The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-03-12

the aid Of an attentive servant arraYeC
myself in the most elegant suit my ward
robe afforded
} "I wonder if I shall suit the heiress p
t I queried mentally, as l took the last sur
! vey in the mirror, and descended to the
dining hall
Near the table sat Cuthbert and his
wife, the face [ had seen at the window
! lady with fair complexion, blooming
cheek, the sunnicst blue eyes, and pro,
fusion of golden hair [ was connois
seur in ladies' dress at that period, and ]
! took in at a glance her costly India muslin
) robe, with its frills Of Mechlin lace, the
, splendor of her bracelets, necklace and
eardrops. and the exquisite!y wrought
golden comb, which looped up the rich
tresses. Why was it that my eyes wan,
dered from her to the pale, calm govern
ess, with her bands of raven hair and
great, eloquent eyes, and dress that fell
in graceful folds about her.
blanche" said nv host. "allow me to
present my old and valued friend-Rich
ard Vincent"
The blonde beauty colored and simper-
cd.
He then presented me to the govern
She greeted me with the grace of a
queen, and |, as respectfully as if she had
been one, said
eve have had the pleasure Of meeting
before, Cuthbert."
GAS [ told YOU" murmured the gov
eruess, II went down to tell him yoa were
absent"
The ceremonies Of dinner now began,
and as a seat had been assigned me beside
Blanche, [ tried to play the agreeable !;
but | often found that my thoughts wan
dered to the pale, silent girl opposite
When the meal was over, and the ladies
had left the table
'SWhat do you think of nay sister ?''
asked Cuthbert
''She is very beautiful" l replied
"And have you fallen in love at first
sightS"
..If have I shall not tell you," I ex-
claimed, and then we went on chatting in
merry strain.
When we adjourned TO the great, cool,
luxurious parlor, | found Mrs. Cuth5ert
and her sister but the governess was
walking to and fro or the terrace, appa-
rently absorbed in thought The usual
small talk ensued, and at last, at my re-
quest, the heiress sat down to the piano,
and played and sang with much skill |
had observed a harp in the boudoir ada
cent, and begged her to sweep Its strings
for me.
81 cannot" she said, "but Miss Mar
gucrjte can. / will call her.
Then, moving to the window, she ex-
claimed imperiously-
'Come, Marguerite, we wish you to
play some upon the harp"
The governess hesitated a moment,
then came in, and took "a seat at the harp
As she sat there, noticed for the first
time the graceful poise Of her head on the
stately neck. But | forgot those when
she smotc the chords OF the harp, and
began to sing. Vas she au improvsatrice !!
[ Thought she must be. so tlii Of soul was
the music she poured forth; and when
she had concluded, / asked SIrs. Cuth-
bert whose composition it was.
Her own" she replied, '.and she never
knows what she Is going to perform when
she commences"
| used no iuIsome words of conmenia-
ton to Marguerite, but my eyes must have
spoken volumes Of approval.
That night; when iretired to rest, my
dreams were not hauutcd by the heircss,
but by the pale face had seen at the
window the face Of Marguerite, the gov
erneSs.
The next morning | was awake al an
early hour, and, glancing out, saw Mar
guerite gliding across the lawn [ has
tened to JOIN her. Her checks wore a
richer glow, her dark lustrous eyes were
full of light, her lips tremulous with
smiles, her white apron was full OF snowy
blossoms, and she had wreathcd spray
Of jessamine amid the blackness of her
HAIR.
How We began to talk | scarcely know,
out L was never SO entertained by any
woman as by her. | could touci. OH no
subject of literature or art with which
he was not familiar, aud Madame de
Stael might have envied her conversa-
ionai powers.
On the lawn We separated, but when we
net at breakfast, in the presence of the
luthberss and the superciiious heiress, 1
aw that the old goyerness lool; had come
,ack to her face, aid she was more reti-
.ent than ever.
My friend proposed horseback excur-
ion 10 u boiling spring in the neighb,r-
hood, and when our party assembled Oh
he serandah, | noticed with the keenest