Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-05-01
IsABEL's CHOICE:
OR, THE RIVAL LOVERS.

ISABEL'S CHOICE:
OR, THE RIVAL LOVERS.
Isabel Wyndham lay lazily back on heI
! soft-cushioned fauteuil, with her hands clasped
behind her head, looking dreamingly out ol
the curtained window. Slowly and sercnely
sailed up the full round moon behind the
misty Kentucky hills, and the roar OF rapid
river very near, rose above the signing OF thc
melancholy night wind. The stars cieaving
bright and keen through the blue black arch,
looked bleak and wiutry, and a hard black
frost baked the earth.
But to Miss Isabel Wyndham, nesting cost
ly among the rosy cushions OF her chair, the
outer coldness and desolation only made the
comfort Of her pretty chamber more luxuTl-
GUS. 1t was the prettcst, the dantlest OF
maiden bowers. perfect from the messy car
pet, where rosebuds bloomed, 10 the plump,
snowy bed and the oval pictures on the huted
walls 1t was all charming, but nothing there
was more charming than herself, as she
louDged with negligent grace in tnat gold
colored morning robe with its black belt, and
her trim slippered feet resting on nottoman.
Her black hair fell, all tumbled and loose,
over her shoulders, and her dark eyes were
misty with ianguid thought.
81 wish l knew, what to do," Miss Wynd-
ham was thinking, rather ruefuily. Z" don't
want to be married that know Of, and Pm
not in love I'm certain, aud yet it seems |
must be Mrs. Somebody. before long, or my
dear abs2rd old uncle will go distracted. l
wish could take 10 mairimony in the nsta-
raj way like other girls, and have done With
it. I've had tn, measles, and whoopIIn!g
cough. and scalletina, and the rest oil the dis
eases common TO juycnility, but | can't iall IN
love. The nearest approach ever felt to the
tender passions was at the age Of fifteen: Now
am three-anti.twenty, apd-come in."
A rap at the door disturbed the current of
her thoughts. Miss Wyndham sat erect, and
tall, thin old gentleman, got up in taaltess
evening costume, entered, and paused IN the
doorway aehast. :,
Miss Wyndham are you aware 1t Is half
past six, ard we dine ct seven 2
"Good gracious, uncle! Half-past SIX! l
never dreamed of such thing! Has any
body Gomez"
.Our guests are all downstairs. Mr.. Ray
mond and Mr.. Warner arrived this moment
This negligence on your part, Miss Myndham,
is absolutely disgraceful.''
Isabel jumped up and rang the bell.
"Don;t be cross, uncle Tom, that's dar:
ling, and will be ready in fifteen minutes:
know it's disgracelul, and I'm dreadfuily
ashamed of myself, but I-oh, Susie hurry
ond mske me as pretty rs You can. am
afraid I shall be late"
Susie, bright quadroon girl, hurried
through the boudoir into the dressing room,
and her mistress was following her, when her
uncle laid his hand on her arm and detained
her.
"Isabel you will have g proposal to night
in fact, two proposals" :,
1.-TWO proposals Now what on earth"
Mr.. Jordan gave his niece an impatient shake
mYou understand very we'll, only you are
the most aggravating-Mr. Raymond and MIR;
Warner, have both done you the honor OF
asking my permission to address you. Both
are unexceptionable' in point OF family and
fortune, both arc young and good looking
What more can any woman in her senses re-
quirc ?" H., aAm
T to accept tbem both ? Shall marry. one
first and the other after, or both together, or
how ~
@Don't be absurd Accept which of them
YOU please. Mr. Raymond is more polished
and considerably the wealthiest, but please
yourself. know both will make you an Of
fer tonight, and one or the other you must
accent under pain of my deep displeasure."
MIR. Jordan strobe with dignity out of the
chamber and down to the drawing rooms
where his guests we're assembled, waiting tor
tho dining bell. Walter Raymond and John
Warner were waiting for something else
what do Young men in the last stage OF love
care for their meals? They tidgeted and made
objects of themselves, John Warner partcu-
larIv. and watched the door, and answered ut
random when people talked to them, and sat
on nettles generally. -,
MIR. Raymond who was slender and elegant,
and had a beautiful moustache and Partisan
manners managed TO conceal his anxiety
tolerably, and to talk to a passe lady in red
velvet: but Mr.. Warner could not. lie was
tau, fair haired young man, this John War
ner, who blushed when Miss Wyndham spoke
to him, and had o crazy notion that the an
gels in paradise could not be much more
beautiful or perfect than she:
Presently she Came in, radiant in bright
blue alace and misty lace with jewels spark
limo about her, and her dark curls flowing.
ME- RAYMOND was beside her, somehow, di-
rectly, with flush on his cheek; and Mr..
Warner coloring up as if he had stolen. the
spoons, stood afar off, and looked and longed.
The blunders that that young man made
all through dinner were shocking. Nothing,
but being hopelessly in love with young lady
sitting opposite could gosslp5ly a Paaie aein his
Mr. Raymond!-sat by her side, and poured
soft eloouence in her listening ear. he
eo couldn't eat any mora than that unhappy
John; but Miss Wyndbam took her soup, and
her her fsh, and her desert as calmly and with a.
rood an appetite if they had been at the anti
podes. Still she had rather liked it, and Mr