The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-02-03

On her cDesk the autumn Hush
Deeply ripens such n blush
In the midst OF brown was born,
Like red peoples grown with corn
Round ber eyes her trsssss lay
Which Arc biacksst, none can say
But long lashes veil q light
That had else been all too bright
Hood
On the opposite side Of the Pearl from
Cashmere, and little farther down the river,
and back from its banks in small vale en-
bosomed in hills, was Silontshades, the home
of Marx Sutherland. The homestead was the
same that had been built by her father, upon
first laying out the plantation. The house was
very modest and unpretending--a moderate
sized, oblong building Of two stories painted
light brown, with green shutters and with piaz-
sas surrounding both floors The house was sha-
ded and darkened by Catalps trees clustering
thick about it and overhangng the roof The
pillars Of the piazzas were thickly twined with
running vines that branching and interlacing
formed q beautiful traiiage of foliage and
flowers. Doors from this piazza admitted di.
rectly into the roons upon the FIRST floor. Ia
the righthand front room, opening upon two
sidss into the piaaaa, upoa No next evening
after the events related ia The last chapter, sat
My. Sutherland. She was medium sized,
Uniformed brunette, of perhaps forty years Of
age yet NO perfect was her physical orgaDi-
ration, and no well-regulated her moral nature,
% even, calm, and blameless, had been the tenor
Of her life that now, at the age when most
American women are mourpfdl wrecks she
was specimen--not certainly, of youthful
besuty--but Of rarer kind Of matured and
perfected matronly beauty. Her style was no.
bic and ample Her rich, abundant hair OF
glossy black, with purplish light was plainly
divided above broad forehead, and laying
down upon tho temples in heavy looped bands,
was carried behind and twisted into thick,
rich coil and wound round and round into a
large knot fastened with piDs--there were no
combs, curls. ribbons, or frpperiss Of any sort,
10 mar the simple, grand beauty Of the head
The eyebrows were black, and lightly arched
the eyes large, dark, and very quiet, under their
curtain Of long black lashes; the nose perfect
" straig ht and the cheeks, lips, and chin, per-
fectiy beautiful IN contour Her complexion
was OF that mellow, Italian brown, flushing and
deepening 10 the cheeks to a carnation rich
ness Uncle Billy, who sincerely admired his
sister, always said that her complexion ever re-
minded him OF the bloom ON q ripe, luscious
peach. He said her face was 80 different from
those of most persons of her time Of life, whose
features were either shsrpened by emacation,
or, what was infinitely worse, obliterated by
fat) Her dress was very simple-a black silk
with delicate lace coll n pinned with small
diamond brooch She sat in an easy chair,
reading letter; and rs she read and turned
the leaves, . quiet smile would just dawn and
play on her lips. BY her side was stand
with nm opsu book, work box, and little al
YER hand belI At last, without removing her
eyes from the letter, she rmiIingy extended
her hand, and rang the little bell servant
catered, and still without Withdrawing her eyes
from the fascinsting lettsr, she SAID
"Send Mira Jolly TO me, william