Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-13

going to bSfplendfAy dressed, and it t
would appesFSodd not to do as others. / @
do hope it-Yon't rain, as / should hate to t
spoil my hat; remember it is the day af- {
ter Tomorrow ; the carriage will call for US {
at ten ia the morning /; we are to take our s
dinner In the woods at Berkly, and then
returnto MIR. Seaford's dancing is to com
mence about fve."
The picnic and dance passed over, as
such things generally do, when a number
OF goodnatured people assemble together
with the view of enjoying themselves /; and
to do the young ladies of Hastings Justice,
they were neither ill-natured nor difficult
to bepleased. No gay bonnets having been
spoiled everything went off very harmoni-
Z ously, and fhe ladies were in raptures with
those delightful officers" whose impar-
tial and polite sttentions to all left no room
: for h~eart-bnrnings or jealousies.
The young people, gathered round the
break-fast-table at Mr.. Seaford's the next
day, were a Joyous group. The proceed
ings of the last evening were being canvass
cd, when Annie Seaford, a merry girl of
fifteen, exclaimed.
II "Now l want you all to tell me who was
the belle yesterday. Each gentleman viii
of course be guided by hisown t%aste,' and
turning to her cousin, she added, 81 shall
begin with YOU"
"Rather a serious matter to &scide Oh
replied the lieutenant, trying to assume a
demure countenance, "and one which re-
quires great deliberation but as ! am the
junior Of the party you nus permit meGo
yield the precedence to my seniors"
The other gentlemen laughingly bowed
their acknowledgements, when Mr.. Seaford,
looking up from his newspaper, exclaimed,
81 protest against such inquisitorial pro-
ceedings, Annie Hastings has always
been celebrated for the beauty of the fair
portion of its inhabitants, and really hardly
know where you will meet with a hand
somer set of girls than those who graced
the lawn last night, and goodnatured girl'
too"
al dare say they are, sir" replied hi
nephew, " but with all your preposessionS
in their favor, you must acknowledge tina
they displayed very little refinement o
taste only to think of silks, satins, tissue
and plume5 at a country picnic The
must have ransacked all the storeE in tow
' for their fnery. There was but one we.
= dressed girl amongst them-I forget he
! name-but she had blue eyes and golde
hair; it was quite refreshing to look at her.
{ ooh you mean dear, sweet, Mary Nc
: %reton," cried Annie, " how | do love her
!; | wish she was my sister-or my cousin,
= she added, looking archly at the l~ieutenan
!. who blushed in spite of himself, as the ey'
Of all present were turned toward him.
- Annie mentally resolved that it should n,
9 be her fault, if her two f~avorites did n
= become better acquainted whether or n
she succeeded in the plans which she bega
p" to form, time will unveil.
"And SO Mary Moreton is really goil
y, to be married, and to an officer too-wl
would have thought it p says Ellen Thew
=. to her sister Julia; :" [ always fancied b
settled down in a snug little parsonage a.
i"' ministers wife,"
"Why, you don't fancy" said Jul
~ looking up from her sewing, "that y
Bevan admired herr" Mr.. Began wa.
lS young clergyman who had recently tx
= charge of the, parish. 81 know shell
rm been very useful among the po6r, bkt
presume herplace can ~besupplied." On
iso Julia had lately taken to visiting the 81,
y and was establishing a Dorcas Society,"
"No," said Ellen, 81 hardly think
~ = Mary had such a quiet, unostentatious v
of doing good;' and, as she gave a glaI
at a heap of flannel and calico which
my before her sister, she added, "she ne
paraded her charity"
40 off Lieutenant Hawthorne had cho:
ia Laura" said Julia, 81 should not b;
been surprised; she is by farthe handsC
you er of the two"
L.. ooh! yes" said Ellen, "everyb'
nIs knows that Laura is oodlooking--but s
sible men wantsensible wives-women t
20 think of something more than silks {
" satins. Annie told me that her cousin
~ in love with Mary at the picnic. So
" see we wore ourine dresses to little purpo
U and now [ suppose all the girls will
nI wearing close cottage bonnets and Qua.
Seu color gowns. Heigh-ho | wonder,
,uI aunt Rachel would say, if this will tie
the bellies of Hastings, that elegance,
simplicity of dress and manner, are
more captivating than an ostentatious
&c play Of fnery."
~