The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-02-24

tIdllOF lo my SEX; sdIu MISS LdWTeuCe,
laughing.
=. The evening for the sleigh-ride came,
and was night among thousand
There was not cloud in the sky, and
the winter moon shone clear and beau
tiful; the air was cold as zero. but still,
4 and the landscape looked like dream
land. 1t was sight to make an old
man young again, TO see the sleighs
flashing TO and fro through the village
streets, collecting their lovely freight,
while the merry i'agle of the bells
made the hlood joyoas in the veins.
Away swept the gay cavalcade.-
Most of the bellies and beaux were
distributed through three enormous
sieighs, and TO judge from the inces-
SAINT mt,n kept up, were crazy wlal
fun. There were half a dozen single
sleighs, however, and among these were
Harry's and Hammersley's,
Lizzy looked astonished, as | sus-
pected she would, when she saw who
Harry's companion was. She knew
that Miss Lawrence was quite equal 10
/ herself in BEAM and superior IN for
tune, and a shade of alarm stole over
her face; but she disguised it cleverly,
under an additional gaiety of manner,
was wittier than ever, and danced,
laughed, and talked as if she was the
happiest of the happy.
| My fair cousin played her part, mean
time to admiration. Everybody thought
that Harry had made a conquest, and
not few complimented him, even in
Lizzy's hearing, on his good fortune !:
but he himself was selfelated.
"We'er carrying il too far" he said
to me, anxiously. "Lizzy don't mind
me bit. She's really half in love
with Hammersley. See how she leans
on his arm and looks up in his face"
$50 did Miss Lawrence, five minutes
ago, to yoa and yet she's in love with
another. All Harry, women are born
cheats. I'll WAGER now that Lizzy is as
uneasy as yourself"
a wish | could think So" sighed
Harry.
Keep up your fiirtation," I said,
"and don't be the first 10 give inn
would have said more, bnl at that
moment cry of fire rang startingly
through the ballroom ; and looking up,
! saw, from The hage volumes of smoke
ponring into tho doorway, that the hall
was in flames. simultaneously voice
crlel! that the stairca Sc was on fire, and
retreat in that direction cut off. 1t
seems that while we had been dancing.
a candle had fallen and the fire got
headway undetected.
I'VE mrSt escape hY the windows,
Harry cfied. g fortunately the roof.
of the porch is just beneath them, and
the descent thence not far, while the
snow will break the jump. will look
after my wile-you take Miss Law
rence.n
But Harry had already disappeared.
As at that instant eaught sight of my
wife, thought no more of him, but
pushed through the atfrighted crowd,
in order to join her. In another mo-
ment she was safe on the ground, and
with Miss Lawrence, whom had found
clinging to her. Having rescued them
fastened back to render what assis-
tance could to others. had scarcely,
however, regained the ballroom when
| saw wild form dashing by; but |
had hardly recognised it as that of Liz
zy, when it fell into the arms of gen.
tleman advancing quite as wildly from
the direction.
"Oh! save me, save me ~ she cried,
bewildered with terror; and with that
sunk senseless.
"You1idn't seem to think of Miss
Lawrence" said |, slyly. to Harry, when
all having safely escaped: we went TO-
gether to seek oar sleighs; ''nor, in
fact, did Lizzy appear 10 think of Ham
mersley. A pretty pair you are to fiirt !"
Harry made no reply, but looked ex-
cessively fiat, yet happy beyond de-
scription.
A month subsequently Lizzy married
tuy friend, Miss Lawrence being brides
maid
DO you and Harry intend to hirt
any morew said in whisper to the
bride. " You're such adopts. you should
keep il up. You especially finish so
superbly."
Lizzy blushed scarlet, but rallying,
saucily replied: !" | find it was you that
put Harry up to flirting; you wished to
set US quarrelling, you rogue! but he
check-mated you, sir, by my new way
of popping the question"
Harry laughed, my wife laughed.
and all at myself So Lucy had the
best Of it after all, as women will.