The Van Buren press., 1861-05-15


Inns Beatrice chatted on. amusing him by
her perfect knowledge of the people around
her for half an hour. then she raised her
hand suddenly" All. what is it hear ?
the clock ofthe piazza is sounding the fourth
hour countryman, ! must say good night.
come to see me and my niece. petite Adele.
IT you like" She touched his hand, he
heard the rustic Of her silken dress, and |
before the chimes had ceased she van
ished
Royston strobe away, her voice vibrating
through every fibre of his being for the
hrst time in his life the haughty Eng |
lshman had met a woman whom he rccog-
nized as his equal. He was no youth he
had travelled and studied till he knew men
and women we'll, and with strange power
OF his own. he sodld bring fthras utticr his
dominion, but at last he was bsffled.
Beatrice Clement had evaded his scruti-
NY. He had gazed into her exquisite face
but could not read there we're lines about
the shadowless countcnance that he had
never noticed before-a deep tone to her
voice that he had never heard before. al
Will Know her" he muttered 1" she shall
not evade me ; she is not the light trifer
she seems. will read her woman's heart
The next day Royston was shown up the
broad staircase, into suite of apartments
that reminded him in their substantial gran
deur, of his ancestral home. The furni-
ture and curtains were dark, but the choc-
est works of artists and sculptors gave a
glory of their own to the rooms. Beauti.
ful female heads half concealed by heavy
draperies eluded his vision and mocked his
admiration, and landscapes painted, it seem
ed to him, from a site near the Garden of
Eden. glowed richly from their massive
Trainings.
But the crowning ornament to those
splendid apartments. hanging in the finest
light, was the painting of q child's head.
Human art could have done no more in the
attempt to paint angelic loveliness. Rows
ton would have thought it painters dream
OF cherub, but for the slight curl of the
lip, quiver to the cyelid, that convinced
him 1t was child of earth. The contour
OF the features. the ripples of the golden
tinted hair. the thin, curled upper lip. were
strlkingly like Beatrice, but here the resem-
blance ceased. Here tho eyes were brown,
while hers were. he remembered, of the
deepest violet. Here the expression was
angelic in its sweetness, while hers was
naughty, almost defiant
Ah /! admiring petite Adele already"
laughed voice behind him, and turning,
there was Beatrice.
Only because she is so strikingly like
her FRIEND" he responded Really" he
continued, as his companion stood regard
ing the picture with the look of young
Madonna, it is wonderful-the resemb-
lance is wonderful
| People have said so before,'' she re-
piled. 81 believe promised to introduce
you to her. Now you must admire her, for
truly she is the brightest thing this earth
can afford" She led the way on to a bal.
cony at the end of the house An old wo-
man, whose blue eye, faxen hair and neat
attire, showed her Saxon BIRTH was sewing
at the entrance, with large cat at her side.
And on a gorgeous Persian mat at her feet
little Adele was playing. She sprang up
with cry of delight as she caught sight of
Beatrice.
"Mamma mamma - she shouted catch
ing hold Of her dress.
50 There - exclaimed Beatrice, d" that is
little trick l could never cure her off,
Don't yod think me an exceedingly moth
erly person, my lord ?" taking the ll(!).ly
her arms and caressing her as she would a
waxen doll. "And has my little pet been
good this morning, and not troubled Mar
garet 90
"Pretty bod part of the time" replied
the woman, without raising her eyes from
her sewing. "but she screamed because her
nurse would not give hcr the green parrot.
And why" said Beatrice, quickly,
"was she not to have the green parrot
you know you are not to deny her any
thing
because. Madame. the green parrot has
been declining for several days, and she has
her red one and her canaries but little
Miss was angry and screamed because we
would not allow her to fondle the sick bird. ;"
&c All, Adele, that was very bad. What
shall say to you ?" said Beatrice, putting
her down and trying to look stern. But
the little one only laughed, and climbing
up on Margaret's work-stand. patted Bea-
trice's cheek, cooling all the time like little
white dove. To the stern Englishman the
scene was picture that he was to carry in
his heart for many day.
I" No wonder the Venitians complain of
your seclusion, when You have such q para
disc to linger in," said Royston, speaking
for the first time, I" and such a cherub for
companion ~
The old woman glanced up her look
was quicker than lightning but Royston,
knew that in her he need expect no friend ;
and influenced by an unaccountable dread,
yet at the same time astonished at such
! trifle, he made the first movement toward
! the saloon.
Beatrice followed, with the child cling
ing to her dress, and begging &c tc 60 and
see the pictures with pretty mamma.''
mot now, pet. not now, but pretty
soon Mamma will come and sing TO her
pet"
The child stopped instantly. kissed her
little hand to both, and flew back to her
birds. Royston Glare fingered long in that
gorgeous saloon, that morning, and for
many mornings after. A fountain had been
opened in his heart. 1t was not long before
he felt that with all the intensity of his ma
ture he loved Beatrice Clement He mover
stopped to consider the consequences /; all
he knew. was that he loved and be would
win. That he could not understand her he
was forced to acknowledge.
Her manner was always light; she inva
risbly triaed on every subject, yet he often
felt that it was forced lightness. to conceal
other feelings. Once or twice since their