunder cloud, and your own face is as
flush as if you had been scolding for ar
hour"
'Pshawp CALCULATED the young lady,
Then after moments silence, she added
We'll, if you will pry into my affairs
you must know that am beginning Il
dislike George Repwick, and ! don't be
lieve shall ever marry him after all. y
.Ha! ha! hal laughed her brother. 'the
old song--it will be kiss and make up
in less than six hours again
very well--you'n see,' she returned
as she withdrew to disrobe herself o.
her riding apparel.
Emily and John Williams were tho
only children Of a wealthy New York
merchant. They had been reared indul
gently, and received an excellent educa.
ton. John was fine young fellow O
twenty-two-had chosen the profession
of medicine, and was preparing to grad
uate at the Spring Commencement
Emily was somewhat spoiled beauty