The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-11-01

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lip OF the sea-shel, and her tall figure, even in
that .dowdy Dress was very model Of grace
Dear Isabel, do take OF that ugly collar,
and dress your neck as they say other people
do at parties Why could you cover up your
beautiful white shoulders -
Susan, mean to seem exactly what am,
and in my situation any attempt at display
wouid onlv excite deserved rcbuke. or i'll .natur.
ed ridicule. And now good night, dear sister
II shall not be home until morning, when
hope TO spend the whole day with vou for my
little pupils. will be too much fatigued tonight
TO take their lessons tomorrow"
Are you going to walk such distance at
tnls hour, Isabel said her mother; "surely
Mrs. Gascoigne might have cent her carriage
| for you, II she wanted your services"
| II suppose she did not think of it, and the
servants are all very busy,'' WAS the patient
answer; and Isabel, with an atfectionate kiss
on her mothers brow, wrapped herself in her
| cloak and hurried away.
But, despite the cheerful tone she had assum-
| ed at home, Isabel Noryce was not insensible
10 her desoate condition. as che trudged on
through the deepening twilight. inpeded ut
every step by the snow drifts which were rapid
ly increasing in her path. Young, gifted and
accomplished, and with voice of exquisite
| melody, and face not regularly beautiful but
very lovely in It's delicacy Of feature and
gentieness of expression, how would she
have been Caressed and courted and hatter
ed by the votaries :of fashion, had ske only
possessed the magic talisman, wealth But
Isabel was "only governess, and therefore
! her talents, her charms, her gentle virtues,
! were like
Flowers In desert isles that perish.
Or treasures buried IN the deep"
| Therefore it was that she was now threading
| alone the dark, wet thorough fares of a CITY.
| trembling at the approach of every wayf farer,
and fearing insult at every step.
| Mrs, Gascoigne was not naturally unknd.
but long course of self-indul gence had made
her totally forgetful Of the comforts of Others
| and consequently she saw no. the flushed cheek
and chilled frame Of the young governess, as
she entered the luxurious dressing room of her
pupils; all was hurry and eXctement-the
mistress Of the feast was anticipating the tri-
umph of siving brilliant entertainment. and
frettlng with anxiety lest any part should
| prove failure, while the children slid with
| delight at being admitted to the gav scene.
were utterly ungovernatle in their transports
| No one had time to think of isabel, who.
| cold, wet and dispirited began her ministry
| of vanity and frivolity. To arrange the
fanciful dresses Of the really beautiful child
fen-to teach them the graceful attitudes in
| which they were to exhibit their beautiful
| forms, was the task which her good taste had
brought upon her: and while she deprecated
! the folly which thus forced into premature
| growth the passions ofthe innocent little ones,
she yet felt herself compelled to oppose no OBJ
stacle TO the fancies of her patroness
The ball passed off rs such things usually do
| There was the same amount of iirtation and
| fooling-of vanity and i'll nature-of dancing
and discomfort. The "tableaux" were pro.
! nounced beautiful--the decorations of the
! room superb-the supper exquisite. Every
body tried to look happy with all their might
| and uttered the most pleasant batteries in the
most dulcet tones to the gratitied hostess, who
yrrQo Of r},n L.
| which commented upon her extravaganza and
| love of notoriety. But all things, even balls,
must have an end. The children, weary and
| exhausted, were carried to bed, and towards
morning the lingering guests, who had danced
| away the fairy footed hours vanished from
| the empty halls. The moment the door closed
| upon the last of them, Mrs. Gascoigne hasten
| cd to her apartment and, completely over
come with fatigue, summoned her maid to dis
! cucumber her of her rich attire, without be-
slowing thought upon the tired servants
| to whom she left the task Of guarding her
| furniture from midnight robbery
| lsabel Noryce had been the presiding genius
| OF the festival; though invisible, her delicate
| taste had shed a charm over everything that
came within its influence. She had not shamed
the brilliant scene by appearing in her robe of
| sadness, but when the curtain rose to display
| the lovely groups Of children, it was her skill
ful hand which touched the strings of the
| harp and added the witchery Of music to the
| beauty of the animated picture. 1t was che
who fixed each group of breathing statues
| 1t was she who played the guitar which the
! olive brown Spanish girl seemed to touch and
| it was she who breathed the exquisite song of
| CASTLE, which seemed to issue from the lips Of
the boy cavalier. But the feast was over, the
| guests had departed, the hostess was seeking
| herrest in her bed Of down, and amid the duh
! light Of expiring torches and the sickening
! nE I'll
alone, uncared for, forgotten No provision
had been made for her repose; the numerous
| chambers of the stately mansion were filled
! with guests, but no one had remembered her !;
and even Mrs GascOigne, who had been in
| debted to her for so much OF the beauty Of her
! tete, had never thought of appropriating an
! apartment to the humble governess.
1t was with sad and desolate feeling that
| Isabel looked around the diseomforts Of the
disordered saloons. Her heart swel!ed at the
thought of the neglect which she had endured,
| and tears rose 10 her eyes as she remembered
that all, even the humblest domestic, could re-.
tire to the repose they 30 much needed, while
she was left Ike an outcast, forlorn and soli
| tary.
| 1t was yet the early dawn Of wintry day,
when Frank Gascoigne entered the desolate
rooms, which only few hours previous had
| been the scene of so much brilliancy and beau
| ty. a close and severe student, devoted to
the holy profession which he had adopted, he
had appeared but for moment at his sister q
| ball, and then in the retirement of his own
| apartment had spent his evening AS calmly
| among his books as if the sound of pipe and
| tabor had fallen on a deafened ear The gay
| ETY. of the occasion, the lOveliness of fair vo-
| men and the charms of brilliant conversation,
| had been pOweriess To attract the Young asce-
| tic. He had retired to Test at his wonted hour,
and now had arisen to take his usual early
| walk.
| A vague feeling of curiosity led him to en-
ter the saloon and he smiled in derision, as the
faint light, struggling through the half open
| windows, revealed the melancholy, dilapida-
| ted look, which is always worn by a"banQuet
| hall deserted But what was his surprise,
when, extended on couch, he observed the
| figure Of the young and lovely Isabel. She
had fallen in deep but uneasy slumber; her
cheek WAS flushed with fever her dark hair
| had escaped from the comb, and hung in rich
masses over her neck and bosom, while ever
and anon she opened her large eyes and mur-
INJURED some inarticulate sounds, rs if in q
! dream.
Frank Gascoigne stood like one entranced
Hitherto, he had been a mere bookworm-a
student from his boyhood; and if he had ever
| thought Of woman, he had pictured her az
some fair creature, dressed in the latest Paris
fashion, and of wearing mask of pleasant
| looks. But Of woman in unadorned lowell
ness-wonan armed only with her own gentle
elplessness-woman, the object of tender
care and cherishing, he had never before
dreamed, and he gazed as if spell bound Oh the
unconscious girl He knew her not, for al
though she had long been the daily governess