The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-07-22

only hearing the music Of Beethoven, and
Mozart, aud Mcndclssohn, wa. not aware
that noise was substituted for power, and that
execution had banished expression. Dear
me why the piano is vibrating at this mo-
ment' Poor thing! How long does piano
last you, Miss Montford:"
Isabel was losing her temper, when fortu-
nately her aunt-stiIl Miss Vcre-camc to
the rescue. The lovers of thirty years past
would have met any where else as strangers.
The once rounded and queen-likc form of the
elder Isabel was shorn Of its grace and beau
ty; OF all her attributes, of all her attractions,
dignity only remained; and it was that high
bred, innate dignity which can never be ac-
quircd, and is never forgotten. She had not
lost the eighth Of an inch Of height, and her
gray hair was braided in full folds over her
fair but wrinklcd brow. Isabel Montford
, looked so exactly what Isabel We're had been
That ''eneral Gordon was sorcly perplexed :.
( Isabel We're, if truth must be told, had taken
extra pains with her dress; her niece had
met the general the night before, and her
likeness to her aunt had so recalled the past
that his promised visit to his old sweetheart
(as lie still called hcr) had fluttcrcd and az
''ated her more than She thought it possible
an interview with any man could do; she
Inarrc!led with her beautiful gray hair, she
cast oil her black velvet dress di>dainfully,
and put on blue -Moire antique. (She re-
'ncmtcrcd how much the cap,ain-no, the
GENERAL, once admired bluc) She was
not a coquctte; even gray hair at fifiv-fivc
does not cure coquctry where it has existed
IN all ITS strength but, for the sake Of her
dear niccc, she wished to look as well as pos
sibe. She wondered why she had so Often,
refused poor Gordon" She had been all
her life OF too delicate mind to be husband
hunter, too we'll satisfied with her position to
calculate how it could be improved, and vet
she did not hesitate to confess to herself tha,
now, IN the commencement Of old age. how.
ever verdant it might bc. she would have
been happier, of more consequence. Of NOR.
value, as a married woman. She had toe
much good sense. and good taste, TO belong I,
the class of discontcn;cd females. consis,in.
OF husbandicss and childlcss women, who
seek to establish laws at war with the law.
OF the Almighty: so, if her heart did beat ,
little stifly. and sundry passages passed thro
her brain in connexion with her old adorcr
and what the future might bc-she NAV b,
forgiven, and will be BY those not strong
minded women who understand enough OF
the waywardncSs Of human nature to know
that. If yo"ng heads and old hearts are some
times found together, SO are Young heart
and old heads. The Young laugh to scorr
the idea of Cupid and a crut:h. but Curit
has strange va:arics. and at anv moment { a,
barb his crutch with the point of an arrow.
The old people" as Isabel Montfcrd ir
rcvcrenty called them that evening. did II,
get on we'll together: they were in a srca
degree disappointed one with the other
They stoo! up to dance the "minu,t al. I,
cou," and Isabel We're lansuishcd and swan
a> She had never done before but the ccne
raj only wondered how still she had grown
and hoped that he was not as i'll used bv tim
AS Mistress Isabel We're had been. At first
Isabel Montford thought i, good fun to Sc
the antiquities bowling and curtscyin.. Lu
she become Interested in the lingcrin: cour,
Illness of the little scene, tremblcd lest he
aunt should appear ridiculous, and then wo,
dcrcl how she could have refused such ma
as General Gordon must have been.
Days aud weeks flew fast: the general b,
came a constant visitor in the square, and II,
heart of Isabel Ncre had never beaten .
loudly at twenty as II did at fifty -and-five
nothing, she thought, could bc more natur.
than that the general should recall the ,la,
ui his youth, and seek the friendship ali
companion>hip OF her who had never marie,
. while hc-falhlcss man had been gull,
OF TWO wives during his services in India
. 1t was impossible to tell which OF the ladl,
I.c treated with the most attention. Isab,
/, Monttord took an especial delight in torncn
ing him, and hc was cynical enough towar,
/, her at times. Although he frankly abuse
/, her pano-fortc playing, vet he evidently pr,
, icrrcd it to the music Miss We're practiscd .
!, indciati sably to please HIM, or to the son.
she sung, in voice which. from high ">,
phrano," had been crushed 10y time into VIII
:, mi.h, tc considered very singular ..lrzzo
lie somehow forgot how TO find fault wit
, Miss Montford's dancing, aud more than one
! became her partner III a quadrillc. 1t WI
evident, that while the general was grown,
, Young Miss We're rcmain,d-"as she was
lsatcl Montford amused herself at his cxpcII.
p but he did not-Iuick-sightcd and man th'
world though hc was-pcrccivc it. AT fir
nc was remarkably tond Of recalling and da
ing events, and dwelling upon the grace, al,
beauty, and interest, and ad, an'ase, Of wha
A ever was past and gone-much to the Occ;
y sional pam Of Isabel We're, who, gcntic-hcar
a ed as she was, would have consigned du,.s
: the bo,tomlcss pit; lattcrly, however, i
talked good deal more of the present tba
4 o, the past, and greatly to the annoyance Q
the Younger men, fell into the duties Of escO