New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-09-17
CHAPTER R /,
.-ss-fs tfssrft
MI. and Mrs. yicter Lagrange,
Miss Nira Mott. ~


the ideal OF mankind
No one spoke to him in reply; and he lay reeill
ing upon d messy knoll, his hands olasPed nehin
bis handsome head and looking round upon the la
faces near with that air of adnTing nonohalanc
the aHan Of fashionable leisure so readily acquires
The waters Of Mobile bay came sweeping sluggish
Iyup 10 The shores of sweet Hollywood and th
birds twitfered sleepy accompaniment to the
1nusic The whole world seemed grand epi
poem, spread ont for the perusal of man; and th
b group beneath the trees seemed impressed with i
eloquent beauty as they sat in thoughtful silene
after the voice of the speaker had ceased. On
figure alone moved from its position just benin
q the young man and glidea quietly away down te
ward one Of the long piers. It was that Of a pale
blnereyed yonng girl, who, with all the element
0f beauty IN both face and FORM still was not beau
fifnl. There was too much angularity of outline il
ths slender figure, and the cheek so purely trans
parent lacked the rose and needed roundness. Th
large eyes, purely blue and softly fringed, had al
expression Of languor and unsatisfed want. On
s6os The same look often in the faces of the ehdre
VI Tue poor In purse; but it is less painful then
feund in the glances of the poor In heart
ana ct such was yira Mott. She turned aside a
she approached the pier; she had no desire t.
meet the two Or three strollers she saw promenad
ing there and making merry. A path but littlt
worn, and winding through the thick herbage grow
ing against the jagged bank, which reared itsel
bstwsen the two landing places, attracted her at
tendon; and eagerly turning upon it, she sat dowr
after y few minutes walk upon rude stone sea
and covered her face with her hands, !" Beauty
beauty she whisperingly repeated, sit is his idol
Intellect, heart, woman highest attainments wha
are they to him It the mirror Of beauty reflect then
not The flower must attract by it's outward love
liness, ere be can be induced to draw near enough
To inhaie its rare perfume. Alas what fate even
brought our ways together! She flung aside her
hat and sat gazing into basin of still water which
the high tide had left within its rocky boundary.
Her own face looked up at her from the clear pool
ana more bitterly than ever did it tell her, with It'll
deepsned look Of sadness ana disappointment, that
It Wss without that charm the want Or which she
now lamented.
rustic Of the branches near her caused her
t0 look np.
= intruae upon your solitude, I interrupt your
quiet MI. Lagrange said as his eye fell upon the
flushed face before him.
No. vira said quickly; q do not let my pres-
encc hers prevent the continuation Of your ram
bic. There i room for you to pass
n And none for me to rest?n be answered,
Little piqued at the young girls Indifference, and
giansing as be spoke At the unoccuped half of the
stone seat.
Is reading short poem such wearisome work
that Mi. Lagrange cannot take walk Of a few
rode after II without requiring rest Ileave him
my ssat and my sympathies,n vira said, tying on
har straw hat and rising to 90 away.
Nay, ne cannot share the field, let me leave
It IN your possession Z Mr.. Lagrange hastened to
asg 81 ha turned to retrace his steps but even as
be spoke vira Mott had swept quietly past him,
and Was pursuing her way towards the pier. Mr..
Lagrange threw himself upon the stone seat with
avo4ed expression ON his fair face, and sat mus.
ing and soloquizing, as young men with plenty
Of time on fheir hands are very apt to do.
Strange = he said, that of all who court my
society snd seem to covet my attentions, the only
one upon whom / fain would lavish them shuns me
like pestilence, I must admire her from a dis
tance admire ut all yet look into the eyes of
this fair orphan girl and feel that they have ilIum
med recesses Of my soul where woman,s eyes
never burned before. ! must avoid her, or know
more Of her. In either case my peace of mind ia
ieopardized.i He ran his fingers through his hair
and sat in deep thought; as If the question he was
Eliminating in bis mind was one of vital Importance
At leagfh he sprang up like one determined to
shake on the spell upon him and retraced his steps
to the hotel.
Young, handsome and wealthy--the only son of
q widowed mother, who, enjoying fashion ON her
side, had apparently determined to escape the
clutches Of age Victor Lagrange had hitherto,
with perhaps eKcusabIe vanity, held himself rather
alodf from the crowd Of beaux who usually throng
watering place and rush into the ranks of belle
dom In haste to bear off a prize. His fine appear
ance, his wealth, his well known taste for the beau
tifnl and refined, had, together with /" splendid
education, rendered him man Of mark among
those with daughters and prestges to bring out
and he found himself, ere he was aware of it, the
center Of large circle of fashionable acauaint.
ances and on friendly footing with score or
more Of lovely girls, any one OF whom might have
claimed Che title of the belle of Hollywood Only
one, however, and abe the possesaor Of the least
facial beauty Of any there, had touched Victor's
heart Her exquisite voice, her rare accomplish.
ments her thoroughly lady-like department and /
unsssuming manners, had first attracted him.
When, upon further acquaintance, he found him.
sell The object Of her keen satire or her brilliant
wit, sometimes listened to with calm indifference |
and sometimes repulsed with absolute rudeness !
instead Of being diverted from paying court to her.
ne was piqued to study more closely the enigma I
thus Laid IN bis way and before he was aware of |
u, the young man was forced to acknowledge he |
had suffered that great fall termed falling in love-
Whatever Vira Mott really felt for him he could |
not discover. Her heart seemed destined ever to
remain ieyra iacognita for him, and whenever he
sought an opportunity to hroach the subject, she.
believing herself far from being an object 10 excite
admiration il his beauty -worshippng eyes, avoided
0rreRulsed him. Orphaned in childhood and adopt
cd BY AZ uncle her experience had been but little
marked BY female influence, and her manners
lacked perhaps their sofening spell self.reliance
had become with her rock Of strength on earth,
aud unto Il Waa the anchor Of action Let 90 and
grappIed.
CHAPTER II.
Tell ne, Mono, what you are doing,n yirs
sad, addrcazing beautiful young slave girl be-
longing fo Mrs. Lagrange, at whose room she was |
. frequent visitor. You look ike some druggist |
sngagea II labelling bis potions is that your mis-,
fresss medicine chsstga
Yes, miss, = said Mono, dusting, as she spoks
sonle small vias, and restoring them ID heir places
Il y nadam's medicine chest, bnt she keeps lots
q other things here besides Look, here Is laa a.
sose fcx tie skin and here 4 liquid to brighten the
eyes. and hera-ft