The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1854-07-07


at time, lest it should cause q stoop in her
shoulders :" she "must not go out in the
sun, for fear of injuring her complexion. :"
She was told every hour in the day of some
rare perfection now her attitude-then her
eyes-then her shape! she "danced like q
fairy like seraph"-in short, need
ed wings only to make her an angel!
Every servant in the house knew that his
or her fortune was made il Miss Ceeile was
pleased; and they shaped their course ae-
cordingly. f''the boyse were doubtful of
the success Of a request, Cecile was employ
ed secretly TO negotiate. The reins of house,
hold government were in those little fairy
fingers.
No wonder the little Cecile thought her
self e.:::nirrotent No wonder she stood be-
fore her Psyche" arranging, with maid
ems pride, those glossy ringlets. Small mar
vel that she saw with exultation those round,
polished limbs, pearly teeth, and starry eyes,
and tossed her bright curls in triumph, at the
hearts that were already laid at her feet.
Her mirror but silently repeated the voice
of flattery that met her at every step. Ce-
cle was beautiful The temple was passing
fair; :; but, ah ! there rose from its altar no
holy incense to Heaven, Those bright ewes
opened and closed like the flowers, old like
them drank in the dew and sunlight, regard
less of the Giver. .r -. .-..,. : -.
1t was Cecile's eighteenth birthday. The
most expensive preparations had been made
to celebrate it. She was to electrify the
beau monde with her debut. A possamer.
robe, fit for a Peri, silvery and light, floated
soft as fleecy cloud around those metchless
limbs. Gems and jewels would have been
out of place beside those starry eyes. Ma
ture's simplest offering, the dropping lily,
blended with her tresses. The flash of youth
and hope was on her cheek; her step was
already on the threshold of that brilliant, un-
tried world, which her beauty was to dazzle
and conquer Other syIph-like forms there
were, and bright facesthat made sunlight in
happy homes; but the peerless Ceoile quench-
ed their beams on that Happy birth-nighG
The proud father looked up exultingly
Beautiful as a dream!" echoed from one
end of the saloon to the other His eyes fol-
lowed her, noted every glance of admiration,
| and then he said to himself. 'sThe idol is
mine" Say you so, fond father See, her
head drops heayily-her limbs relax-she
has tainted! They gather round her.-they
bathe her pale face and powerless hands :;
then they bear her TO her dressing-room,
and she lies on that silSen couch, like some
rare piece of sculpture. The jewellers dis
perse; the garlands droop darkness and ST.
| lence reign were merry feet tripped lightly.
The physician sits by the bedside of his fair
patient, and, with mistaken kindness, he says
to the frantic parents, "She will be easier
soon,-she will be free from pain tomorrow :;
and then he leaves her with the anxious
watchers. "
Morning dawued. Yes, Cecile was "bet-
ter,"-so her father said and she sat up,
and put her fair arms about his neck, and
called him "her own dear father" and he
smiled through his tears, and parted the
bright damp locks from her brow, and said
"she should have another ball, gayer than
the last and look lovelier than ever; !" and
then her mother laid bandeau of pearls
across her pale forehead, and said, 'they be-
come her passing we'll" Cecile smiled faint
| ly when she replaced them in their case,
and then her mother came back again to the
bedside. All !! what fearful shadow in that
momentary interval had crept over that
sweet face "Cecile Cecile !" said the be-
wildered woman, shivering with an indefina-
bic terror; "speak to me, Cecile what is ita''
"Am dying, mother 10 mother you
never taught me how to die" -
|
In the still grey dawn, at sultry noon, in
the hrshed and starry night long after that
bright young head was covered with the vio-
lets, rang that plaintive reproachful voice in
the parental ear, "You never taught me how
to die j" 49, s..s.. FANNY FERN.
A TURTLE DOVE died last week of brok-
en- heart, and aged twenty-three years. The
bird, it appears, was twice mated. His first
love died about ten years ego and, hike
many of bis own and the opposite sex of the
human species, he bethought him of another
partner. Like doves from the days Of Solo
mon, the two preserved the reputed charac-
teristics Of the tribe--emblems Of innocence
till few weeks ago, when the hen was
unfortunately killed by accident The sec
ond bereavement preyed heavily on the bird.
Lonely and desolate he pined away, refused
TO take his food, and, from the day Of his
loss, never lifted his head. Gentle reader,
Gentle reader, ibis heart was broken. .'----Ayr.
Observer.
Love is as natural to woman as fra
! GRANGE ia to n rose. You NAV lock a GIRL