The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-10-24

and your life on i penniless officer,
and when papa so disapproves of
your doing SC"
My heart is my own, not papa's;
though L will not willingly offend
him, he must not try to make me
marry anybody else, because he likes"
said Emily, earnestly, and she left
the room.
In the welcome solitude Of her own
chamber, she thought of her sisters
words waste your love and your
life" Was it ever owned by q woman
truly in love that her heart was
wasted? Does she not rather feel
that all she has is his, that the grand
capacity to love has been called into
being by him, that only in not full
filling her hearts yearning could she
waste her love or life?
1t was a strange place that the
officers of the -th regiment had fixed
upon for their entertainment to their
young lady friends. On the coast
line of old En5iand, where the broad
Atlantic dashcs its proud waves against
the shore, lies 4 small fishing village;
and further down, . bold, sharp cliff
raises its giant front, and facing it,
standing in the water itself at high
in the centre, as if by herculean
hands, and up the opening roll the
foaming waves, and through it, like
picture in ponderous frame, the
ships arc seen, their sails full set,
steering their course along the track
less deep. For many years, interested
visitors have come to walk along the
line Of beach to watch the rolling of
the mighty pillows, to look upon the
demon rock, and, from all the large
towns in the neighborhood, picnic
parties have come and descended that
tall cliff to mingle gay laughter,
merry songs and cheerful voices, like
softest treble, with the deep bass of
the waves.
The side of the cliff has been hewn
ont by the ingenious hands Of man,
and house Of entertainment formed
in it, in whose rooms mirtl and
music have striven for mastery, and
light feet have trippcd gaily and
thoughtlessly, beneath and between
slowly yet surely crumbling walls.
Here, on the 10th of April, Is,
the young officers were busy prepar-
ing the somewhat dingy ballroom for
their expected guests. With difficult
| ty loads of evergrcens and flowers
had been brought down the steep
descent, and gay flags and banners
draped the bare, rocky walls and fes-
tooned the musicians platform. Mine
hostess and her daughters were busy
all day long preparing for the sump-
tuous banquet; and over the supper
room hung the Union Jack and OLD
England's standard, as if to insure
thoughts Of stability and glory. The
steep steps in the cliff were carpeted
with scarlet cloth and arched with
evergreens; transformation was ac-
complished upon which the artists
might we'll gaze with pride and self
graduation.
"And when fair Luna shines over
the sea tomorrow night in full splen-
dor, Just as the dear girls arrive, "
said one sentimental licntenant, Il
am sure they will be delighted, and
the novelty will more than compen-
safe for any little extra trouble they
may incur
CHlllh you itAC ny III, OSWiAtl,
said an old officer, from whose heart
though time had effaced much Of the
outward expression Of romance could
never be torn away its original love
Of the marvellous and mysterious.
cit is Il strange, tumble-down old
place, true cnough; but with the
Demon Rock bathcd i'll moonlight,
the ocean glittering and shining as if
encrusted with Jewels, the old cliff,
black and ruinous rs an ancient bat
tlement, and underneath the fairy
grotto we have devised for their light
feet to dance in, woman must have
bid goodbye to womanhood if she is
not charmed
Meanwhile, young girls were busy
with their toilet; and arranging with
comical perplexity for that long de-
scent in the cool spring evening that
must intervene between the carriages
and the ballroom. Cloaks and hoods
must be worn, and dainty feet en-
cased III some more durable substance
than satin or kid; yet all these
thoughts only lent zest to their anti
cipated enjoyment, and the days flew
merrily by.
Esther Graham alone complain ed
grievopsly of the inconvenience Of