The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-02-28

in many months, as she rarely frequented
scenes Of the kind, and he had not called at
Mrs. RusselPs since his return to town.
If ne was shocked at meeting her, she was
not less panied at seeing him. Not that, like
HIM, she was struck by his appearance of age,
J.. although he certainly did look many years
older, contrasted by the youthful beaux and
!, bellies by whom he was surrounded, than when
she had seen him in the domestic circle, but
she had not kept pace with him in retracing
time, and did not expect to find him looking
younger than she knew him to be- But she
was panied to see him, as she thought, acting
an undignifed part for that he had become
what is contemplate in woman and despicabe
in man, a coquette, was too evident She
saw that it was his vanity to excite the vanity
of others, and she sighed in sadness and disap-
pointment, as she had looked up to him as vel!
as liked him. His manner was hurried and
embarrassed in inquiring after his sister, for his
conscience told him that he had not returned
their hospitality as he ought, when Fanny
Hathaway, passing, said,
''Mr. Hughes, my bouquet, if you please, y
and he was at her side in moment, not to quit
it for the remainder Of the evening.
"Pon my word, Hughes, you shame the
young men in the way you carry all before you.
There's Constant looking as if he would call
you out before the evenings over,i you don t
give him a chance with that pretty little girl
/ yonder,' said one of his friends as he turned
from Fanny Hathaway, to whom he had been
talking half the evening
Hughes, flushed with an expression of graft
fed vanity as he said, following Fanny with his
eyes.
"She is pretty creature, so fresh and full
OF Life. Not fully developed yet in mind and
character, butlovelier to me for that. "a rose
with all its sweetest leaves yet folded
THAT is a good-looking fellow, that Con-
stant," resumed his friend, "and as he is eyi-
dently in earnest, which presume you are not,
| would not interfere if were you, Hughes
"And why should not be in earnest too?"
was the first quick feeling that flashed across
Hughes, much nettled at his friends quiet as
sumption Of the improbability of the thing. 1t
is true he had not given it g serious thought
before, but as he asked himself "why not?" he
almost answered Il will.' The triumph too
over the young and handsome Constant fiat
tered him more than the most brilliant successes
he had ever won in his profession. Those he
had borne like a man, but this he felt very like
Fanny with redoubled ardor
"Did you notice Fanny Hathaways Irritation
with Mr.. Hughes this evening, Emily" said
Miss Russell to her sister.
s'Notlce it? to be sure did, she replied,
''and so must every one else in the room You
remember we used to think him rather old for
aunt Sue, and now he is after Fanny. How
| absurdp'
The older the men are, the younger they
seem to think their wives must be-" replied
the other sister. EThe surplus of years on their
side must be substracted from the lady's.''
EYES," rejoined Emily, "and what's worse,
they actually succeed in getting what they
want. One would think that like wine they
improve with age
~''They are worth more, and that is the Sc
cret," continued Miss Russell. "And the
beauty Of it, too, is that they never seem to
suspect that their establishments have any thing
I to do with the business. I do verify believe
Mr.. Hughes thinks Fanny is in love with him. 2
''Perhaps she ISL said Miss Lee, who just
then entered the room. s'You know he is re-
markably agreeable p
S'NonsenseH' said her niece, "a girl don's fall
in love with her grandfather, let him talk as he
will. By the way, l think when the prayer
book forbade a mans marrying his grandmother
the same prohibition should have been extended
to grandfather. Forbidding the first was
quite unnecessary. wish could say as much
for our SEX
The weeks fled on and spring was at hand.
"Well, my love- said Mrs Hathaway to her
daughter, "and SO you have really accepted Mr..
Hughes? How happy you make me, my child,
| for feel confident of your happiness with a
man of his character and station, which could
not have done in giving you to young man
like Constant. And you are happy, satisfied
yourself my love-
Perfectly, mamma"
You really like Mr.. Hughes. Prefer him
to Constant?'
"Certainly I do" replied Fanny decidedly.
ooh, my darling, how happy am ex-
claimed the delighted mother. '.With the
same fortune and station you would choose Mr..
Hughes?'
/ Now Mrs. Hathaway had, in the excitement
of the moment pushed matters too far, for
Fanny exclaimed,
tsWith the same fortune and station! Nom,
deed, mamma. How can you think so? Frank
Constant is so handsome, and then he is young
too, said she, looking very serious.
'sHow, Fanny" said Mrs Hathaway, much
alarmed. ..sDo you like Constant? Let me un-
derstand you, my child''
eyes, mamma, like hin1-but don't care
about him., answered Fanny carelessly.
"Iou like him, but you, don't care about
him!' repeated Mrs. Hathaway, much embar
rassed by her daughters mannerof expressing
herself, for it must be owned that Faany's def
nitons were not quite as clear as her thoughts
were rapid. Mrs. Hathaway ascertained, how
ever, to her satisfaction, upon farther examina-
ton into the subject, that Fanny was IN love
with neither. She would have preferred her
younger admirer with equal advantages, but
that was all. In fact, Fanny was a girl OF al
good deal of character and no imagination.
Young as she was, she already lnewthat money
was necessary to her happiness, and good deal
of it, too, she suspected. She saw Constant
just as he was gay, handsome and agreeable,
but she did not think him worth the sacrifices
she would be called upon to make she married
him, and therefore without regret she close
his rival When Mrs. Hathaway fully ascer-