The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-06-04

| '''>'S So"Sih ilCicllil, WHO, " ltl
her sweet, bewitching face, glided in upo,
the happy lovers and brought fascination
with her.
1t was not that Helena Wyndl,am, will,
her beauty and her pride, cared for Erniv's
lover, that she left for awhile the score Of
suitors at whose expense she had been
amusing herself, coquctting with them all
by turns, and giving hope to none: but
Edward was handsome, and winning, and
elegant md, above all, he had never knct
] at her shrinc-the Unsuitable hcart-huntcr
And SO, for the eclat Of new conquest, she
came daily over from her fathers mapni6-
cent estate to IIadley parsonage, to win
away, with her bewiching smile, the heart
of her cousins lover
Emily saw her, riding lightly along on
her white stced, will, her dark locks braided
aud her snowy plume waving to the breeze,
her red lips smiling, and her darl, ewes
beaming with the delight Of Anticipated
; triumph. Emily, sitting with her father
and her lover in the old parsonage study,
! SAW this brilliant cousin, and thought was
not mingled with envy. She had won a
heart without IIecna's destinations: and
her soft check co!ored and her clear hazel
eyes beamcd with innocent happiness as she
looked at her lover.
a moment more, and the quiet of that
little circle was broken by the appearance
Of this beautiful cnclantrcss-cousin. Emily
and her father both knew IIelcna's hollow
heart, yet they gave her kindly greeting.
She was their kin. They never dreamed
with What intent she had come. They, in
their charity for others, could not conceive
that she had an idea Of evil regarding them.
Bat Hclc"a Wyndham laughed at their
charity. She did not scrulc to abuse it
when it served her purpose SO to do; and
she glided in, in her elegant attire, with
her soft, yet brilliant beauty, her captiva-
ling manner, her keen, delicate, light flashing
wit, aud placed herself in bewildcrinr. daz
zling contrast to her fair, simple, unworl,lly,
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 loveliness, her
grace, her mental gifts she would have
adorned a royal court. Edward was
scholar and Il gentleman, cultivated and
passionate admirer Of beauty. 1t would
have been marvel If one like had resisted
her entertainments, for she was the very
spirit of beauty
How incomparab'y lovely was his men
tai exclamation as she sat near him, oavlv
and carclessy chatting with her uncle and
Emily, and now and then turning her
bright, yet softened glance upon him, with
some smiling worl of remark, or Of qaes
ton, that drew linn ere long from silent ad-
miration into animated converse with the
rest.
lie iii! not mentally compare her with
Emily. lie was not thinking of Emily
when he said to himself that the world
could contain no face more enchanting than
that of this charming guest; but during
the hour that Helena stayed ile experienced
pleasure, the nature Of which he could
hardly have defined, had he tried, and the
depth Of which he never sought to fathon.
lie only knew that lie admired Miss Wynd-
ham very much.
AHd SO the heartless beauty fingered as
long ss it suited her, seeing plainly, and
with secret delight, how Edward Vane was
attracted, until she was fully satisfied witl,
her first attempt, and billing the party
graceful adieu, vanished like some brilliant
STAR, that, willie we are eagerly, dcligtcdiy
watching it, hides itself behind the clouds.
And Emily never dreamed whose eyes that
Star had dazzled.
When next she met her>beautiful cousin,
it was after service Mt the little village
church; and as Emily fingered near the
door, awaiting her father, Helena, in passing,
slightly tapped the Young girls cheek with
her gloved hand.
"llow came you ever to attract so cle-
giant, SO distingue lover as Edward Vane
she asked. ado you know that am quite
pleased with linn ? and that is dangeous f3r
you, you know? Take care my pretty cous-
in,that do not win him away from you.
by the way, dear, my brother Fredick has
also become acquainted with him, and, be-
lieye, cultivate his acquaintance most sedu,
lo'isly: At any rate, be has invited him to
spend day or two with us this week.
You can afford to lose him for that time
can't son, Emily dearl'
Finishing her heaftless speech with soft