New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-19

masters GOMEZ with shrill cries Of joy and happy
welcomes home.
Atthe steps came busting forth Miss Polly, sweet
and savory in her wepreserved titty-iive years OF
madenhood, as a useful and fragrant garden hcro'
As she welcomed the Judge with tears IN her aea'
old eyes, she few around most assiduouSy, fei'eN-
ing him of his hat and gloves and orercoat, saying
over and over, Dear me, who'd have thought IL!
lust as though the event had not been the sole SUD-
ject of her anticipatiens for one whole month.
Dear me, who'd have thought it? Cherry,
Sally, Amy-come in Judge-Cherry, run quick
and light fire in your masters room anu the
library. And great sakes. just when May happens
to be out. Sally, take some hot water up stars,
yonr master will want to refresh himself with a
change of clothes before supper. Amy lin a stage
aside), you streak it and tell Hetty to make some
waf1les-and, stop--tell her to put plenty of rice
in them, and have them swimming in butter. Dear
me, who'd have thought it But I'm mighty
proud" said the kind old lady, "to give you the
happy welcome home Judge. Have you had a
pleasant trip?
In somewhat of dilemma, when looking back
over space of FIVE years, how to answer so CON
else question, Judge Hawthorne, with smiling
gravity, said, % Yes, Miss Polly, upon the whole,
very pleasant and, l believe, very beneficial
one. / think will act upon your suggestion, and
go up to my room. Be so kind as to bid them
bring my baggage, and | will be with you again in
a few minutes"
"Where did you say May was ?" he asked, turn
ing round.
"Out riding with Mr. Livingston
"Mr. Livingstone" he answered. interroga-
lively. ...... .
Jnn'f rnTo NH pr
nephew, Alfred Livingston! He used to play with
your little girls years ago. He's done graduated at
Yale, and came home with his uncle when May did.
He's growed up to be mighty likely young man. y
sAh," uttered Judge Hawthorne, which reply
was so entirely non-committal that it was impos-
sible to tell what it was intended to express, but he
resumed his ascent without pursuing the converse
ton further.
When he descended to the dining room, he found
it all aglow in the brilliant blaze of pine fire. and
the snowy damask and the rich table service gilt
tering in the flooding lamp-light. Miss Polly was
bustling around with her hand-maids, putting the
finishing touches to its appointments and standing
gazing TRANQUILITY into the fire, was May, who had
returned in the interval, removed her riding habit,
and was now waiting the entrance of her guardian.
Judge Hawthorne entered quickly intending to
make her feel how entirely he claimed her as a
daughter, by giving her fathers tender embrace
and kiss, but the idea must have been suddenly
abandoned, for when she turned to him smiling and
selfpossessed, he only took the little white hand
that was extended, in his own and then, as if that
was too cold greeting, pressed it to his lips.
When the words came with silvery clearness,
Judge Hawthorne, l feel the deepest pleasure in
welcoming you home. Your arrival has been
awaited by every member of the family with inter
est, but above all by myself, who have so much to
thank you for" He knew the speaker one, with
the equestrienne whose mirthful notes had fallen
so pleasantly on his ear.
"Your welcome is most sweet May He would
not say Miss Noble, although her little duchess-lke
air almost commanded it. But do not speak a
word of thanks. You have right to reproach me
rather, for having failed in personal supervision
over your rearing You have grown entirely away
from my memory
You doubtless find me much changed"
Come, come to SUPPER here broke in Miss
Polly, /" while the waffles are hot.''
1t was a part of her religious creed to have the
Kitchen over which she presided, excel in the pro-
duction of that dainty article of fare and she was
duly exercised in mind, if they were not partaken
As they gathered round the table, Judge Haw
thorne had his attention attracted to Mays silent
endeavor to motion Miss Polly to the seat at the
tea-tray, by the latter saying quite aloud, Oh
dear, no, honey, keep your seat, its just as com
Portable here, and / want to cut these waflcs-be
sides, you ought to become accustomed to it,
Pray do not let my presence interfere with
any Of your domestic arrangements said Judge
Hawthorne, in matter of-fact manner, affecting
to busy himself with the thin slices of ruby-coored
ham before him, and yet evidently realizing a
sense of pleasure, as Mays face beamcd upon
him across the table when he asked permission to
serve her from the dish before him.
As the meal progressed he took occasion to ex-
anime her more closely and he arrived at the CON
cusion that it would be difficult to find any one
more lovely.
Without being regularly beautiful, her face was
irresistibly charming.
With a complexion of singular fairness, tinged
with brilliant color, eyes of the deepest blue,
dewy, crimson lips closing over little pearl-likc
teeth wealth of glossy, black tendril-like curls
that wilfully refused to remain pressed behind her
tiny sea-shell ears, and lashes and brows that
dashed the otherwise saucy expression of her face
with shade of pensiveness, she could afford to
dispense with a classic perfection of outline
Her dress, too, was entirely becoming.
1t was of grey silk, trimmed with rich and del
icate lace relieved with bows of ribbon of a true
rose color.
Altogether, Judge Hawthorne thought he had
never seen any one with more high-bred or more
sweetly feminine air. and as the flow of her con-
versation bubbled forth in joyous stream, or as
she listened with deeper shade in her eyes, or
else with dimpling smiles around her mouth, or
pealed odt laugh like the Ginning of silver bells
the lights shone more brightly, the fire burned
more cheerily, the flowers that crowned every vase
sent forth fresher odors and home seemed douby
home with her present.
The meal finished and the table cleared, they
fingered around its charmed circle questioning
and answering, giving the incidents and expe-
riences Of five years.
Miss Polly, now that the waifles were salts
factorily disposed of, was pleased and attentive
listener, though with the unceasing industry ac-
CURED in the habit of a lifetime, she piled unre-
mttingly the knitting-needles, from which de-
pended the half-developed leg of substantial
yarn stocking. Who wore all the stockings Miss
Polly knit, was a subject for wonderment, though
doubtless they made comfortable the feet of many
poverty stricken shftless owners in the country
round about through the cold of winter.
When conversation failed, music naturally fol-
lowed.
Mays selection Of pieces and songs, and style of
rendering them were characteristics. arch Int