The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-02-09
For the National Era.
OUR COWsLIP's VISIT TO TOWN.

Lady Nina stands at the parlor window, her
blonde curls playing amid the camelias and
azalias, and her jewelIcd supporting the
fairest of little oval-faces and the most coquet-
fish little mouth that ever pouted in the twilight
shade. The embroidered toe of the little kid
slipper is patting nervously and pettishly on the
velvet carpet, revealing a strange commotion
in the tiny understanding.
Alas how few can say life is worth what it
costs. Why is Lady Nina sad? Beautiful
muse, how frail and tender, and how young, to
meet life's conflicts, to brave life's battles.
Nina's mamma had but just laid out Nina's
first campaign in society, when Nina's grand
papa, like any other simple old man of seventy,
who never knows what's the right time to go
off, must needs die, and so Nina must wear
mourning for the space of six weeks and
while all her dear five thousand particular
friends were enjoying the first rush of the sea-
son, dear stricken Nina was laid away in the
chrysalis state under the black veil, whose only
consolation was that it rendered her beauty
still more effulgent by the exquisite shade upon
her ivory complexion. How celestial the effect
of those long silken eyelashes in their downcast
holiness, and the subdued smile, with its touch
ing suspicion of grief, so becomingly subdued,
and in such perfect harmony with the thule
halo all around the little eval face. How grace
fully she bowed her head beneath this heavy
dispensation, and how beautiful her resignation
of the pink crepe and opal silk-she needed
but the letters, to stand for the Greek Slave.
But the days of mourning for grandpapa are
accomplished, and it is the Eve of Nina's first
grand assemble. Say, Lady Nina, what new
twilight phantom has crossed the threshold of
thy peace?
"These odious country relations when will
they ever learn modesty? Nervous and feeble (!
What business have country folks with nerves
Horrid old Choctaw. wish the law would fix
their boundaries with their fellow-savages, the
red men, beyond the Rocky Mountains, and
keep them in their Businesses under its penalty.
l wonder if she will pin her cap strings over
head at supper, and bring master Jakey, in his
blue coat and buttons it viii kill me. When
will trouble end with papa's relations ?" and
the little foot huttered like dying bird, as Nina
energeticalIy built up her hobgoblin, and be-
came her own tormentor. @
Alas poor Cowslip, it Isl thy destiny to choose
the most inauspicious days of the three hundred
and sixty-6ve for thy visitation. How thank
fully wouldst thou take the return train, and be
once more with thy children on that ill.starred
night but selfrespect bids thee hold up thy
dropping head, and see the trial through and
one thought of thy noble husband says to the
conflict within, Peace, be still for his sake
will endure" Then Nina's mamma, with ad.
mirable forecast, sees that it would be very ex.
pensive to take the children to saratoga next
summer, and, rather than forego their welcome
to the old farm, likewise cries, Peace be still"
to her revolving pride, and protests that cousin
Hetty has come in the nick of time. Nina's
party will make such pleasant variety in her
visit, and she will entertain the children vastly
with what she saw and heard--in fact, it is just
what Stephen had said in his letter she most
needed, waking up to new thoughts.'
Poor Cowslip, she had felt dreadful misgiv-
ings in her mind ct the thought of the plain,
little best dress, with its inferior country store
trimmings, and antiquated air, as she regarded
the flowing elegance of her relations, and their
devotion to fashion; but CITY palaver quite re-
assured her, and her tender conscience re.
preached itself for having suspected them Of
colduess or meanness. With willing hands and
cheerful heart she now assists her cousin in all
the nameless last things which fall to the care
eof a Western housekeeper even in our large
cities; and ell unconscious of the gangrene at
their hearts, she rejoices that she is with them
in their many perplexities Of preparation which
she il SO adequate TO meet. f@af seaelf
| The gas ia lit, and the stately parlors await
in solemn silence the expected crowd, Nina