New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-10-01
stood beside an IRON,

tsfnanners mader after the stereotypeo ssyie VI
city drawinu-rooms aud French dancing masters
The soft. gray eyes of the young Diana fell upon
the cooked gun in Montgomery's hand, and with
slight rising Of color she said, perhaps, g i
have shot the bird you put up; If so, you ye mi
to claim property and take possession, ana he,
smile seemed to ask if she should e. once rsltr
qnsh her prize.
at is true, started the same, yeuug lady. snd
your shot but by half Second preceded myown
but as did not bring il down. l certainly hsYe NO
right to bag it. Moreover, would not wish to
deprive you Of 50 fine trophy of skill. You de-
serve it; for the eye must be keen and the hand
steady which takes successful aim on horseback at
game on the wing
al do not invade mans special sporting domain,
the hunting ground without holding myself amen
able to all its laws, both registered and unregis-
! tered,n the young huntress said, with some hda-
4 tear. 81 had no right to fire upon the bird you
had started, and would, no doubt, have killed. My
! only apology is, that supposed my dog had put
1 it up, he and having become separated sometime
| ago, from the fact that where he went would
4 not always follow with my horse. As he is no
where to be seen, permit me to relinquish the
bird. -
| She handed it to him as she spoke, and sprang
Eto her saddle altering up her reins in the small
hands which seemed almost too diminutive to
grasp them. She was about to start forward,
when Montgomery gently laid his hand upon her
4 bride.
| "Permit me to restore your prize. / really can
not think of placing on my Aunt Mary's table game
4 which rightfully belongs to, perhaps, one of her
| nearest friends.'
4 Believing that in country place everybody
/ knew one another, Mr.. Gay had thought by thus
abiding to Aunt Mary to gain by her answer some
slight clue to the identity of the fair girl before
/ him. He was surprised at the expression of cool
| disdain which crossed her lips as she replied:
"It win not be the first time your Aunt Mary
has favored me by accepting some of my game ;
and let me assure you, you deprive me of nothing,
as felt guilty when | killed that bird, never al
| lowing myself to shoot more than l really require
After ones needs are supplied, the hunters skill
| is but the exercise of cruelty and cowardice.i'
| Suddenly wheeling her horse, she showed a game
| bag well filed, pendant from the pommel of her
saddle, and nodding to Mr.. Gay, seemed at once
to dismiss him from her mind. Her quiet, gray
eyes wandered off through the tangled wildwood,
and rising in her stirrup, she suddenly poured out
of her crimson lips wild, peculiar whistle. Three
times the shrl refrain stole through the forest,
when it was answered by short, deep bark; and
the next moment fine dog, of the pointer breed,
with nose to the ground, came coursing toward
her, whining his joy as he erouched at the hoofs
of her horse.
Home, Hector!'' was the young girls low
toned order, and the next moment huntress horse
and hound, had vanished from Mr.. Gays sight.
But that WHISTLE That liquid, melliauous whistle,
SO like the imprisoned notes Of the blaekbrd or
bobolnk arranged by some skiliful captor upon a
gamut Of original order, and poured out in ca.
dences to suit that captor's will. That was not
gone-that fingered yet among the green leaves SO
lately ringing with the sound of the shotgun and
voice Of the pointer. Mr.. Gay had played dog all
day; he almost wished to continue in that capacity
and announce to the fair lady in green his willing
ness to obey that whistle. He felt that he had
been introduced to it, too, by no less a medium
than Norma. He knew the whistle better than he
did the whistler, and could hardly restrain his de-
sire to dash forward and claim acquaintanceshp
with it. Prudence, however, withheld him. till the
sound of the cracking brushwood under the hoofs
of the retreatng horse died entirely away and told
him pursuit was useless
How about the wounded heart?n Aunt Mary
asked, casting searching glance at her nephew's
thrown upon her kitchen table.
a fair hand fired a shot close to it, dear Aunt,
but did Mt quite hit it this time.n
1T must have glanced and hit this bird, though,
Mrs Montgomery said, laughngly, as she lifted
the dead grouse. "There is but one hand in the
county which always aims at the head and never
misses its mark
But a hunter might accidentally hit a bird in |
ft.aff mi rlNA hA 1at o1I1f han
" OF course; but I'll wager something that this
bird was not brought down by your hand See
All of yours are differently shot-either in the
breast or under the wing This was killed by a
merefu hunter who takes life skilIfuly, never al
lowing it to linger out through broken wing or |
leg"
stAnd who runs the risk of breaking her own |
with her dashing riding and masculine efforts,'
Mr.. Gay said, little vexed at his aunt's imputa-
ton of his inferior skill. Whistles too, like
boatswain and, for aught know, can swear like |
a trooper
GO Nay; to the latter accomplishment she lays no
claim, and willingly resigns it to the sex which
seems to enjoy it, said low, sweet voice behind
him, and turning quickly, Mr.. Gay saw 1.-the,
supple girls form. clad in simple pink gingham
dress-a little white apron with dainty pockets,
spotess plainness, and out from under white sun
bonnet looked the sweet face of the huntress Of I
the morning.
"Mother sent me over, Mrs. Montgomery, to
ask you to come and take tea socially with her
this evening, and to bring your guest. May say
to her you will come ?n
Miss Beaufort, my nephew Montgomery Gay,n
Aunt Mary fastened to say.
Each bowed-the one coldly and disdainfully, |
the other with marked embarrassment he could |
not all conceal.
Yes, Sarah,n Mrs. Montgomery sad say to |
your mother we will accept her invitation with |
pleasure"
Gene with country informality, then, will you |
not You know mothers hatred of city forms in |
country homesn
Mrs. Montgomery smiled aud nodded, and the |
young girl went out.
Why, aunt, did you know you never asked her
TO sit downsn asked Mr.. Gay, gazing through the
window at the vanishing pink dress.
+" Certainly, did you suppose would SO far out
rage the feelings of my guest as to invite to seat
in his presence young lady whose habits he so |
utterly disapproves Of as those of Miss Beaufort?
And would subject myself to her scornful refusal
of courtesy which would bring her in closer con.
tact with q Young gentleman who had axnrasSed |