Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-04-25

an officer oi Gen. WooPs DIVISION of
the Centre" The narrative is of thrill
ing INTEREST,"
From Graham's Magazine. K
ISABELLA DE MONTALVA.
STORY OF THE CENTRE DIVISION.
II was still summer evening, toward
the end Of August had been at Cap
tain Morgan's camp in the Alamedan on
the eastern side Of the river, and was re-
turning slowly TO the city. As ap-
preached the bridge-which spans the
river short distance below the ruined
fortress, known as the Alamo, where
Crockett fell observed a group Of
young girls few rods up the stream,
standing up 10 their arms in the water,
and merrily FLASHING it IN each others
faces. II was not a new sight to me, but
It still had its charms-as il would prob
ably have continued TO have, if had re-
mained there till the present day. II
paused upon the bridge-which was then
10 process of reconstruction loI the con-
venience Of the army-and gazed upon
the graceful and delicious group. ] had
seen them all several times, in the water
and at the fandangoes, ercept one and
as they dashed off 10 the deeper water.
and plunged gracefully about in its lin
pid wave, she turned her face toward
me. hadn only never seen il before
but had never seen any thing like tim
deed had never imagined any thing hike
it. Notihat il was so ravishingly beau
tiful--and yet il was glorious face
1t was, however. as much the singulari-
ty, as the beauty which struck me-
She had light auburn hair, and large
blue eye yet every other feature was
clearly, tnmistakahlt Spanish The ac-
outline nose, moulded not chisled-the
mouth pouting and tempting, with thin
and curling lips-the high-arched eye-
brow-the small, white teeth-tke roan-
ded chin--ihe clear olive complexion--
all were there and the swan-like neck,
sloping off to smooth, round shoulders
the slender, graceful fgure-the oval
outline Of the face, and the sweeping
lines Of the form-aii were Spanish
There was no blending-every feature
belonged distinctly TO one race or the
other, except. perhaps, the forehead
This was loo low for the Iberian, Toe
high for the Saxon, not retreaiing enough
TO answer to the Spanish-American. no
so vertical as the Northern. II detrac.
ted little from her beauty; and | ther
thought-though the impression after
ward vanished but returned Ggain--tha
it gave her couLtenanee doubtful, sin.
lister look. 1t was, however, smooth am
white-whiter than the skin below IL
a Circumstance which ! was ,afterwar,
enabled to explain. Her most peculia
feature was her eye. It looked you fnl
in the face---not frankly, but boldly, a
now remember-not because Of he
sincerity, bu in order to penetrate what
ever disguise you might weai--not stead
lily, but firmly, as if defying you 10 rea
its meaning.
soon forgot her companions, and wa
absorbed in contemplating her. Icaugf
her glance---the glance Of that ege--an
she threw herself upon The current. an
swan evenly and slowly toward me, ii
within fifty yards. holding my gaze as
by magic all the time. ! heard foo
step beside me, but did not look round
in fact could not look round She can
slowly on, little further, when suddel
Iy turning, she swan with powerf
but easy sweep Of her arm, back TO b,
companions. / was more sstonishe
than ever-for here the current gallo
along at the rate of eight miles per hou
and yet she seemed to breast il as easi
as II II had been a tranquil pool Wht
she reached the shallow water, she p
her foot upon the bottom. and casting
sweeping glance toward me, not at m
turned away, swan round point in Il
gaTden-wall, paused fora moment j.
before she disappeared, nodded her hea
as Il m recognition Of sign, and va
lsned among the willows.
drew = deep breath-of relief
much as returning consciousness
turned away; for though her four col
panlons yet remained in the water. al
became noisier and more playful tn
ever, Il thought Of them no more 1
turning, ! encountered an eve onlv |,
remarkable than that which had lust &
cinated me. The approach of iis ov,
was the footstep had heard beside !
The man seemed to be all eve. II !
blacker than night. and vet the constr
tion and dilation Of the iris-proces,