The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-01-22
81 will not-you will meet at dinner.

rang, and the host led the way to th'
guest chamber, where he left me 10 max,
my toilet. In those days l was not in
different to my personal appearance, ant
with the aid Of an attentive slave l ar
rayed myself in the most elegant suit my
wardrobe afforded.
"I wonder if shall suit the heiress ??
| queried mentally as l took the las
survey in the mirror and descended tc
the dining hall. There, near the table
sat Cuthbert and bis wife, the face had
seen at the window, and not far from the
governess young lady with fair com
plexion, a blooming cheek, the sunniest
of blue eyes, and profusion of golden
hair | was a connoisseur in ladies'
dress at that period, and took in at a
glance her costly India muslin robe, with
It's frlllS of Mechlin lace, the splendor of
her bracelets, necklace and eardrops, and
the exquisitely wrought golden comb
which loopcd up the rich tresses. Why
was it that my face wandered from her
10 the pale, calm governess, with her
bands of raven hair, and her great, elo
quent eyes, and dress that fell about
her like dummist."
Blanche" said my host, allow me
to present an old and valued friend
Richard Vincent"
The blonde beauty colored simpere d,
and with an inclination she intended to
be like that of prima donna to an APP
plauding crowd, acknowled ged my bow
Miss Marguerite" resumed Cuth-
bert, this is the guest We have been
expecting" She bowed with the grace
of a queen, and | as respectfully as if
she had indeed been one. as l said
1--WE have had the pleasure of meeting
before, Cuthbert."
g As | told you, murmured the gov
erness, Il went down to tell him YOU
were absent
The ceremonies Of dinner now began,
and as a seat had been assigned me be-
side Blanche, | tried to play the agreea-
bic, but often found my thou ghts wan
dering 10 the pale, silent girl opposite
When the meal was over, and the ladies
had left the room, we fingered at our
wine
"What do you think of my sister ?"
asked Cuthbert.
"She is very beautiful" replied.
"And have you fallen in love at first
sight %
Ill have shall not tel YOU y ex-
claimed, and then we went on chatting
in n merry strain. When we adjourned
to the great, cool, luxurious parlor. |
found Mrs. Cuthbert and her sister, but
the goyerness was walking to and fro on
the terrace, apparently absorbed in
thought. The usual small talk ensued,
and at last at my request, the heiress
sat down at the piano and played and
sang with much skill had observed
harp in the boudoir adjacent, and begged
her 10 sweep its strings for me.
Il cannot" she said, =" but Miss Mar
guerile can | will cali her, And moy-
ing TO tie window she exclaimed, impe-
riously:
" Come, Marguerite, We wish you to
play some airs on the harp"
The governess hesilated moment,
came in and took seat al the harp AS
she sat there | noticed for the first time
the superb proportions of her figure, the
graceful poise Of her head on the stately
neck ; but forgot hose when she smote
the chords OF the harp, and began 10
sing. Was she an improyisalrice
thought she must be, So fall OF soul vas
the music she poured forth, and when
she concluded, | asked Mrs. Cu;hbert
whose composition it WAS,
=" Her own" she replied, and she
never knows what She Is going to sing
when she commences
/ uttered no iulsome words Of com
but my eyes must have spok-
en- volumes of approval
That night when retired TO rest, my
dreams were not haunted by the heircss,
but by the pale face l had seen at the
window-the face of Marguerite, the
governess.
The next morning was awake at an
early hour, and glanoing out saw Mar
guerite gliding across the lawn. has
tened 10 join her-her checks we're
rich glow, her dark, lustrous eyes were
full OF light, her lips trcmulous wih
smiles; her white apron was full Of
snowy blossoms. and rhe had wrealhed
a spray Of jassamine amid the backncss
of her hair.