New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-11-08
THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 1860.
NUMBER 212.
Daybreak ON the Lake.

shadow stood on the piazza, in the semi-darl.
ness, at the appointed hour two other shadows
nted icrWard TO meet it, and silently down the
oank INTO the boat. and out upon the lonely glim-
merIng reaches Of the water. Nobody spoke; the
midnight capture Of fort was never effected with
more phantom-like noiselessness than now went to
suIpiiss she Vestas Oh the lake only as two hands
toncned Tor an instant, strange thrill like fire,
| quiyered through each, and tore them apart more
swiftly than two winds might cross each others
course.
bow, noddng with the more ease that It was stiIi
so dark and that Mr.. Raeigh's back was towards
her. Mrs. Lauderdale reclined in the stern Mr.
Raleigh once in while sent them far along with a
strong stroke, then only occasional splash broke
the charm of perfect stiffness. Ever and anon
they passed under the lee of some island and the
heavy air grew full of idle nightsweetness the
waning moon, with all its sad and alien pswer,
hung iow--dnn, malign and distant coppery
blotch on the rich darkness of heaven.
They foated slowly still; now and then she Dip
ped hand into the cool current: now and then he
drew in his oars. and bending forward, dipped his
hand with hers. The stars retreated in pallid
vail that dimmed their beams faint lights streamed
up the sky-the dark yet clear and delicious they
paused, motioness, in the shelter of steep rock
over them wild vine hung and swayed its long
Wreafhs into the water, a sweetbrier starred with
| fragrant sleeping buds climbed and twisted, and
tufts Of ribbon grass fell forward and streamed in
| the indolent ripple; beneath them the lake Incid
as some dark crystal. sheeted with olive transpa-
| poised on slowly waving fms as if dreaming of
motion, or perch flashed its red fin from one hol-
low to the other.
The shadow lifted degree, the eye penetrated
to further regions; bird piped wariIy then freely
a second and third answered a fourth took up the
tale, buejay and thrush, catbird and hobolink /:
wings began to dart about them, the world to rustic
overhead near and far the dark prime grew instinct
with sound, the shores and heavens blew out gales
of melody, the air broke up in music. 49,
He lifted his oars silently she caught the sweet
brier, and lightly shaking it, a rain Of dewdrops
dashed with deepest perfume, sprinkled them they
moved on. A thin mist breathed from the lake
steamed round the boat, and lay like white cover
let upon the water; light wind sprang up and
blew it in long rags and ribbons lifted and torn
and streaming out Of sight. All the air was peary
the sky opane, the water now erisply emblazoned
with dark and splendid ieweiry-- the paved work
of sapphire; a rosy fleece sailed across their
heads; some furnace glowed in the east behind the
trees; long beams fell resplendently through and
lay beside vast shadows the giant frs stood black
and intense against red and risen sum- they trailea
with one oar through pad of buds all unawares of
change, stole from the overhaDging thickets
through high walled pass, where, on the open
lake, the broad, silent yellow light crept from
bloom to bloom and woke them with touch.
How perfectly they put off sleep with what
queenly calm displayed their spotiess snow, the
priceless gold, and shed abroad their matchiess
serpent stem, turned the crimson underside of the
| floating pavilion, and brought up waxen wonder
from Its throne to hang like star in the black
brads on her temple.
An hours harvesting among the Dymphs in this
rich atmosphere of another world and with a
loaded boat they turned to shore again.
Miss Prescott's New story