Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-12-25

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red and then white cambridge looked FIRST u.
Florence, thenfor the rng-butlo! it had dis
appeared. The young man had, taken apiece
Of music from the piano, which it might have
been thought hewas reading, only he held i,
upside down, and it tremblcd like an aspen leaf
At this juncturc, the announcement of dinner
caused general hustle, cambridge looked at
Florence, who stood talking with Miss Brown,
but touch from Miss Hart, and movement to
that effect caused him to offer her his arm; on
seeing this, Groves who had somewhat recover
cd his composure, proposed to escort Florence
and they moved for tn dining room.
Don't you think that will be match, Mr..
cambridge? They say that he is perfectly devo-
ted to Grand loves her better thananything else
save his curls and moustachc!'
81 am really not able to say Miss Hart;
cannot boast of being either the con6dant or Mr..
Groves or Miss Rivers"
Well, don't you think her perfectly sickcn-
ing-always so digni6cd and composed, as if she
was cverybody's superior?"
g. / can't say that think Miss Rivers sickcn-
ing, nor do l think that she assumes to herself
superiority over others. Tile short acquaintance
that I have with her has called forth naught but
respect and admiration. E'know that she de-
votes herself almost exclusively. to an afflicted
relative, and have heard that the poor and
needy around her bless her as ministcring spirit
and certainly every One must acknowledge
that she is both intellectual and refined"
'tGooa for you," murmurcd Burchell, who
had followed the pair.
Miss Hart felt abashcd and said no more until
they gained the; dining room, in which immense
apartment two tables were loaded with every
thing choice and rare; and d,whilst the warm
hearted hosts and delighted guests arc doing
justice to the first courses we will give an out
line Of our principal characters. =
|, Our heroine, Florence Rivers, had been an
orphan since childhood AT The death Of her
parents, she had been taken by her uncle, her
fathers brother, who wifi his estin,ablc wife
bestowed upon her their warm affection. They.
were themselves without children and sin the
kindness, ayishtd so unsraringly upon her,
s Z, fSii ssssszza.r.....
had been provided and shc hao oceh
educated entirely at home. The hospitality OF
thc GOOD Colonel drew around him all the POI:
;shcd and refined society for.milrs around; tiat,
,or,thcr with his ,'-s''y visits to the nelShbor-
IA, ms, gave that case and colnposurc Of man.
ncr for which his niece was so justly admired.
The mother Of Florence had an only sister, who
had lost within the short space Of a year, her
husband and only child. Broken down in health
and spirits, poor Mrs. Blair looked as if she
would succumb TO hes Affections, and Florence
left her pleasant home and adopted parents. to
soo,le her grirf-strickcn relative.
Edwin cambridge was nephew TO Mrs. Rivers
and had just graduated at a celebrated univcr-
sity The Colonel had given him an invitation
to spend some months with him, hoping to re-
alizc the cnnsunmation Of project long since
formed, that Of 4 marriage between him and
Florence The Colonel had kept this idea a
profound secret even from his wife. cambridge,
who had never seen Florence before his arrival
at the Coloncl's, was charmed with her appear
ancc and manners. Florence could not but be
pleased with Dandridgc.-But few weeks after
they met, Florence went to her aunt's. The dis
tancc between the two residences was but a
mile, and nearly every afternoon cambridge
called to enquire after the invalid.
Richard Groves was also an admrcr Of Flo
renee, whose natural kindness Of disposition led
her to treat him with respect. though of late she
had become weary of his attentions. The dandy
attributed her change Of manner to her prcdilcc-
ton for cambridge.
Florence, who was generally very plain in her
attire, wore but one ring. This had been her
mothers, and on it was cngraven her initials;
her maiden name having been Frances Revere,
the initials were consequently the same as Flor
cncc's. At small party, a few evenings be-
fore the Coloncl's Christmas dinner, gentle
man had playfully taken this ring from Florence
and asked if he might wear it. Florence an
swered, in the same jcstng manner, that if she
ever permitted gentleman to wear her ring it
would be after she had promised to wed him.
cambridge and Groves were both present at the
time. as also were Misses Hart and Harden.
Now these amiablc young ladies were both smit-
ten with cambridge and had each determined
that if her own charms could notwin him, those
of Florence never should.
On Christmas eve, Florence, while taking her
usual walk, had occasion to draw off her glove
and in doing so the ring came off with it and
fell at her feet unnotccd Just after her return TO
the house, Groves passed, and on observing the
ring, eagerly picked it up. Immediately the idea
occurred to him that, if he could display the ring
to cambridge the latter would consider it proof
positive of his engagement to Florence, and that
his consequent disappointment and cllagrin would
cause him to lcaYc the neighborhood. Groves
did not wear the ring TO the Colonel's for he
expected to meet Florence there; but her delay
and false rumor that her aunt was worse that
morning, caused him to believe that she would
not be there. This, with his proximity to Dan
bridge, tempted him to display it. At the an
nouncement Of her arrival VIC have already told