True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-03-01
STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, THURSDAY MARCH l, 1856.


that so gentle spirit as his appeared to
be, would at last be led into the paths of
peace.
Insensibly, I began watching the gay
surrounding groups Of revelers, believing
at least so far with my friend, as to con-
clude it useless to harrow my soul with
images Of what might not occur after all,
as he had said.
There was, among our many fair passen-
gers, one who had, from the first, interes-
ted me deeply. She was from Florida,
that lovely land of flowers, and the warm
tint of its glowing suns had been left upon
her rosate cheek, aud amid the rich mas
ses of her waving hair. She had been at
boarding school in New York, to receive
the "fnish' of her education, and after
visiting the Northern Lakes, was returning
home under the protection of her brother.
Our acquaintance had progressed quite
rapidly, for my own sad spirit rejoiced to
gather light from the constant joyousness
reigning upon her broad, open brow, and
swelling up forever from the depths of her
bright blue eyes.
She was dancing, at the time, with a
distinguished looking young man, whose
becoming uniform, had l not previously
known the fact, would have announced his
destination to be the standard of his coun-
try, which was floating over the frontiers
of Mexico, bcgirt by myriad foes.
The eye Of the most superficial observer
would have singled them out as the super
latiye pair among all the graceful votaries
of Terpsichore, by whom they were sur
rounded; and I thought to myself that
surely there had never existed more COM
plete yet harmonious contrast Of physical
perfection.
Milman was tall, shaft-like as an Indian
chief, and almost as dark, with masses of
midnight curls, clustering over his olive
temples, and lending even deeper hue of
darkness to the large, shadowy eyes be-
meath; while the manly grace with which
he moved through the measure had evi-
IDENTIFY been attuned to the martial roll of
the "soul-stirring drum," and the shrill
pipings of the "ear-piercing tife." My
little Alice was a very fairy, light and airy
as sunbeam. Her height was very near
| ly five feet, three inches above mediocrity,
but her proportions were SO perfectly SYM
metric, that she seemed considerably lower.
She appeared to have had the most accom-
plished instructors in dancing, but to have
possessed genius which scorncd and rose
above the rigid geometric rules of art
Nature, alone, breathed through every
= movement.
Like the waving of boughs stepped the grace.
full and free,
Like the bending Of flowers above the blue sea
She was dressed with extreme simplici
} ty, yet in the perfection of taste. A close
. habit of dark gray cloth, fitted high in tht
S neck, displayed to the best advantage hel
f beautifully turned bust and falling shoul
t ders. A tiny ruAle of futed cambric ros'
e around her delicate throat, bound by ;
S band of black velvet, in which glittered
| small but handsome diamond pin. Simila
S bands and ruflleS confined her wrists ant
c shaded her exquisitely shaped hands. l
: was her usual travelling costume, but
Q thought, as she moved these with her ricl
e masses of chestnut hair, carclessly gather
t ed back with simple comb of twisted
:, shell, few rebellious ringlets foatin|
down her temples here and there, as if t.
t revel in the free sunshine of her spirit
S that the most recherche costume de bal Q
l. rich brocadcS and gorgeous pearls coul
C not have added single ray of light to tn
y lovely picture.
Occasionally, as she lifted her smilin
h features to those of her companion, | coul
discern rushing across her mirror-like brow
= and yelling the stream of sunshine hoatin
e up from her lucid eyes, a fitting shado
l. which | had not before observed upon he
D counteuance-a deep, dream-like infectio
of thought, soft and fecting as the m,
le mentary gloom cast upon the white wal
,e of sun-lighted chamber by the pinions
1t passing bird, 1t was not apprehension
rs she, like the rest who led the gay sedu
tive dance, heard not the strife Of clemen
r without, but, quafing in rich bursts
" golden music, forgot that there was wOr
he beyond our cabin halls,
O. Milman and herself, had, until within
70 few days rost, been ignorant even Of Il