The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1863-09-01


might have led them to think they were .'shOw
! ing ~" the young iady's temper. They made
Z up Tor her silence in redundancy Of superhu
Gus gossip and light scandal, until, carried away
S blythe sound Of their own voices land they were
T pleasant youthful voices they mOnOp0lized the
p conversation and totally ignored our presence
7 The polite, seeming attention Of Mr. AsburTy and
the readiness Of his response or correct and
3 timely reply to answers, was calculated TO lead
t the general observer to the erroneous opinion
that his vas pleasant interest, and that he was
= vel entertained; but I imagined restless
spirit in bis eye. BE was always trying to catch
, Clara's glance, and made fruitless endeavOrs to
. draw her into the talk.
Left to ourselves, We had better and quieter
enjoyment, more after the fashion of our own
hearts-HTapped snuglY in the buffalo, our
hands cIasped, Iulled almost to uncomfortable
{ droWsness BY the sweet jingle of the bells and
the harmonious Ginning in Of voices and the ef
fortless swiftness, with which we glided over the
gbroad open country. Out from the narrow
n ImonOtOnous streets of the town into the free
chart Of Gods mapping. Seudding past exten-
sive woods that seemed winding into other woods
and Waiting a dizzy dance to unheard music,
being aTTayed III a Wintry ball costume of gilt
tering diamOnd-deeked snow and icicles The
whole scene before US had the pleasing effect of
a fairy scene. I thought Of the Arabian Knights
Entertainment which / was reading ] would
have soon been down under the sea, Witnessing
the splendor Of the "caves Of ocean, " had not my
attention been constantly drawn to the sleigh
ing parties we were passing and repassing. We
did not have the road to ourselves bv any means.
Such eonglOmeratiOn of words, jingling bells,
merry laughter, sweet song, and the clattering
OfhOrses feet on the beaten snow, startling the
Z death like stiffness that so lately reigned. We
I had greater share of the road coming home
/ The talk in our own sleigh ceased The Misses
Nelson hummed several popular airs, but were
not invited to sing. The scene was beautiful
now beyond the ideal Of an artists dream. The
jewels with which the trees we're laden cleaning
and glittering IN a thousand resplendent rehec-
tons of the red sunset light that shOne through
them, and fell aslant the white hills in golden
bars, and bronzed the frozen streams. But the
crimson faded quite away into dim gray cheer
less twilight and the day died glory-shorn, as
the sOmber night light came like mOUrner for
radiance that has passed away. We turned
into the streets Of Westville The street and
store lamps we're lit. Our party reused them
selves to say, those brilliant nOthings that for
midable people always manage to say at parting.
We turned from the lighted thorOughfare into
more quiet street, with a speed that nearly
caused an upset, to our entire amusement. 1t
VAS quite dark and we could see the distant
ghts in the Seminary, blinking at us as if it /
said .'yOu are forced to run back you rogues.'
The few pedestrians stole along the opposite /
side as if in awe Of the great imposing edifice /
whose windows were all alight like an illumina- /
ton. We were quite dazzIed by it. While Mr.. |
Asbury assisted the young ladies to alight, / /
could heIr the merry laugh within and the dis
cord of pianos and the rattle of dishes in the |
basement dining room, and it didn't seem ike /
the dead monotOnous place we we're wont to 4
ilo L hoI NJ n
evening. Miss MARSHALL from the Misses Nelson |
and a warm embrace and afiectiOnate kiss from
Clara, who, aftermany injuactiOns that ! should .
pay particular attention to nv health and not /
fail to answer roll on Monday morning, tripped "
lightly etter them up the path And as long as
Mr. Asbury could her form and indeed after
the door closed upon, he stood gazing after her
AndtheR asifa sudden impulse moved him, under
pTeteSt of closing the gate saw him slip a small
white package into the paper box. 1t rather
troubled me, that l had thus Unexpectedly been
made witness, and my curiosity was unbound
ed. But Mr.. Asbury took his seat beside me in
the sleighwith an unchanged face, save for the
indulgent benignant expression it assumed for
me when we were alone. And how are you
progressing little W arFiUr,'' he said Where /
upon gave him a verbal journal of the week
as l vas accustomed to on this evening, and was
myself so interestedin detail as not to notice we
we're out in the suburbs. / could see that Mr.
Asbury was thoughtful nov, ,-even grave, or per
haps it was the uncertain light which gave his
face to me, he was silent at all events I was
fearful had spoken some light word he did not
approve. But could think o. nothing to say
then. He was first to break the gilence.
"Egie, do youwish you were, as beautiful as
the Misses Nelson9"
''Why no, sir. I would rather look like
Fidget Is she not the most beautiful"
She is not styled beautiful" he said "In
society sheis considered rather plain"
81 don't care for the opinion of the worldly
people" I exclaimed, firing up.
al hate what the majority call beauty, Ican't
bear the eternal look Of self consciousness upon
their faces, and the two orthree, at farthest, ex
pressions they are capable of, worn with studded
attention to effect. hate the curving lips that
are dumb to the utterance of heaTtIanguags
1 hate the everlasting white of their complexiOns
detest their little straight noses. If they
would change sOmehow-dye their hair, tan or
hecklel It would be a mercy for them to have
the jaundice, provided other people feltas 1 do"
He replied not word, but taking my face in
bis two hands turned it toward the light and
held it perhaps two minutes It was rather
painful to me. / could not bear tG have pe0- u
pie notice my defects.
"Opening look" he said, and released me.
Then be was silent. The horses were put IN a
canter, and I thought we were going home,
when, to my CONSERVATION, we stopped at the
drug store have mentioned. 1t was a minute
OF so before the door opened and then young
man came out to the sleigh. I could not see his
face, his back was toward me; but I noticed he {
wore g heavy set of Whiskers and had habit Of
running bis hand through them, and was always
changing his position. He was low and heavy
set. i received the impression that he was ugly.
could hear no word that passed between them.
although my curiosity was intense. / am not
sure that heard his voice even when he bade
Mr.. Asbury good evening, but / did hear Mr..
Asbury say, =" Good night, Henry, and
straightway fell to thinking. What a pretty
name it became, spoken SO, and perhaps he was z
handsome after ali. No word Of explanation
passed between us, but felt somehow as if Mr..
Asbury had in an unaccountabe manner. en-
dowed me with his confidence. was glad and
uneasy. With the swifness Of thought we went
round the corner and down the square and were 4
home. The door swung open and in the gush
Ofhght ] discovered my mother. hurried to
her arms forgetting in my haste to thank Mr.
Asbury, but l am sure the gratitude in my
mothers face, as she turned It toward him in
passing, was an equivalent
10 Be CONTINUED.
A Rem5nfscence of Capt. John
Brown.
, from soldiers Letter.j
Al,,g1 1lanus Il,