Squatter sovereign., 1857-11-14

9 Passing orer the grief OF Violet, a:
finding herself about 10 be separated from
the only friend she had on earth, we find
her at the hour appointed. waiting the
messenger of Mrs. BaIlantyne.
As her eye caughtshe figure reflected
in the old cracked looking glass. it was no
wonder she started with surprise. A neat
white eambric. in he place of the faded.
coarse calico, she had previously worn a
blue scarf yelied her bosom. and liule
gipsy hat. tied under her dimpled chin
| with blue ribbons, shaded her youthful.
modest face. Thus attired. poor Violet
futtering. trembling, like timid bird.
shrank from offered freedom.
Mrs. Ballantyas was a gay and hand
some widow Her fortieih birthday had
already passed. but so lightly had time
marked these niisslones &c. the grave, Gas
ssosfsesoae la > called fnesa. that TO ali ap-
| pearance. she was as youthful as at FIVE
and twenty. Her complexion, perhaps.
had suffered but the brightness Of her fine
black eye was undilnned Ler raven tres
ses. still unsilvered, rested in rich glossy
| folds upon her lofty brow her mouth was
slnali-teeth superb and her figure retained
all its Youthful elasticity and grace. Left
widow at an early age. Mrs. Rallan-
tyne for several years, secluded herself
entirely from the gay world. All her
though,s-ali her fections-coniered in
her only c!.ild. a lovely boy. Report had
said the married life of Mrs. Ballantyne
had been far from happy: but. if so, she
certainly evinced all the grief of the most
atfeciionate wife. for, even, after her son
was cid enough to be placed at school. she
+, still persisted in her seclusion, seeing none
but her most intimate friends, and only
| relieving the monotony of her existence
by daily habituating herself to the exer-
else of walking. in which however. she as
constantly refused all participants. These
solitary walks. so regular, and in all wea-
thers, at last gave rise to many ill-natured
and unfelIng remarks, tending in the end
to sui.y the pure fame of the young wild.
ow Blu, even while the world whispered
and wondered, Mrs. Bal.antyne suddenly
gave a new impetus TO their tongues and
conjectural organs, by as suddenly renoun-
cling her former manner of life. and cast
ing aside her mourning weeds, stepped
forth from her darksned chamber a radi-
ant. beautiful woman-gay enchanting
spirttueite
With taste as novel as it was exquis-
ite, she furnished her splendid mansion
the elegance of her equipage was the top
ic of the day; while balls, suppers, and
parties, followed each other in rapid sEc-
cession.
II ,cas now The dashing MRS. BaHan.
fgne
Her saloan was ,hronged with-.l-.ss,.StE 1t
ized the fine arts. befriended the unfortu-
nate, and gave literally 10 every charita-
BILE purpose.
The same mystery to be sure, still at
,ached itself TO her private affairs; cer-
tain hours of every day she was invisible !;
but note the world deemed it only an ex-
centricity, and as such it passed. Nor
was she without admirers. Statesmen
and heroes would gladly have laid their
laurels at her feet. and many youthful
lover wcrshipp.d at her shrine; but ma
ternal love shielded her heart from other
lies. Ueder all the apparent frivolity of
her character, there was much, very much
that was truly excellent and noble. Her
son was never forgotten-he was still the
idol of her fondest :hopes and affection
With talents of high order brought into
development by judicious instruction, Eu-
gene Bailantyne, at the age of seventeen.
had nearly completed his collegiate course
and had already evinced a strong desire
TO enter the ministry. His health. how
ever, havin. suffered from close apElica-
ton to study, it was deemed advisable for
tl,, tn Ho
came TO any definite determination.
Such then was the person who was to
receive the humble protege o. the Rag
gatherer. What a transition from the
wretvhed dwelling of the latter, to the
luxuriant abode of wealth and fashion !,
where the very air seemed oppressed with
its own fragrance! Yet The mind of Vio-
lei, appeared fitted for this refined sphere
so strangely had old Nelly even in all
her obscuIisy and poverty cultivated this
lovely f1wer. She was like the swee.
lilly of the vale opening its delicate petals
in the dark wild, yet when ,ranspla nted
to the conservatory of rare and cholceex-
otics, then only appearing TO have found
us proper sphere!
1t was the afternoon upon which Violet
| had taken last farewell of her child
hoods home, with what sorrow has been
shown, that Mrs. Ballantyne, seated in
her private apartment. waited the arrival
of her protege. Il was the month Of Jane
and il would seem Flora herself had show.
cred this little retreat of the widow with
her most beautiful offerings. Vases of the
most tasteful designs were scattered around
/ filled with choice roses-wTeaths of fresh
/ flowers were suspended over the mirror,
and the transparent window curtains were
Iooped with the same. The -four wa:
covered with an India mating, and in the
centre Of the room saosd small Egyptian
table bearing an uFn. also OF antique model
ia which the Fasest exotics united theil
| fragrance with the less brilliant flowers oI
our Cline. Upon this table were choice
prints = rare rnedailions ~ etchings. and
/ the walls were also decorated with gem: