Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-06-02


glided in, in her elegant attire, with her soft, /
yet brilliant beauty, her captivating manner, !
her keen, delicate, light-fashing wit. and /
placed herself in bewildering, dazzling con-
trast to her fair, simple, unwordly, and yet
noble cousin Emily. 1t was not the first
time Edward had seen her; but he had never
viewed her so nearly, never spoken to her
before this evening. Helena took care that
his earliest impression of her should be only
an agreeable one
She was peerless in her lovliness, her grace,
her mental gifts; she would have adorned
royal court. Edward was scholar and
gentleman, cultivated and refined, and pas
sionate admirer of beauty. 1t would have
been marvel if one like him had resisted
her entertainments, for she was the very spirit
| of beauty.
''How incomparably lovely" was his men
tai exclamation as she sat him, gayly
and carelessly chatting with her uncle and
Emily. and now and then turning her bright,
yet softered glance upon him, with some
smiling word of remark, or observation, that
drew him ere long from silent admiration into
animated converse with the rest.
lie did not mentally compare her with EN-
lily. He was not thinking of Emily when
he said to himself tha. the world could con-
tain no face more enchanting than that of
this charming gacs;: but during the hour
that Helena stayed he experienced pleasure
the nature of which he could hardly have
defined, had he tried, and the depth of which
he never sought to fathom. He only knew
that he admired Miss Wyndham very much,
And SO. the heartless beauty fingered as
long as it suited her, seeing plainly, and with
secret delight, how Edward VaDe was at
tractcd, until she was fully satisfied with her
S first attempt, and bidding the party grace
full adieu vanished like some brilliant star
j that, while we are eargerly ,dclightedly watch
q ing it, hides itself behind the clouds And
Emily never dreamed whose eyes that stal
&. | had dazzled.
When Dext she met her beautiful cousin
it was after service at the little village church
and as Emily fingered near the door, await
+; ing her father, Helena, in passing. slightly
+, tapped the young girls cheek with her glovec
I hand.
s'How came you ever to attract so elegant
so distjngue lover Edward Vane?" she
asked. 'Do you know that am quite pleas
j ed with him? and tina. is dangerous for you
you know! Take care, my pretty cousin
that do not win him away from you. BY
the way, dear, my brother Frederick has alsc
become acquainted with him, and, [ believe
cultiYates his acquaintance most sedulously
: At any rate, he has invited him to spend
> day or two with us this week. You can af
ford to lose him for that time-ean't you
y Emily dear?'
Finishing her hcartless speech with sof
laugh ard kiss on her cousins lips, she pas
sed on to her carriage; and Emily looked af
ter her an instant, with sudden tremor a
:. her heart, startled pallor overspreading he
;, cheeks, saying, in low, halfbitter reproacl
Helena Helena, was that what you came forf
Emily only said to Edward when he CAM
J again, '.Do you know Frederick Wyndham
Edward?"
/ eyes, Emily-T was introduced to him no
long ago-did l not mention it? for
. getful of everything but you. my darling?'
he added, with beaming smile. Then b
:, continued, "Yes, and only yesterday, h
made me half promise to come and pass
;. day or two with him at his fathers. I d
not know whether shall go. though he i
very urgent He seems to like me-"
n A dull pain went through Emilys heart
but she would say nothing. nor let him sus
g pect what she felt.
will he go p she asked, mentally an
~ with slow and unhappy suspense she waite
to see, -
, Edward did 60. If he had foreseen th
;. result he might have been wiser; bat wit
him, as is the case with many others, wisdol
- was purchased with experience.
y During the days that he spent with Fred
"a erick Wyndham he was thrown frequent
j into the society of the beautiful Helena the
. acquaintance matured, and his admiratio
a grew deeper with every hour th at passed, r.
NJ vealihg some new beauty, some new grace
the variable, way yward, yet everenchantiD
a, Helena.
r When Emily met him again she louged I
n. ask him, '.Do you not like my beautiful COZ
oil sin r' But she refrained. L will not moe
2, myself" she thought; chow can he help
th king-nay, even loving her p
ir 1t was not Edwards last visit at his friend
ao Helena chose to win him, and there was Ii
tie resistance made. Frederick was pleas