The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-13
lsWell 2

"Silence insolent! do not ask you for thes
petty details In one word, now, what did yo
learn What is the state Of Louis Stuart-Gor
don's health 2"
"Madam, Mr. Stuart Gordon is still extremel.
i'll, and no hopes are entertained of his recovery
"Humph! The comfort is, that Louise anc
her child are his heirs-that is, if the latte
should live after-I am almost sorry now-on'
can never tell what turns affairs are going "a
taken-muttered the lady to herself
"Ala5am ~
C fold your tongue! am not tanning 10 yOu'
The muatto clenched her teeth.
"Wel this other story about the woman
about Mrs Suart-G ordon, MADAME
dyes"
at is all true madam Seraph told me 30,
shaking her fist in my face in triumph, that you
might kill Mr. Louis, but that his loss might be
replaced-that an heir would not be wanting to
the Isle Of Rays"-
"Wen?0
al tossed up my head and told her certainly
not! for though Mr. Louis might die, Mrs. Louis
waso--
"Pardon, madam, pardon but could | stand
there and see her triumphing over me %
But you told her a liza hc-that you are to
contradict tomorrow. Do you understand me ?"
asked the lady, fixing her severe eyes sternly
upon her attendant.
Madam, l will do 50 but there is one thing
| should tell you"
"Tell it,
"The morning upon which Mrs. Stuart Cor
don and Mr.. Louis encountered yourself and
Mrs. Louis upon the hill, in returning from the
Dovecote, il seems that Mr. Louis as well as Mrs.
Stuart Gordon observed Mrs. Louiss ill looks,
and saw hkfaint; and that from that circum-
stance thu Iiy at the Isle of Rays have inferred
that Mrs. Louis is grieving herself to death at
separation from her husband Now, madam,
wished 10 give Mrs. LOuis's delicate appearance
another cause | could not bear to have them
think that our young lady ever threw away a
thought upon them; thus had two motives for
telling then--
"FalseLOod!n finished Mrs. Armstrong, with a
determined look.
ayes, madam, of course, the IdlSehOOd"
&" And thus have two motives for compelling
Louise to go to this grand ball first, that they
may not flatter themselves that Louise is break
ing her heart. Ha ha! ha! They will no
longer do so when they hear of her dancing at a
ball while her husband is dying. And my second
motive is, that the story told by this stupid Kate
may be tacitly contradicted," thought the lady
then raising her voice, she exclaimed
"Katew
"Well, madam %
"My daughter as yet, knows nothing of the
illness of Mr. Stuart Gordon, nor will hG re her
mind disturbed by it. Therefore, be silent upon
that subject, in her presence"
dyes, madam"
"To-morrow, contradict that story you told
the old gossip and be sure to tell her that Mrs,
Louis is well and cheerful and will attend, as
usual, the annual ball at the Princes school,
eyes, madam, understand"
FYou are not to say that Mrs Louis is igno-
rant of MIR. Louis's Illness
ooh no, madam, by no means! Of course not p
81 think, now, that you perfectly comprehend
men
Perfectly, madam"
"Kate, have promised to leave you free If
you viii deserve it at my hands, will leave you
comfortably provided for. If you do not merit
thisp--
"Georgy p
Exactly
In the early part of this true story, had occa-
sion TO mention collegiate school at Peakville,
called the Prince of Wales Academy, and
sometimes for brevity, the Princes School This
was a sort of smaller college, consisting of
president four to six professors and five or hun
dred pupils collected from all parts Of the South
The president and professors of this Academy
were mostly from New England, but the greater
part Of the pupils were from the Southern States
Such of these professors were unmarried lived
at the Academy, but those who had families ooou-
pied private dwellings in the village. Many Of
the pupils boarded at the Academy, some with
the families of the professors, and few with pri-
vate families in the village or neighborhood
The ages of these young men ranged from four
teen to twenty-five years, and their character as
a class ranked-nay, 4" a student of the Prince of
Wales Academy was another name for integrity,
honor, generosity, gallantry, chivalry, magnanim-
ity-in short, in that neighborhood e student"
was a compendium of oil the social and chivalric
virtues. In that respect, the Prince Of Wales
Academy was different-yes Numerically OPP
poste to any school or college ever heard of,
before or since. do not know hon il was, but so
ii was. The first two weeks Of every December
they held an annual festival, at the close of which
the school broke up for the Christmas holydays
This festival, for ts variety Of delightful enter
tanments, its gaiety and its continued length.
might be called carnival The parents and
guardians of the pupils came even for hundreds
of miles TO be present ON the occasion and re-
NAMED until the close of the ceremonies Let
this be made known for the credit of hospitable
Old Virginia" that, wherever the pupils board
ed, the parents or guardians were received and
entertained during their stay as guests. The viii
lage and neighborhood of the Prince Of Wales
Academy would be as much crowded as fashion
able watering place at the height of the season,
or as Washington city during the long session OF
Congress During the first week Of the "carni-
val,n IL prefer to borrow that term,) the days
were spent in examinations Of all the pupils
through all their studies This was q great So
lemnity, carried by the professors in the pres
euce of the hundreds assembled In the chapel Of