The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-03-16

Milman was tall, shaft-like as an Ind;ar
chief and almost as dark, with masses of
midnight curls, clustering over his olive
temples, and lending even darker hue to
the large shadowy eyes beneath while
the manly grace with which he moved
through the measure had evidently been
attuned to the martial roll of the " soul.
stirring drum" and the shrill pipinos OF
the ear piercing fife. My little Alice was
very fairy, light and airy as sunbeam.
Her height was very nearly five feet,
three inches above mediocrity, but her pro.
portions were so perfectly symmetric, that
she seemed considerably lower. She ap-
Peared to have had the most accomplish.
ed instructors in dancing, but to have
possessed genius that scorned and rose
above the rigid geometrical rules of art
Nature alone breathed through every
movement.
Like the waving of boughs stepped the
graceful! and free,
Like the bending of flowers above the blue
sea-" ...
She was dressed with extreme simplicity.
yet in the perfection Of taste. A close
>Sabit Of dark gay cloth, fitted high in the
eAck, displayed to the best advantage her
d 1utifully turned bust and falling should
ersA A tiny ruffle of futed cambric rose
aroLHd her delicate throat, bound by a
band&f black velvet, in which plittered n
small Aut handsome diamond pin. Sim
liar baiNs and ruffies confined her wrists
and shaded her exquisitely shaped hands.
IL was her usual travelling costume, but
thought as she moved there with her rich
masses OF chestnut hair, carlessly gathered
back with simple comb of twisted shell.
few rebellious ringlets floating down her
temples here and there, as if to revel in
the free sunshine Of he spirit, that the most
reeh rehe costume te bal of rich brocadcs
and gorgeous pearls could not have added
single ray Of light to the lovely picture
Occasionally, as she lifted her smiling
features to those Of her companion, /
eogld discern disc I rushing across her mirror-like
floating up from her lucid eyes, fitting
shadow which had not before observed
upon her countenance-a deep, dream
like infection Of thought, soft and fleeting
rs the momentary gloom cast upon the
white walls Of sun-ligGtcd chamber by
the pinions ofa passing bird. 1t was not
apprehension: she. ike the rest who
led the gay seductive dance, heard not
the strife Of elements without, but,
quaffing in rich bursts of golden music,
forgot that there was a world beyond our
cabin halls.
Milman and herself had; until within a
few days past, been ignorant even of the
existence Of The other; but there was some
thing in tho manner Of Alice, '.je ne
sais quoi," which, though perfectly temin-
inc, would break through the little con-
ventional knowledge she possessed, and
betray that she had already suffered her
heart to dwell with unusual pleasure upon
the graces and assiduities of her fellow
traveller. On the contrary, there was
nothing in the department Of Milman
which could furnish clue to the strictest
scrutiny by which to determine whether
or not his attentions to Alice were more
than warm sentiment Of friendship, or
at most passing fancy which began and
would end with their travelling acouain.
tance. . s.r., = -
He was evidently an accomplished man
of the world, whom at AN age not yery
much under thirty, had thought, read and
reflected much, aud who had moreover
enjoyed the fairest opportunities for study.
ing that intricate volume, human na.ure.
He had mingled in the best society in
one Of our large northern. cities, and was
doubtless accustomed to breathe in the ear
of beauty complimentary phrases, and
iiowery nothings, or, as Erin's Bard more
prettily expresses. '...."" =" p. . !
.r., ar -. 49,, !
s'sh yo' ''ee' no p"n' p'sls.s, !
foweep' yc' scarce scarce Know KNOW ~hy
m s,t 10 sport no honr WIN oeSu'yscPn
ord "" 81. "'" '""'H' w W 2, lI
Ifhis eyes followed the fairy steps othis
companion through the dance, nothing
was involved thereby: so did mine, $ in
fact did eyeFybodys. II he linfred
around her ~, tho guitar, when she Charm
ed company in to silence with the purfiute-
like fauitlessness Of her voice, he kould