The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-10-26
THE CLIFF BALL.
| LCONCLUDED.

"Good evening, CousiL Frank; 1
am sorry to keep you waiting so long;
we are ready now.
"No apology is needed, Esther: I
am perfectly at ease; we shall be in
very good time
Esther Graham looked well in Il
handsome light blue silk, and appear
ed rather more inclined to enjoy her
self than usual. The three set off III
good spirits; Frank, opposite Emily
in the crriage, sat watching her,
and feasting his eyes on her gentle
beauty.
A drive Of two miles brought them
to the steep steps. Esther was given
in charge of Lieutenant Martin, who
guarded the pass, and Frank follow
ed with Emily, whispering words of
love to her, that sent a warm glow to
her checks and ajoyful tide Of feeling
to her heart. The moon was just
mounting the heavens in her car of
light, dancing i'll pale beams on the
green boughs and scarlet drapcries,
and peering into the deepest recesses
of the Demon Rock.
'What a strange old place, dear
Frank, " said Emily, tightly holding
his hand, chow such Il night as
this stirs up the strongest, deepest
feelings of our nature.
cit does, indeed. There is poetry
and love i'll every motion OF these
ripping wavelets, III every swell Of
the heaving ocean,
But how pretty you have made it
all, Frank; it seems transformed,
almost. What trouble you must have
taken"
Il am already paid for my share Of
1t. please you, dearest" said Frank,
wishing heartily that pleasant descent
alone with Emily could occupy hours
instead Of minutes; eve have reached
the sands now, and you must let me
escort you to the cloak room; there
is covered archway leading from it
to the ballroom. Goodbye, love.
Promise me three dances, Emily
the first, the last, and one between.
81 promise, Frank. l would gladly
dance with You only, if it might be
So"
Frank joined his brother officers in
the ballroom, already gay with pretty
women and bright uniforms. The
next to enter were the sisters, Esther
and Emily Graham. A host of eager
desirers of her hand in the dance
clustered around Emily. Frank came
amongst them, and gained, once
more, the promise for the first dance.
The music sounded gaily, light feet
trod III the measured dance; it grew
faster, more exciting, more pleasant:
the dancers, unmindful of all but
that ball-room-the bright eyes that
heamed upon them, the strong arms
that upheld them, the fairy feet that
glided past them, the quick notes OF
music that struck upon the carlow
should they hear the angry moaning
Of the wind around the old cliff, the
heavy swelling of the surging tide?
Emily had danced the second dance
with another partner, and Frank had
slipped away to avoid sight he
could not enjoy. He was the first to
notice the storm. 1t was awkward,
he thought, for it to come on such a
night as this; however, there were
bedrooms enough in the house for
the ladies'; and us for soldiers, if they
could not be content with q shake
down in the deserted ballroom, or
even with worse fare than that, they
were muffs, not soldiers, that was all.
When his turn came to dance with
his cousin, Frank returned, without
the slightest apprehension Of ap
preaching danger, to the ballroom.
He told Emily what he eynecfel
about the storm raging all night. and
the young girl answered iestincly
deemlng it good piece of fun to be
compelled to remain under the shelter
of the cliff. Again the music sound.
ed, and light feet danced merrily
whilst without the giant waves rose
more furiously, tumbling and tossing
over each other with crests of foam
the wind roared in the hollow of the
Demon Rock, and though the dan ce:s
knew it not, the old cliff had begun
to tremble and totter beneath his
touch. The ballroom windows had
been thickly drapcd to prevent the
cold air from finding admission, but
from the supperroom could be seen
the foaming, dashing sea; the black
clouds, with the struggling moon
anxious to behold the earth again
from behind them, like some Door
human soul whom Satan, by thick
clouds of doubt, would drive from
the presence of his God forever, vet
who struggles on, knowing that some
space IN the armament must still be