Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1858-01-28
lllSGaA d 4 uGDUS.
THREE SCENES IN THE LIFE
OF A BELLE.
- 3Irs. Caroline Ler llar.z.
SCENE FIRST.

There was rushing to and fro in the
chamber of Ellen Loring, a tread Of hurry
ing feet, a mingled hum OF voices, an open
ing and shutting of doors, as if some event
Of overwhelming importance agitated the
feelings, and moved the frames OF every In
dividual in the house : stranger, in the
apartment below, might have imagined an
individual was dying, and that all were
gathering round 10 offer the appliances Of
love and sympathy But ellen Loring,
the object of all this colnmolion, was in all
the bloom and beauty Of health. She sat
in low chair and in front Of large mir
Tor, hllt arrayed in the habiiments of the
ball 7 ON, her head glowing with flowers,
and streaming with riHglcts, her feet enca-
sed III silk c05web ana white satin, her face
flushed with excitement, her waist com
pressed into the smallest possible compass,
while the strongest fingers the household
could supply, were drawing together the
last reluctant hook and eye, which fastened
the rich and airy mixture of satin blonde,
that fell III redundant folds round her slen-
der person. 4 am afraid Ellen, your
dress is rather too tight, said Mrs Loring,
who was experimenting the process with 4
keen and experienced eye; you had bet
ter not wear it, it may give you i consuml-
ton Ridiculous p exclaimed Ellen, it
feels perfectly loose and comfortable ann
sure it fits delightfully."-. Look, Agnes" :"
addressing a wcary-looking girl who had
been standing more than half an hour over
her, arranging her hair in the most fash
ionable style. Look, Agnes, is it not
beautiful p
very beautiful answered Agnes; but
I think it would look much better if it
were not 50 very low, and the night is so
cold, I am sure you viii suffer without
something thrown over your shoulders
These pearl beads are very ornamental, but
they will not give warmth, lifting them up
as she spoke, from neck that 'rivalled
their whiteness.' Ellen burst into a scorn-
ful laugh, and declared she would rather
catch her death-cold, than look SO old fash
ioned and old womanish. Mrs. Loring
| here interposed, and insisted that Ellen
should wear shawl into the ball room, and
to be sure to put it around her when she
was not dancing, for you must remember,
said she, the dreadful cough you had last
winter; when you caught cold, | was really
apprehensive of a consumption
I do think, mother, you must be haunt
ed by the ghost Of consumption. Every
thing you say begins and ends with con
sumption-I am not afraid of the ghost, OIL
the reality, while such roses as these bloom
on my cheeks, and such elastic limbs a.
these bear me through the dance
Mrs. Loring looked with admiring fond
ness on her daughter, as she danced gayly
before the looking-glass, called her wild
thoughtless thing, and thought it woulC
be indeed pity to muffie such a beautiful
neck in clumsy 'kerchief. The carriag'
was announced, and Agnes was despatched
in a hundred directions for the embroider
ed handkerchief, the scented gloves, an'
all the et ceteras, which crowd on the mem
ory at the last moment. Agnes followe'
the retreating form Of Ellen with lonE
and wistful gaze, then turned with slgl
to collect the scattered articles Of finer.