The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-17

Nin hohofei IN oecoming ohcS moTe ING gus.
of Mrs. Armstrong" replied the aged Chester
field, with . second and deeper reverence, as-hs
CALAMITY took the place on her left hand after
slightly ca passanr acknowledging the bow of the
young clergy man.
:" Mr.. Stuart-G ordon, we are happy to receive
pleased to see her old schoolmate. You viii find
her at the other end of the room,n smiled the la
| dy, as Louis Stuart-Gordon entered, and she
gracefully passed. him on. Louis Immediately
and gladly sought Louise. Next came old Major
Somerville with his venerable head thinly scat
with his form bowed and lettering with extreme
old age, as he leaned en- the arm of his grand
daughter, the calm Susan. Mrs Armstrong ad-
vanced to receive the patriarch with more than
usual courtesy
Major Somervile, il affords me pleasure to see
Ianc mis-Ad A. --n>5 ord Wise counsels of their
oldest neighbor, and best and most venerable
friend Miss Somerville, you are welcome my
daughter will know how to value the privilege of
your society, having lost it so long. Mr.. Linds-
lay, Miss Somerville is looking weary do me the
favor to give Major Se@erville the support Of
your arm to a comfortable seatn
The old gentleman bowed low, with the reyer-
entail gallantry Of the olden time Susan slight
| ly bent her head, and the veteran and the maid
en- passed on, conducted by Willis Lindsay
"Ha ha ha ha ha hal ha ha ha!n were the
of xbt hot ~ o,ly lie
from the hail. broke upon the decorous silence,
startled the stately composure aud shocked the
august propriety of this ceremonious reception.
Ha ha ha! ha ha ha ha ha hal"
Every one in that superb room paused, looked
| towards the door, listened
aHa ha ha ! ha ha ha ha ha hap
| Mrs Armstrong drew herself up in awful ma
jesty.
ala ha ha! ha ha ha.a-a-aw,o .rung out the
musical laughter approaching = screaming
shouting and Gertrude Lion burst intothe midst
| of them like ball discharged from q sannon.
The effect Of her esfvse was pstriying. Each
member of the company was arrested in the atti.
tude in which he or she happened to be standing
or sitting.
While they ssteoA tpansf ed - anchanted -
will describe fhis girl-this savage beauty as she
stood among the convential circle assembled al
Mont Crystal
There she stood, nearly six feet in her CATERS
Of so finely proportional form that every attitude
and gesture displayed the most charming grace
blended with the most enchanting originality
Back from a brow white as sculptured marble
flowed locks Of glittering gold, rolling and flash.
ing far down upon her blue riding habit with the
freedom and strength of a lioness name; the
large clear eyes of Saxon blue, blazing with an
intolerable light impossible to darker orbs There
she stood, with the laugh arrested on her lips
still scintilating from her eyes, though it would
explode, with one hand holding up her riding
habit--with the other erasping her whip There
she stood, with the majesty Of Juno and the free
| dom Of Diana blended in one form of astonish-
ishing perfection there she STOOD caring as lit
tie for the startled hauteur of the august lady of
Mont Crystal rs Queen Vashti cared for the dig
nifty OF the inebriate king; there she stood silent
for one mom.W, while they paused, spell-bcund
by her beauty and andacity. Then catching up
the frozen white hand Of the proud 'ladien she
exclaimed
How do you do, Mrs. Armstropg7-ha ha
hal Excuse me, it is too good-Brutus wishing
to learn Greek for love Think of lion in love
lion put to school Were you ever in love,
Mrs Armstrong; Were you, General Stuart
Gordonl How does it feel, wonder ! fancy
it is sort Of intoxication not unlike that produ-
ced by acohol--certsinly know it makes people
talk nonsense and run their heads against posts
And so rafting on, the savage girl sprang through
the dign6ed CIRCLE fed up the saloon, and caught
| and crushed Britannia in her strong arms before
Mrs. Armstrong had chosen to relax the frozen
! rightly of her stiff face and form Her cold,
steel eye followed the girl as she shot away, then,
turning deliberately to her companion she asked,
| in measured accents
aCan you inform me, General Stuart Gordon,
why that young woman is permitted TO 70 at
large7 BY sanity, implied from her freedom from
constraint, inActing upon the neighhorhood the
necessity OF recognising her
@The Lions are eccentric--startling- Mrs
Armstrong has sef-possession and forbearance,D
was all the reply that the gallant General would
attempt, and 1t was made with grave bow. The
selfpossession of Mrs. Armstrong had receiv-
| ed thunder-shoek, but II had maintained it's per-
pendicularity; not so her temper for when the
next couple, which was our old schoolmsster and
his adopted child, came forward, she merely re-
ceived them with a cold bow as she swept aside to
let them pass They were followed closely by
with mstress,n certainly. He wore suit of
new black cloth, and his straight black elflocks
were combed out and pomatumed until they shone
$ "a, 2 VasYss ,SSS..2& Us WAS the last arrival
The guests had observed punctuality in sccord-
ance with the honor due to, and eKacted by, the
naughty mistress Of Mont Crystal Immediate
ly after the last arrival, the dinner-bell rang
Will General Stuart ordon lend me the sup
port of his arm to the dining-room 2" said Mrs
l. 81 twin and
that conferred high honor, ~ IL did, The Cen |
eral Acknowledged the honor by stately aud rev. |
erend bow, and, taking the tips Of the ladys kid
glove in his hands, led her reverently, at arms
length. across the hall TO the dining room. There
were no familiar locking Of arms between a lady
and gentleman In those stately days The COM
pauy followed in couples, and to the astute Mrs
Armstrong the order In which the company came
20 the dinner-table afforded a good clue by which
to trace the mutual attractions of the young peo-
pie. ,Finessc in concssling preferences until the
last moment from the world was not In vogue
among the young men and madens of that day
and neiehborhood. Nearly all the young people
Of the same rank in that sparse neghborhood
were collected in that saloon therefore the state
OF their friendships might be guessed by their Sc
lections Of partners. Mrs Armstrong had ta-
ken her place at the head Of the dinner-table,
General Stuart-G Gordon standing at her right
hand She watched covertly the entree Of her
guests What was her mortifc tion when Miss
Armstrong entered, led by Willis Lindsay, the
student--the poor cousn-the bggay, whose
every attitude, gesture, tone Of voice and express
sion Of countensnce, involuntarily betrayed his
devotion to her--what was her CONSERVATION
when Louis Stuart Gordon followed with Susan
Somerville, his pale intellectual countensnce ir-
radisted, bending down to hers, and listening to
her words as though he lived upon the light
Of her beautifully serene face, and the deep,
sw eet tones az her muaicai yoice Mira Arm |