Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-02-06
THE MERCHANT,S ENTRY ;
a Tale of New Orleans.


Robert Carson was descended from one
Of the old but impoverished families ol
Virginia, who had formerly ranked among
its opulent tobacco planters. Early in life
he emigrated to New Orleans, then the
Peru of the South, in the hope of making
or bettering his fortune. and whether ac-
cidentaIy or by intention, took decided
step toward achieving his object by mar
rying the youthful heircss of respecta.
bl y circumstanced Creole family. Great
was the surprise of every one when told
that Constance de la Croix was about to
marry the gallant young Virginian. as she
had been looked upon as the alliance bride
of her fathers friend and partner, Mr..
Barnett. The handsome Virginian car
ried the day. winning the fair Creole,
who, shortly after their marriage accom-.
panied him TO his family homo in Rich.
mcud. where the only blossom that had
gladdened their hearth was born, and 10
whom he gave the name Of his native
State.
The little Virginia, unlike her dark .ey-
ed raven .trcssed mother, had the golden
hair, violet blue eyes. and fair complex.
ion Of her father. and like his, the fine
cut mouth, on whose firm curve decision
of purpose was more legibly stamped than
on the more delicately harmonious fea-
lures Of her beautiful mother, whose large
dreamy eyes of oriental languor, iudica-
ted refinement of temperament more than
energy. And well it was for the fair tro-
phical blossom that hers was strength
Of character equal to reverses, for they
soon loomed up thick and dark in her
young life's horizon.
Robert Carson had embarked success
fully in mercantile speculations, entering
into partnership with an extensive cotton
broken, Henry Vincent but tile fall Of
prices in the cotton market, during few
successive years. added to the dishonesty
OF his partner, brought him 10 bankruptcy.
His fair and fragile wife. unit to bear
up under reverses; was soon prostrated
ted by the rude blast, beneath which she
bent her fair head unresisting like storm
stricken Hover, leaving Virginia to cope
with life and its ills alone.
Alone, for mortified pride, added to a
hope 10 retrieve his losses, determined
Mr.. Carson on removing to Rio Janerio,
remaining no longer in New Orleans, af-
ter the death of his wife than served to
place Virginia with distant relative of
her mother. when he betook him to the
promised El Dorado of South America
During all Ghc anxious forebodings that
Tell heavily on her young heart. Virginia
had ever one constant unchanging friend,
in the young Harry Vincent, the son of
fAfhRr'C orfn
Like most Of the native sons Of Louisi-
ana. slight and graceful, tall and symme-
trlcally formed, his 6ne massive brow was
ehaded with wavy raven, hair, his olive
hued, handsome Intelligent face was lit
with dark. flashing eyes. beneath which
was lined a duSky semi circle, which to
the experienced would denote a slight
tinge of his Indian ancestry, through
whom, three generations back, his family
had acquired the wealth since squander-
ed in the speculations Of his father. Mr..
Carson's fraudulent absconding partner.
Though Harry Vincent's features were
we'll cut and regular, still the dusky olive
OF his complexion much more closely re-
sembled his dark yet handsome ances-
tors than did his father for strange as
1t may appear to those not experienced in
this Physiological fact, it is nevertheless
well-attested one, that where all resem-
blaace has been merged and lost sight Of
in intermarriage with European nations,
some distinctive trait either in color OF
feature. will again after two or three ge,
nerations have passed. unmarked by eli,
ther characteristic. reappear. denoting il
may be. almost imperceptibly yet surely
to the experienced observer, the amalga'
nation between the distinctive races.
From her father. who had shown q
marked preference for the young Vincent
Virginia had never heard word of eau
ton with regard to her intercourse viii
Harry, who. from his earliest boyhood
had >heen a constant n1avnnata az hars,