The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-09-16

very much provoked the saucy beauty af
terward, who declared that talking sense
was the most studio occupation in the
world, and James Ellis the most hopeless
! ly sensible man in existence.-Now he
sat close by her, though she had not seen
him when she came. Suddenly looking
up for some one to speak to, her eyes met
his. Not stopping to wonder how long
he had been observing her, she spoke to
him, because he was nearest to her.
Look at Annie Morton. - Isn't she
lovelys Don't you see her, there, dancing
with brother Willie!"
| "Yes; see."
! "Well, how provoking; you are look
ing straight ut her, and don't even smile.
Perhaps you think people oughn't to be
/ pretty ?"-There was no withstanding the
half pouting, half appealing and altogeth
or witching air, of the beautiful question
or. The grave eyes softened, and an un-
mistakable smilo gathered around the
mouth, that some said smiled so rarely.
/ "Oh, no, Miss Phillips; | would not
call it q positive misdemeanor to be pref
ty; not n serious one, certainly, if one
can't help it > and the smile pointed the
/ compliment which the words hardly inn
piled. "Ah. YOU are not sincere; you
call it misfortune rather than a fault"
"Well, perhaps So" 'but," and his
face darkened as he turned it again on
the fair girl, whose light figure floated
past them. "But | was not thinking,
then, Of Miss Morton's beauty so much as
her destiny, Of the change that few
years might bring to her." ''Cbange,
ofcourse, we all expect changes. There's
nothing 50 dreadful in that" "Not in
that merely but Miss Phillips, i'll proph-
esy Alright, there is more than one young
girl before US whose fate will grow dark
with changes which even You would shud-
der to contemplate. No woman who
loves, holds her fate in her own keeping;
and on them lies the strong necessity of
loving"-all at least whom flattery aud
self-love have not rendered heartless.'
There was the slightest possible empha-
sis on the last word that he might have
repented had he looked up to witness its
effect in the sudden flash ofthe dark eyes
and the naughty curl of the beautiful lip.
He did not look, but went on. ..And |
! have been seeking in the crowd for faces
that bore the stamp of Inanhood-for
men who seemed the fit guardians of
| these young hearts; which they will be
suro to win, whether they can wear item
worthily or not. And look cspec ally
for lips that l know to be unpolluted BY
the wine cup. find them very few"
VERY few! Indeed, Mr.. Ellis YOU
must be unfortunate in your acquaintan-
| ces." sF
Something in the voice or words made
him turn to look in her face, but the flush
was past now. He could read nothing
! in it but the simplest unconccrn In her
lightest tone she asked, ..And pray, Mr..
Ellis, what has all this to do with Annie {?
think she was the text to our sermon,
was she not 2" Somewhat coldly he re-
piled, "Only that she is no safer than the
rest - ..--
mo safer Do you know that she is
engaged to my cousin, Charles Dormerr
"Yes, know it"
SWELL" Had he looked now he would
have seen the brown head bent; the sweet
face swept of every trace of scorn or an
GER changing and flushing only with pain
full interest. In voice in which fear
and eagerness strove with, and almost
overcamc the pretty feigneJ impatience,
she repeated.
-fIH I'll -x,,lof Il, ,.a,, ,,,oo,, %
81 only mean"--- he stopped, and
her eyes followed the direction Of his soon
enough to catch glimpse Of Charles Dor
mer just leaving the hall, in company with
some half dozen young men, two or three
of whom were well known to Louise. 81
only mean," Mr.. Ellis went on, "that l
know better than Miss Anna does whittier
he has gone ] know that the bar-room
down below has been the ruin Of other
young mel, as promising as Charles Dor
mer, aye, and of those, too, who held the
hearts of MS lovely girls as Annie Morton.
They have tempted him, and he will find
it hard to resist. He will drink bnt ono
glass, it may be, to-night.--But no man
who ever does that is safe! But my SER
mon has been too long for a ballroom, al
ready ] am promised to my sister for
this dance;'' and he left her. m
Once her lips parted to recall him for
another word, another question. There
was that in his earnest words that carried
conviction in them,a and she felt their
truth, and would have said more; but no,
he thought her "heartless.7 She would
not undeceive him, and tossing back the
curls from her cheek, she stood up to greet
her companions, with a bright smile and
gay response to their raillery about her
solemn admircr.
A brief trial Of skill in aiming and par
rHing shafts, ended as usual in the victory
of the gay beauty, acknowledged by the
laughing applause of the little circle
Graciously declining halt dozen petition
ers for..her hand in the next dance, with a
look she brought her brother to her side.
laid her hand within his arm, and dexter
ously clearing herself from the merry clus-
ter, the two made their way through
the crowd. James Ellis had caught the
sound Of the light laughter across the hall,
and with something on his brow that
seemed almost like pain, but might have