The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-02

Inc Germnn sentimentalism, which lives {
byronic softness, and dies in its teens, I d
nounce. Good night
Shrewd, worldly Mrs. Colburn, and boo
honest, matter-offact Juliet. Left alone. al
looked up to the stars, and out on the wi,
sea all very beautiful, yet owing much for j
appreciation to the strains of music whit
sweiled out where dancers shook the midnigl
hours down. Juliet turned over in wonder az
oismay the words her aunt, half in lest. vii
much desigo, last uttered. The old romance
ABOUT enchanted maidens, huge giants, al
gallant knights, had in them more truth tia
is supposed
Where is the beautiful maiden who has n,
found herself enchanted, turning among n
tangled paths of life, in great despair. unit
the gallant knight Stays the giant Doubt, an
hberates his mistress.
Part ~.
a few evenings subsequent to our heroine
lamentations over the depravity of fashionabl
HE at summer resort, she graced the bal
room with her presence, and, richly dressed
appeared q queen, framed in by admiration
victor O'Halloran was witty, almost graceful
ana opPressively attentive. Lieutenant War
dour, followed by the prim Captain, swelIed tn
tram and our set, compact as an army, wea
ried each with detached chat, while the must
hlied up the pauses left by ennuied small talk
suddenly bit of excitement, like breeze
stirred, and swept over this dead sea of conyen
tionalism. "Who is she Pr ran from mouth I,
mouth, while "divine," ian angel" and othe
like extravagant terms, followed as echoes
Well might the throng be excited into feeling
OF admiration and expressions of delight; fo
a more perfect specimen of female loyelines
never before adorned itself with warm, luxuri
Gus life. My pen cannot record what nv mem
DRY so faithfully keeps. 1t will not do to tel
of the clear, rich complexion; the hair cluster
lug In curls or falling on the neck like tendrils
or OF the deep, full eyes; or the finely moulded
form-these are commonplace, and fail to i'm
part my impression of that magnificent crea
ture who seemed to give tone to the music
light to the chandeliers, and loneliness to al
things, as she swept into the ballroom.
All were struck at once with the peculiarly
of the dress she wore. The neck and shout
ders were left bare, to dazzle; the arms-that
arm, once seen, never to be forgotten-the lost
arm of the Venus de Medicis, warm and soft
in hfe-these kept the round shoulders com.
pany; while the dress, instead of sweeping the
floor IN train, was short-exceedingly so, il
one remembered the fashion-scarcely cover.
ing the feet. There was exquisite art in the
departure. The feet were in keeping with the
figure perfect to the last extent-and thew
peeped out to ones wonder, cased in delicate
white silk CATERS, which seemed to have their
origin in the delicate foldings of some noun
tain flower. Rather above the medium height,
she looked like what O'Halloran called, can.
tain. She leaned upon the arm of a gentle.
man, whose appearance at once said, brother.
Juliet had dim recollection of having seen
his face before, when the doubt was dispelled
by O'Halloran' 8 exclaiming, "By Jove, that's
the man whose dog we killed."
Almost Immediately after the entrance of the
newcomers, they were engaged in the dance
These dances, some time since, would have
astonlshed our grandmother poor old lady
she is dead land even now some puritanical
folks assert they are scarcely fit for the stage
The truth is, they are not but fashion throws
her thin mantle over the folly, and therefore it
is delightful. Well, be it so. If all could en-
trance one as the beautiful stranger did the
VIC II1Igrs
and all. The first movements were slow and
graceful, full of languor, as if the young life
were indolently floating into the current of per-
feet existence, while the deep strains seemed
swelling out over flowers, waving fields, and
dense outrageous groves, all warm and sunny.
The strain quickens anew, and keener essence
colors the young life. She turns her large dark
eyes upon her partner, 1.-THE brother,) and an
expression of wonder makes them yet more
beautiful. She flies not quickly, but with indif
ference; he pursues, and the music seems tell
ing what his eyes fail not to express. The
flight is swifter-no fawn pursued flies more
eagerly or gracefully. The music changes
sadder, more impressive-and she seems listen
ing in doubt-in pity. Slowly the flight ceases;
he gently takes her hands, and together they
return, and the air changes again now to quick,
merry peals and, as if telling the story over, he
flies, and she merrily pursues-follows merrily
for while-but the lover does not return.
The Joy ceases. Wonder, then anxiety, is there,
as she vainly endeavors to catch his eye. Sud
denly he turns and clasps her in his arms, and
the music and dance cease.
This little ballet has been repeated again and
again, in bathrooms and at home, the world
over, since it first delighted the gay Parisians /;
but perhaps, it was never so exquisitely told as
on this night. Each movement was soft and
exquisite each change seemed to bring new
being, full of poetry and music, modesty and
entranced all eyes was ended, and again the
The music has gone up to the stars; the
wearied world of fashion is hushed in sleep, if
not in rest for to the bed comes gaunt-eyed
Business, if nowhere else, and, with hands full
of notes now due, or the ghost of those protest
ed, bills unpaid, and shakes at the murderer of
Credit, the long empty purses, as Banquo shook
his blood-stained locks so that the bed, the once
delicious bed, has no repose. But am alone
in the hushed house, and while the waves cease
lessly beat upon the shore, will trim my lamp,
and write the strange story of Albert and Mar
garet Pinckney.
Some ten miles north of the city of -,
upon an eminence overlooking on every side a
forest, dense and beautiful as when the white
mans axe first woke its solemn echoes, is a
large stone mansion. 1t was once the residence
of Walter 81. Pinckney, an opulent banker, who
there, after q life of labor, la which the best
things persisted over the desks dead wood, re-
tired, widower, with two children. At the
time he made this notable change in his mode
of life, Albert, his son, twelve years of age,
and Margaret some FIVE years younger. Mr..
Pinckney sent Albert to boarding school, from
thence to college. Margaret he determined to
educate himself.
Mr.. Pinckney gratifed no taste when he re-
tired from business, and made Forest Hill his
residence. Losing money in two or three un-
important speculations, the impression suddenly
seized him that he was dulling in age, scarcely
forty-fve, his heretofore keen faculties. He
abruptly closed bank where, for twenty years,
he had daily been regular visiter. What next
to do? was the question:; and retirement to the
country suggested itsel-not that he had any
inclination for quiet in solitude-but business
mended this, and he was business man. Stone
from the quarry hardens on exposure-and the
banker, taken from the protection of old associ
atoms, hardened yet more. Brooding alone
over life's ills-for he, too, had his losses -
the last chink through which the light of Heaven
stolo into his heart closed nm