Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-02-11
from the New York Mercury.l
BELLE BAYADERE.
BY GEORGE MARTIAL.
Puff went the candle.

"Positivelyr' exclaimed Uncle Timothy,
looking up from his book in no small
vexation, "I believe moths are the silliest
things created. Strange that the fate OF
one does not serve as a warning to the
rest. Is it not, d?'
"Not at all, said the Reverend Doctor,
emerging slowly from huge folio in which
he had buried himself for the last half
hour-"not at all. What are we, but two
legged moths of a larger growth With
all the aids of reason and inspiration, are
we not continually burning our wings at
some of the worlds candles? Ambition,
love. pleasure, or revenge? Who is ever
warned by the experience of another ?
B llow al al! louder than Promethcus
shout to the say voyagers just starting
down the stream Of life--'Not that way
there lie sunken r@cks-there my vessel
was stranded, or, in yonder whirlpool she
was sucked down-and they will tell you
that the whirlpool is not down on the new
charl, aud the sunken rocks have been
blasted since your time When, therefore,
precept and example fail alike with intel
Hgent beings, why wonder at the infatua-
ton of a moth p
Here Uncle Timothy sighed gently, and
looked toward the ow-window, as if there
could exist any possible connection be-
tween the prosy haraugue of an old fogy
doctor, and a place whose very name is
redolcnt with ideas of love and tender
tete-a-tetes There was a momcntary silence,
in which the murmur of the sea, sparkling
not far off in the moonlight, was distinct
ly audible in the little library and then
breeze, laden with fragrance, came
whispering through the open easement.
swelling out the lace-curtains like sails,
and blowing to the ears of Uncle Timothy
and the Rev Doctor a sound very much
resembling kiss.
Uncle Timothy Redeemed and fdgeted,
while the Rev Dullaslead fastened to
conceal rebelious twitching of the
corners of his mouth, in the musty leaves
of his folio.
Poor Timothy the infatuation of his
niece for that confounded young Harry
Coxcombe was the sole trouble of his
benign existence.
Pretty, piquant, blooming Belle Baya'
dere, whom twenty times a day, be
threatened to send back to the country
and with whom he was often reconciled by
some such artiffce as a kiss, a pat on the
cheek, or a pull of his hair. IF it had
only been Dullaslead who was man ot
learning, or young Quiglcy, who was SC
sweet on hcr--as if-O Uncle Timothy
"a young girl ever had fancy for which
she could render a reason-or as if Dull
aslead, whose name certainly was appro'
pirate, or Quigley, who was pale and small
and given to blush and stammcr in tho
presence of ladies, could compete witt
such a rival as Coxcombe, who possessed
that halfswaggoring, half gallant manner
that render our New York youths 5,
irresistible; and who cultivated whiskers
and waistcoats TO an indefinite extent.
If simple little Belle mistook ssnti7'eH
for principlcs, physical strength for courage
and swagger for manliness, who can blam
her2 How was she % know that ncryou
little Quigley had the heartef lion, an'
tho tenderness Of woman ?-or, tina
Coxcombe bulIied his mother and sisters
heated his creditors, and was, in short