The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-03


ia very few days, very handsome and
grateful Young horseman was trotting down q
loBb. vide avenue between two rows of gigantic
trees. with glossy dark green oval myrtle7like
leaves and long trailing hoary boards of moss.
As he supposed, they were live oaks. No one
oftbem need have feared TO measure its dimen-
sions with those of the Great Elm on Boston
Common Between their huge, brown, boiled
trunks and spreading boughs, he looked out to
see the magnolias look in from beyond, sprin-
kei with blossoms Ike large snow-balls, as if
Winter had come down from the pole, to can
uonade Summer in her headquarters. These
blossoms smelt as if each great porcelain cup
held and hid lemon and spices, stealthily fill
ine the air with sort of ETHEREAL punch. Every
thing was on a large scale, as if nature were
showing herself to you thorough a magnifying
glass. On one side, the grounds seemed bound
les. On the other, at a considerable distance,
q faint pink line was drawn by hedge of most
maltiFoscering multi-fora roses. Every copse,
clulnp, and tree, seemed bursting and steam
ing with bloom, fragrance, and song; strange
TO the stranger, vet luxuriantly and infinitely
sweet and beautiful; and from one dark cloud
of foliage to another, the red-birds flashed like
lightning. The scene would have seemed Eden,
ii tic little stray cheruby, playing bo-peep and
and hide-andseek, here and there and to and
fro, from thicket to thicket, had been white in
stead of black but perhaps they were dyed, to
PUT them into mourning for Adams fall. This
paradise was Rochemaurice Park.
As Herman drew rein before large, old
fashioned, and rather handsome house, q fine
looking and well-dressed negro man appeared
at the door, came out with bow, and took his
horse, as matter of course. Another of SINH
lar appearance stood within the threshold, re-
speCttully awaiting his pleasure, and, on his in
curing for Colonel Roehemaurice, led the way
into a small, cool, dark parlor, set him chair,
took his letter Of introduction and card, and
noiselessly vanished. As the blindness Of the
sudden change from sunshine to shade left his
dazzied and dust-dimmed eyes, he saw himself
in a room carpeted with neat straw-matting,
and iastefully fitted up with the lghtest furni-
ture--E enetian chairs a lacquered cane-bot-
toned Chinese settee, on which lay guitar
with necklace of broad blue ribbon, and two
th~aa s.,ll .a.,e>,-~t --h;~L ---a a. a. .
lie work baskets, suCL as are brat~1 Hy the
slaves. and glass OF moss-roses- All the WIN
doos reached from the ceiling to the hoor, and
,zera hung with 'sky-blue and wrought whlte
muslin curtains all but one were darkened by
cIosad blinds. that one was opened upon piaz-
- ,bronch which came the sound of pleasant,
welihred voices. Two of these-those OF a
l. "
rena ssed. side by side, without seeing him
wer. chatting together; two otbers-those ap-
parently of very young girls, stting or stand
IN, ont of sipht-were warblng, half soto coce,
brtin clear. sweet tones. duet from Semrd
snide.
.,,Lrod tho room. q call, and handsome man OF
ahant 6f,v.6ye ,fose presence might have
boan sta,cIv anSimposing, if he had not taken
,os much am too evident care and pains tc
- !, 90 s Il, through too much of his past
~, he cbef occupation had been to play the
- aly,lelr. He welcomed Herman cour
yao''sI.. If not so cordially as he might have
49, before he knew his business, or as he did
49, listers in the course of the morning
beeg& that he would make his house his home
q. Solg as he found il convenient to remain in
the ncigt borhood, insisted on sending for his
b,erags to the railroad station, where he had
,ef it. md had him shown at once to pretty
and ymmodious chamber, to make a hasty
toilet before breakfast.
re party at breakfast consisted, besides the
Coibel. OF his wife, pleasing and courteous
h6fss, who had evidently been handsome In
be time, and had still striking, though a
fed and rather languid, face her two sons
trry aud Temple tall, uniformed Nimrods
fifteen and sixteen; three daughters, appar
tty about fifteen, fourteen, and ten years old
lnd one more guest besides Herman, young
man near his own age, named Harrington
rhe young ladies were like their mother, well
Igrown, graceful, and gracious. The two oldest
were not, however, beautiful; though all three
had rich dark hair, well-arranged, and fine
| black eyes The eldest Jane, was evidently
much admired by Mr.. Harrington, and some
what monopolized by him. Alice, the second
was pensiye and looked ILL., Rose, the young
est had round, glowing, laughing, gypsy face
with all the rich golden morbidessa, and deer
crimson, Of Melancthon peach little saucy
nez retr0usse that looked as if il turned up at
and destined to upturn, every absurdity Of every
sort, which came in her way through life, anc
ieave 1t comic-side uppermost, to the derlsior
OF all beholders and, presiding over all, 8
broad. full. and rather high forehead, with tn,
machinery, lurking within it, for quick start
ling frown, which promised stormy weather tol
Mis- Rose, if not for her neighbors, so soon az
the little playful brains behind it should begil
TO work in earnest. AT present, her spirit
we're boundless. She chattered ostensibly u
her next neighbor, Alice. Herman and be
brother Temple, laughed. As natural conse
quences, she chartered more; and her mothe
chid her.
Why, mamma, Dr. Arden told very goo
c4n i, 4 Il &c,
II common gratitude, it was necessary tina
some of us should make him laugh in return
None of the rest of you undertook it, so that
was obliged to, for the honor of Rochemaurict
succeeded, too; at Least, thus much Is ce'
tain, DR.. Arden laughed Now, if he did nc
laugh at what | said, he must have laughed
what some Of you did for you must own ths
none Of you said anything at all diverhng.
am sure he could not be so rude. will put
to him. Dr. Arden, did you laugh at the boy
or at Jenny and Mr.. Harrington, or papa an
mamma, or at the little story / told my siste
Allie, which nobody else needed to hear, b
thel way, who did not like it?"
AT your story, certainly, Miss Rose"
There, mamma there, papa! Now, don
sou think it is desirable that should go OF
unfl some of the rest of you become as ente
talnlng as |, for the honor of Rochemauric
Pafk?"
mo, Rose, hushl" said her father. " Fo
the honor of Rochemaurice Park, l shall sen
YOU to the school-room if you give us any NOR
OF your ehattering. Good little girls should b
seen, and not heard. Besides, good talkel
know that when they have said a good thinl
tnaf is the best time for them to stop talkin,
Tor the people will take it for granted that the
could have said many more"
Rose frowned, pouted, and muttered, ha
Pagtully, half naughtily. She had broken II
zee thoroughly, however, and stirred up all Il