The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-09-30

les-Mr w estDury thinks We had better d,
So Julia replied
!" Hear that Edward |" said Mrs. Cunningham
b" You perceive that Mr. Westbury likes that hi
wife shoul enjoy the pleasures Of society"
Mr. Cunningham looked little hurt, as he said
my dear Lucy, and am not more than willing
70 indulge you in every thing that will add to your
happiness! have only been trying 10 convince
you how much more comfortable we should be by
our fireside, than in such crowd as must be en-.
countered at Mrs. Parkers For myself, the society
OF my wife is nay highest enjoyment and of her
conversation never grow weary" @. t't +.
!. "'fhank you for the compliment, dear, said Mrs
CuunnSham--and we shall settle the question at
another time" 5.' ~ 4. .aHN
One OF the first persons Julia distinguished amid
the company, rs she entered Mrs Parker's drawing
room, was Mrs. Cunningham, who gave her Il nod,
and an exulting smile, az much as to say you
see have carried tho day" Julia had endeayored
to arm herself for this evenings trial, should Miss
Eidon make one Of the company and accordingly
she was not much surprised, and not much moved
when she saw her, husband conversing with that
young lady. She was too delicate in feeling, too
refined in manner, to watch them, even long enough
to catch the expression of Mr.. Westbury's face :;
but resolutely turning her eyes another way, she
endeayored to enter into conversation with tie
persons near her. g,, A.. 49,. .....5.l... T.
Mr.. Westbury had not been in Mrs. Parkor's
drawing-room half an hour, ere Mrs Elaon con.
trived to place herself in such situation as to rem
der it impossible for him to avoid addressing her
and this point once gained, to escape from her was
impractcable. A strong sense of honor alone ID
him to wish to escape, as to be near her was TO him
the most exquisite happiness but the greater the
delight, the more eminent the danger Of this he
was sensible, and it was not without some ress.
tance that he yielded to her fascination Could
she once secure his heart; and at those moments
when she was so sure that no ear heard and no eve
observed her but his own, she let an occa ,ional
touch OF the PENsERosA mingle so naturally with
her half subdued sprghliness, as to awaken, in all
their original strength, those feelings, and those
regrets, he was striving to subdue. For ye time
he forgot every thing but that they mutually loved
and were mutually happy. They had been stand
ing together considerable length of time when
they were Joined by Mr. Cunningham, who abruptly
remarked
"You don't enjoy yourself this evening, West.
bury" '.. H.. ...:
"What makes you think so ?" Mr.. Westbury,
inquired, ~. -. -
You look worn out, just as feel" answered
Mr.. Cunningham " How strange it is" he added,
-" that married men will ever suffer themselves to
be drawn into such crowds" ~.
&" Why not married men as well as bachelors 80
asked Miss Eldon. o:....
Because they relinquish real happiness and
comfort TOR fatiguing pleasureif pleasure it can
DE called, answered Cunningham. cones own
health and ones own wife, is the place. and the
society, for unalloyed enjoyment. Am not right,
Westbury?" m ..s ,...... ..-...
Miss Eldon turned her eyes On Mr. We.tbury,
as she waited to hear his answer and an expressio
compounded Of curiosity, contempt, and satishc
ton met his eye. 1t was the first time he had
ever remarked an unlovely, and unamiable express
IIa alt,,lt lid A.
Mr.. Cunningham. ..... . ... ..~
Unqaestionably the pleasures of domestic life
are tile most pure, the mgst r,tional that ca. be
enjoyed" Ffg
90, it is strange" said Mr. Cunningham, " that
any one can willingly exchange them for rowded
rooms and pestilential vapors, such as we are now
inhaling There is nothing to be gained in such
company as this Take any dozen or half dozen
Of them by themselves, and you meht stand some
chance 10 be entertained and instructed; but bring
them all together, and each one seems TO think il
duty to give himself up to fivolity and nonsense
doubt whether there have been hundred sens
bic words uttered here tonight, except by yonder
circle, Of which Mrs. Westbury seems TO b. the
centre. There seems to be something like rational
conversation there" ....
Mr.. Westbury turned his eyes, and saw that
Julia was surrounded by the elite of the party who
all seemed to be listening with pleased ats-as on
between herself and Mr.. Eveleth, a gentleman who
was universally acknowledged as one of the first
in rank and talent in the city. For minute Mr.
Westbuy suffered his eyes TO rest on Julia. Her
cheek suffused with the beautiful carmiuc tint
Of modesty, and her eyes we're beaming with intel
lectual light; while over he features was spread
slight shade Of care, il the heart we're not per-
fectly at ease. "She certainly looks very well,"
was Mr.. Westburys thought; and his feeling wa.
ono Of gratied pride that she, who was inevitably
his wife, did not find her proper level amongst the
light, the vain, the frivolous.
You have been delightfully."- attentive to your
wife this evening, my dear" said Mrs. Cunning.
ham to her husband as soon as they were seated
in their carriage on their way home.
81 am not sensible Of having neglected you
Lucy" said Mr.. Cunningham
"No-I suppose not nor of having bscn very
attentive TO another"
IL certainly am not. To whom do you allude?"
al suppose" said Mrs. Cunningham, " that
Westbury is equally unconscious Of having had
his attention engrosscd by any particular indi-
vidual."
You surely cannot mean that | was partisu.
larly attentive to Miss Eldon, Lucy?'
90, how could l mean 40 2" said Mrs. Cunning
ham, with kind Of laugh that indicated anything
rather than pleasure, or good humor. 81 really
wonder how you came TO recollsct having seen
such person as Miss Eldon tonight"
"Your remark concerning Westbury bvought
her 10 my mind" said Mr.. Cunningham.
~ How strangel" said his wife. "And how eI-
treme that young ady's modification must have
been, that she could not detain two newly married
gentlemen near her for more than an hour and
half at one time Seriously, Mr. Cunningham, tho
company must have thought you and Westbury
were striving which should do her most honage'
"And, seriously, my dear Lucy" said Mr.. Csn.
ningham, taking the hand Of his wife, which she
reluctantly permitted him to detain--" seriously,
il was merely accidental that spoke to Miss El.
don this evening There is not person oil earth
10 whose society and conversation am more con-.
petely Indifferent; so take no offence, love- whe
none was meant. There is no one whose CONVEX
sation can compensate me for the loss Of yours
aud it is one reason why so much dislike these
crowds that, for time, they necessarily separate
US from each other .... ..
The following morning, Mrs. Cunningham called
on Mrs. Westbury who, at the moment Of her
rival. happened to be in her chamber, but she il
stantly descended to receive her visitor. Whsn
Mrs. Westbny left the parlor a short time pra-
yious, her husband was there, but he had aisaD.
peared, and she supposed he had gone out lie
was, however, in the hbriry, which adjoined tic
parlor, and the door between the two rooms v IS