The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-01-23
The Beauty.

=
/ atmy 5desk-pondering over stocks balancing
i speculations and summing up columns of giyeI
! tgures-have not been able to wither that ole
| natural spring that bubbles out of my heart al
the sight Of beauty 7~f r.
/ Ihave loeketin one of the sremotest cor
nersa of my largest secretary at athome--a cor.
ner never profaned by bills, notes or money
! A yellow packet of letters lies there, a bunch
of withered jasmine, and on top, with its face
lies the locket. This locket was once splendid
affair. The back is of blue enamel, on which
i is inlaid a golden cipher Underneath the
/ enamel lies tress Of sunny hair, not gummed
] or twisted, according TO modern fashion, int
a torturing, rigid loyeknot but loosely folded
| in the same wavy curl thatitli when it hung
/ from the head that now sleeps The Other
/ side of the locket contains miniature Dark
moist, violet eyes, rich sunny hair, heavy as
spun gold, hanging down in bewidering loops;
tender, pale cheeks, through which faint roses
peep; full quivering lips capable ofexpressing
everything silently and making the prerogative
OF speech a supelfuity, while, from within,
one catches the CLEAN of the dearest little teeth
half disclosing themselves.
Well, got the lock Of hair from her She
gave me that bunch of jasmine They are all
that are left TO remind me of her now a aizH.
This miniature has not anything whatever
to 90 with my story. | am not going to give
YOU the history of that single love passage in
my life. l have alluded to it only that you
may see that the dried up old bachelor that
old Troy as he is usually 4called-has had
his tender moment, and may be exused for
still finding his heart beat time for the har-
mony of womanly beauty. Ra55 asst
When Constance BREWER .'can1e out,' at a
great ball given at her own house for the ocs
cason, I do believe that / was very near max
ing an old fool of myself. and falling head and
ears in love with her. She was Just sixteen
and ravisIingy beautiful. l will not attempt
to describe her. You must imagine the
smallest feet, the sweetest eyes, the most deli
cate hands, the lthest figure, the brightest
hair, the merliest laugh, and call your imagi
nation Constance Brewer. 5z SsSt1I2+ A7a#
When Constance Brewer 'tcame out,' New
York felt it to be an event. Her father, who
was her only surviving parent, was banker Of
enormous reputed wealth. His house was a
palace. His equipages were numerous and
unexceptionable, and his only daugter surpass-
ingly lovely. Y You may be sure that many a
young man, as he made his toilet that evening
had wild dreams Of carving off that splendid
prize.
l wentrather early to the house, and arrived
there before any of the guests. found Con-
stance in the large drawing room walking up
and down before a long mirror, and admiring
herself undsguisedly. .s,z.. ..., .,. .. ......~,
ooh! Mr.. Troy said she, bounding towards
me as [ entered, chow do you like my dress?
Is MT it very pretty?7 Madame Larami says
that she never made one like it before.'' SD ''.'
Il think it is charming, my dear Miss Con-
stance,'' | answered, ''bnt suspect that you
lend as much charm to the dress as it lends to
you' l-'''1% s'@@ - | ,st@ S@' 5".=l "7' s*t'
ooh, get away, you shocking old creature!
You think because | am Just coming out, you
can quiz me as much as you please. But l
am not so inexperienced as you think. I have
received a love-letter," she added, in an i'm
.Indeed Who from? One of the Young
gentlemen at Mr.. Besom's school?'' -.
'''No; nothing Of the sort!'' she cried sharp
ly, flushed up with indignation at such sus-
piclon. alt was from well, never you mind
who It was from; buthesis SO handsome! Oh!
and the letter is beautifully written re.zsa 81
when did you get this letter. I inquired
gravely; for it seemed to me rather a dan
gerous sort of thing for this young creature to
be commencing SO early with affairs de cteur. il
"Oh,3 about a year ago. when l was at
Madame Cancan's school. He shot itsup on
the roof of the house with an arrow, and ran
up and got it, It was so romantic! You
can't think how the other girls envied me''
Il we not the slightest doubt of it. What
did you learn atMadame Cancan's, Constance,
besides love-letters?" -- zr.t .. .e,....-
"Well, she answered, musingly, and court
ing her fingers, Il learned French and music,
and the use of the globes, and all of the fash
ionable 5dances.3z Besides, you know, they say
that Madame Cancan's young ladies know
how to enter room better that those of any
other school"
al am delighted to hear such favorable
account of Madame Cancan's establishment" :"
| said somewhat bitterly, as / turned at theE
sound of Browns whistle outside, to see who
the arrival was. ...
Constance, as the young man passed on his
way to the dressing room. :. Croton! Crotonn'
she cried, running into the hall, Il m not en-
gagged for the German. Do ask me before the
others comen' @7T"sS9 @F#t *9a I
-SCer'ainiy, feplled MI. Croton Poole, dot- 4
ng his Glbus hat with composed smile. teon-
'ider yourself engaged to me for the Ger
man.
II can give you the third waltz too, If you
Ike" she continued with an attempt to be +
careless which was entirely anullifed by the
5lrlish anxiety of her tone. sas:am g.ggsrs g-saE
. 1''The third watz?' repeated Mr. Poole re-
lectively. Let me see---yes; | think am.
lisengaged for the third waltz. Shall have.
he honor-9'' s.ta 0'#G @g's|5 ITS s@G e#@ 81
Certainly cried Constance delightedly,
*Croton, how do you like my Dress 'fssfzE "a f.
Mr., Croton Poole turned lazly round on the
tairs, which he was just ascending; glanced
alm1y over the fairy like figure chat stood be-
ow, waiting SO anxously for his fat: Eae
5'fToo many roses!'' he said, and leisurely 1
Ialked up stairs, leaving poor Constance Ut
erly petrifed by this sudden blow. ~ .o.. -...s.
cts only bis fun" she said to me, half
while the tears stood. in her
yes. ..'You can't think how funny Croton is
hen he likes aa#7f s5Eaa &# g3@ ,TsEiz aE fse
| thought, as we went into the room together
gain, that master Croton was in all probabli- /
7 the dashino yOuno archer against whose g