Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-01-21


SAM a knowing darkey, whom he had hired
to aid and abet him in this arduous UNDER
taking.
"Golly, massa,' chucklod Sam, ''you be de
prittiest gal dere, sartan; not one of them
got sich red and white checks, and dem curls
set you off most main"
Certainly. blue satin lace, hoops, rogue,
patches, powdered hair, bracelets earrings,
and penciled eyebrows, had worked a mar
vellous change Allan almost doubted his
own identity.
"Sam is right, Mr. Loring said the cos
tuner 'you make very handsome young
lady, if you only could look a little more
modest. Drop your eyes a little-so--and
don't take quite so long steps
"Confound the hoops growled Allan, as
in his perambulations he contrived to upset
china vase. "How the dickens am | to navi-
gate with this toggery; y
practice is all that is needed. Take it up
this way-so. Don't lift your skirts quite
so high. and use your fan little more. There,
that will do. Very we'll"
"All right then I'm off, Sam. Why,
what's the matter now, you black rascal =
for that worthy was apparently in convulsions.
"Oh lor', massa can't help it Oh! XII
hi It's too much for dis nigga to see massa
steppin' round, holdin' up de petticuts, so
fnnkin like, and shown dem satin slippers
in dat way. Dis child gwine to bust sure ~
"ls this the way you wait on unprotected
females Straighten ont you face now, and
escort my modesty to the carriage, and none
Of your grinning to betray me, OF you shall
find my hand is as heavy as ever, and draw
ing his hood and cloak around him, Loring.
escorted by Sam, reached the hall quite un-
suspected
But how to pass the receiver Of tickets was
the next question. Sans ready wit came to
the rescue.
"Massa say, pass right on, he bawled, as
Loring hesitated "lle forgot he gloves and
de tickets, and goes back to fetch them.
And the gatekeepers not entertaining the
/ slightest suspicion Of this beautiful and mag
nifceutly dressed young lady, Loring passed
without opposition into the dressing-room
Such gggling, chatering, whispering. tit
terngl such waving of drapories cleaning of
Jewels and flirting Of fans such exhibitions
of lovely necks and shoulders, as dresses
were hooked up such ankles as were re-
vcaled such lacing of boots and tying of
slippers arranging Of curls land we must
say it,, putting on of rouge and powder
Loring was confounded. sufocated, over
whelmed. Wolf in sleeps clothing that he
wes, he felt his checks hurn with guilty
blush, under the battery of eyes. black,
brown, aud blue, levelled at him on his en-
trance, attracted by his beauty and the splen-
dor of his costume.
Your sash is undone," warblcd sweet
voice close in his ear, and turning. he con-
fronted bue-eyed rngleted fairy in a peas
ants costume, holding up one end of the
trailing ribbon.
Let me fix it for you" she proceeded,
ascribing Loring's awkwardness to timidty.
you are a stranger, aren't you; ! thought
so. have been watching YOU this half hour
When are you going in Not till your father
comes; Why, that may be an hour yet.
Come in with me-my name is De Haes-
Florence De Haes. | have taken fancy to
you. What is your name :"
"Annie Leyne."
Come, will introduce YOU to partners
never saw a girl liked at first sight so much
as YOU And thus prattling, to the infinite
amusement Of her companion, who was at nc
loss to comprehend the secret Of the attrac
ton she found so strange, she almost pulled
Loring into the ballroom. where he soon
found himself the belle of the evening.
In the midst Of an animated Irritation with
Mr.. De Haes, the brother of his new-found
acquaintance. Loring. to his no small amuse-
ment, deserted his three friends perambulat-
ing the saloon. evidently in search of himself
and, as they passed and repassed, was even
enabled to gather from disointed snatches o
their conversation that they believed him not
to be present.
II. IL. e. l., 4. 1
certain little coquetries he had been practic-
ing on Mr.. De Haes, after the most approved
style Of some of his lady acquaintances, and
ere long succeeded in attracting the attention
of Captain Kenneth.
by Jove, what handsome girl, exclaim-
ed that gentleman. putting up his eye-glass
and after a somewhat prolonged stare, loung-
ed up to De Haes, in jaunty style, which he
thought irresistible, IL say, George, no mo-
nopoly fair play, you know Introduce
me-" With which request, though evidently
dispeased with both the manner and matter,
the young man was forced to comply, and Al
Ian graciously accepted Kenneth's invitation
to dance The gallant captain marched of
with his prize under his arm, little dreaming,
as he afterwards expressed it, "what sort OF
a craft he had in tow
WAS Miss Leyne a stranger in the city y
Yes, Miss Leyne had only arrived that
morning"
"Ah he was sure of it, Handsome wo-
men could not remain unknown longer than
two days in New Orleans"
"ls that a compliment" demanded Allan.
IL am like a mirror-I never compliment,
returned the Captain.
"But, like mirror, you sometimes deceive,
suppose"
Not one like you, though | occasionally
reflect in appearances as, for instance, halt
an hour ago, when | remarked to my friend
Captain Ranger, that you were the finest look
ing woman in the room"
"You ate bold said Loring, suppressing
with difficulty strong desire to laugh.
81 am sailor, and it is my nature. de-
spise conventional ties and the restraints Of
custom have only known you few mo-
ments yet why should ! not say to you
love you, rather than wait two or three
months to tell you what is already the fact -
at would be superauous--I should not be-
liove it,
II will convince you of it,"
"You will not have time leave to-mor-
row afternoon