The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-10-23
IT w O s G T IN B S
In THE LIFE OF A CITY BELLE.
SCENE FIRST.
By r. 3 ARTHUR.

"Isn't she glorious creature = said my
young friend Merwyu, glancing; as he spoke,
toward a beautiful cir! named Florne Mall
colin, the daughter Of merchant reputed 10
be rich. We were al party, and the object OF
remark sat, or rather reclned near us on a
sofa, with graceful abandon, or rather in
dolence, in her whole air and attitude, that
indicated one born and raised in ideness
and luxury;
."Shs is fine looking girl, certainly" l
replied.
"Fine lookingr said my enthusiastic
young friend, in surprise, half inclined TO be
offended at the coldness with which ex-
pressed myself.
@Fine looking, indeed 2 sfe's perfect
Hebe; a very impersonaiion of youth and
beauty"
"No one can deny that she is a very lovely
and beautiful grl,,' said l, to this. "But she
lacks animation"
"What you speak Of az fault, consider
her greatest charm. never met one SO free
from all vulgar hurry and excitement. An
exquisite ease distinguishes her actions, and
she reminds YOU, in nearly everything, Of
those courtly ladies who give such charm
TO foreign aristocratic society. Certainly, |
have not met, in this country, with any one
who has so perfectly the air of hish-bred
lady. as Florine Malcolm"
To understand this perfectly, the reader
must be told that Merwyn had recently re-
turned from tour through Europe, whittier
he had been permitted to go by wealiy
father, and where he had discovered, like
most of our young men who venture abroad,
that in our forms Of special intercourse, and
;r all that gives fashionable society its true
excellence and atractiveness, we are sadly
deficient Foreign manners. habits, and
dress we're brought home and retained by
the young man, who, as a natural conse-
auence, became favorite among the ladies,
and was thus encouraged in his silly imita-
lions of things anti-American, and, there.
fore, in America ridiculous. In the eyes oi
sober-minded, sensible people, who did moi
know him we'll enough 10 see that there was
a more substantial groundwork in his char.
acler than all this would lead casual obser.
yer to infer, Merwyn was viewed as mere
fop, whose brains had grown out upon his
upper lip in the shape of mousiache.
Such mafiNwas my friend, Henry Mer.
wyn. knew his better qualities, and es.
teemed them; at the same time that | saw
his weakness, and bore with them for the
sake of the good that was in him. He had
been raised in a sickly atmosphere, and his
znind had taken all unhealthy tone but he
was honorable, and rigidly just in all his ac
tions towards others
As for the young lady he SO warmly admi
red-Mies Florlne Malcolm-I only knew
her as we know those into whose society
wo are but occasionally thrown She was
fine, showy girl with a face Of more thar
ordinary beatty; but, 10 one of my tastes
uninteresting for the very reason that she
proved SO charming 70 Merwyn This gen
teel ianguor, this elegant Incidence, this dis
ainguishing rspcse, never much sniied m.
fancy. like 10 see the soul flow into tn,
bodily organism, and thrill its very nerv
with life and sentiment like 10 see th'
sys burn, tho lips culver, ard the who'll
face glow with animating thought Thes'
make beauty ten fold more beautiful; AM
give to even paleness charm.
"By high-bted Lady, replied to Mer
wyn's particular praise of Miss Malcolm
''you mean, presume, woman who is en-
siIslysniicisl,"