New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-07-10

.s NUMBER III.
! ing in old ladies, and middle aged old gen
| tlemen, and le-aged-until the number
amounted to about thirty, and Cousin Con-
| drawing rooms were comfortably filled. We
closely scrutinized all the Young folks, and so
intently but covertly watched their proceedings
| that we could have revealed several innocent
hirtations, bnt nothing appeared that could lead
| us to the turtle doves and their engagement.
At length, we really had hopes, and ensconced
| ourselves in corner, to observe the more eau
tiously tall, beautiful girl, whose eyes inces-
| sanity turned toward the door of the apartment;
while each time it opened to admit any one, she
sighed and looked disappointed, as If that one
was not the one she yearned to pee. 2. We were
deep in a Teyerie, con]uring up n romance OF
which she was the heroine, when little Lady,
thabited in gray, whose age might average
| threescore, unceremoniously seated herself be-
side us, and Immediately commenced a cenver-
sation, by asking if we were admiring pretty
Annie MISUNDERSTANDING the direction of our
looks. On receiving reply in the affirmative,
che continued: ss All she's good, afectlonase
girl; a great favorite of mine is sweet Annie
| Mortimer
" Watching for her lover, no doubt p we ven
tured to say, hoping to gain the desired inform
ssShe is an engaged young lady 70
ss Engaged! engaged" % cried the little anima-
/ ted lady ssno indeed. The fafes forbid Annie
Mortimer is not engaged The expression of
the little lady's eountenance at our bare suppo-
sition of so natural fact, amounted almost to
the ludicrous and we with some difficulty ar
ticulated serious reioinder, disaVowing all pre-
vious knowledge, and therefore erring through
ignorance. We had now time to examine our
new acquaintance more critically. As we have
, already stated, she was habited in gray; but
not only was her attire gray, but she was liter
ally gray all over gray hairs. braided in Pc
, culiar obsolete fashion, and quite uncovered
gray gloves gray shoes and. above all, gray
eyes soft, large, and peculiarly sad in express
ion, yet beautiful eyes, redeeming the gray, mo-
notonous countenanee from absolute plainness
Mary Queen of Scots, we told, had gray
eyes; and even she, poor lady, owned not more
speaking history telling orbs than did this lit
! tie unknown gossip in gray. But our attention
8 was diverted from the contemplation, by the en-
trance of another actor on the stage, to whom
Annie Mortimer darted forward with an excla-
nation of delight and welcome. The new conner
d was slender, elderly gentleman, whose white
r hairs pale face, and benignant expression pre-
. sented nothing remarkable in their aspect, be-
G yond q certain air of elegance and refinement,
d which characterized the whole outward man.
: "That is a charming looking old gentleman y
t said we to the gray lady ''is he Annies
e father -
# :. Her father! Oh dear, nc !! That gentleman
Y is bachelor; but he is Annie's guardian, and
/, has supplied the place of a father to her, for
i poor Annie is an orphan" .
a Oh n' we exclaimed and there was great
+ deal of meaning in our oh ! for had we not read
IS and heard of youthful wards falling in love with
J. their guardians and might not the fair Annies
of taste incline this way: The little gray lady
lie understood our thoughts, for she smiled, bu
g said nothing and while we were absorbed witt
se Annie and her supposed antiquated lover, sht
ut gided 4nto the circle, and presently we behelt
Anne's guardian with Annie leaning on hi
te arm, exchange q few words with her in an unde
lie tone, as she passed them to an inner room. So.
be "Who is that pleasing looking old gentle
D. man 7" said we to our hostess; ss and what /
e the name of the lady in gray, who went ava.
to Just as you came up That is Annie Mortime
o. we know and we know, also, that she isn't en-
r gaged.' .,.. ss.@l .-
DIV Cousin Con laughed heartily as she replied
nd &c That nice old gentleman is Mr.. WorthingtoI
it our poor curate; and poor curate he is hkel
,a, ever to continue, so far as we see The Ind
Of in gray we call our little gray gossip and
er- darling she is! As to Annie, you seem to kno
ion all about her. suppose little Bessie has bee
IN lauding her up to the skies" va
les 'Who is little Bessie y we inquired
re- 60 Little Bessie is your little gray gossip:
,ne never call her any thing but Bessie to her face
i've she is a harmless little old maid But con
yht this way: Bessie is going to sing, for the
ent wont let her rest till she complies and Bess
les singing and Bessie talking, are widely dferel
To- creatures"
hin Widely different indeed Could this be tt
,ns little gray lady seated at the piano, and makir
,ur it speak while her thrilling tones, 81
nes sang of &c days gone by, went straight to eae
we listeners heart, she herself looking ten yea
ng younger! When the song was over, observe
,re Mr.. Worthington, with Annie still resting on
lat arm, in a corner of the apartment, shaded by
tho projecting piece Of furniture: and also mott
the the tear on his furrowed cheek which he hasti
the brushed away, and stopped to answer some +
ION mark of Annie's, who, with fond affection, hi
MS, evidently observed it too, endeavorng to disp
ro- the painful illusion which remembrances of da
ly- gone by occasioned. ef
We at length found the company separatin
aty and our wager still unredeemed. The last
he depart was Mr.. Worthington, escorting Anr
our Mortimer and little Bessie, whom he shawl
ms most tepsletfy, 1e<loubt because she was pot
our f1saaf little Old maid, and sang so sweetly
llsof The next morning at breakfast, Cousin c
by attacked US, supported by Mr. Danvers, both .
Of manding solution Of the mystery or the scent
bier seyens After a vast deal OF Laughing talKlf
not and discussion, we were obliged to confess OF
$ to selves beaten, for there had been IN engae
hat couple present on the previous evening, and
,ble had failed to discover them. No; it was
lers Annie Mortimer; she had no lover No; it v
it'll not the Misses Halliday, or the Masters Burte
in they had hirted and danced, and danced q
firtel Unfortunately; but as to serious
gagements-pooh pooh -. l.. apr
Who would have conjectured the romance
reality that was now diyulged' and how CO
in. we have been so stupid not to have read it
WV. a glance? These contradictory exclamatio
sea as is usual in such cases. ensued when the rid
the was untolded. 1t is so easy to be wise when
q ms have learned the wisdom Yet we Cheerful
aces lost our wager ana wouio nave iose d huua ~
ssed such, Tor the sake OF nearing Iaie 81 iai
Con moved from mattef-0i-iact' proving aiSo aI,
han m as philosophers often pronounce them to be.
man Bessie Prudholm was nearly related to Da
l ;bie Danvers, and she had been the only child o
smr. talented but improvident father, who, atte