Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-06-07
RETRIBUTION.
OR,
THE COQUETTE AT FAULT.
A TALE FOR APRIL-FooL DAI.
BY H. C. PAIGE.
BY H. C. PAIGE.

YH.C. PAIGE.
At festive party, on the first day of
April eighteen hundred and forty six,
were assembled goodIy number of young
ladies and gentlemen, conspicuous among
whom shone, as the bright, particular
stars of the evening, Miss Annie Trum-
bull aad Miss Charlotte Entise; the former
beautiful lady-the latter both beautiful
and coquettish, even to fault.
1t may, with safety be said, that Miss
Entise was IAN arrant coquette,' beauti-
ful on the extreme, and he, who had been
Tilted, or sIighted by her would soon for
get his defeat and return again, to bow at
the shrine of her beauty. Between these
two ladies, there can be claimed no pre-
cedence in the point of loveliness-but the
former, when she did love, loved; but the
latter, when she pretended to love, was at
the same time practising, with full sue
cess, her heartless coquetry.
Among the principal galIants of the
evening, might be counted Mr.. James
Howland very aristocratic and, appar-
emily, wealthy gentleman, Mr.. Charles
Danvers, a respectable mechanic, and
several others, whose names it will be un-
necessary to mention.
Mr.. Danvers had been paying his at
tentions to Miss Entise for quite a year,
and he had sanguine hopes of ultimately
being united to her, but his young friends
often said to him.
Charley, what's the use of wasting
your time with that foolish girl. 1t will
all end in your being Tilted, and then for
a short rope and high tree =
But Charles was deaf to all counsel,
or entreaties, and still pursued his former
course; blinded and entranced by the
beauty of Miss E., he was really blind to
her faults.
'Mr. Danvers has engaged me to
dance,' whispered Miss Entise to her next
hand companion. 'and when he comes to
lead me on the floor, will beg to be ex-
cused, and then enjoy his defeat! AP-
R1L FOOL! how appropriate. You will
notice his countenance .....
She did SO. Mr.. Danvers came for
ward, claimed his right to her hand in
this set, on the grounds Of a previous en-
gagement, when, surprising to himself.
she begged to be excused. But on his
turning dismayed away, he was more
surprised to bear proceed from her lips
'APR1L FooL T
His cheek blanched for an instant, while
Miss E. was almost convulsed with laugh
ter; but, reader, she knew not the conse-
quences-from that moment and ever af-
ter, Danyers released all right to her
hand, and vowed never more to exchange
the least word with the naughty beauty.
Miss Entise saw at glance that Dan
vers was enraged, but she we'll knew her
power, and thought that he would again
returnto his aIlegiance---yet she was mis-
taken.
!" y - y
First of April, eighteen hundred and
forty seven.
! y y
A year subsequent TO the above men
toned incidents, similar party was as
sesnbled At the same place, andthe princi-
pal personages who assembled a year
previous, were in attendance. No recon
ciIiatiOn had taken place between Miss
Entise and Charles DanVers, but they
had held casual conversations, and Miss
Entise hoped and supposed that he had
forgotten the past.
During the evening he had pnt note
into her hand, which he told her to read
at the close of the setf, in which he had
engaged her to dance.