The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-04-14


on those who rebel against her laws.
OF course, he looked to a. wealthy
match for Clothilde, the pearl; Of all
his handsome children. ~, If.
Maidens of twenty, however, are
apt to view these matters in o differ
| ent light from their sires. a score Of
years later. when her heart is hard
ened and her good sense developed,
| the prudent matron can scarcely
believe she could ever feel like 'smiss
in her teens" Women exhaust their
affections faster. than men, end con-
sequently are less hampered with
them in advanced life. Herein they
show their accustomed tact; dotipg
grey-beard may be, pitiable sight
enough, but romantic old woman is
as ridiculous an anomaly as q COW in
a gallop. Nevertheless, the young
ones can be as wilful as you please.
Clothilde. could not be brought toj
see the merit of d suitor whom her
father especially favored, simply, it
would appear, because AIaximiiiah
did favor him, and because lie was
the weaithiest and most sumptuous
noble about the court. And yet Otto
OF Alsatia. Laudgrave of .Ehenheim,
was q gallant we'll calculated to- make
wild work in the female bosom. He
was'in the prime of life, exceedingly
good-lookipg, with certain air Of
conscious superiority and noncha-
lence, which makes so much way in
woman's good graces. Indifference,
you see, interests them, piques them,
raises the combative principle, of
which they possess considerable
share, and they. must fathom the
mystery, must conquer or die. He
had high reputation, too, as o war
rior; had held the Lists in Burgundy,
on occasion of the Emperor's mar
riage, for two summer days, against
all comers, and threw his Alsatian
revenues about with profhsion that
nstonished the whole court. Also, !
the extravagant absurdity Of his
dress was only equalled by its splen-
dor; SO the Austrian ladies vowed in
their soft Austrian tones that he was
enchanting.
|. AS On aspirant to the hand of the
beautiful Clothilde, he had especially
devoted his military talents of her
father. He wore the young arch
sduohess's colors of al occasions; and
although he had once been uraorsed
jim o tournament by an unknown.
knight who bore knot of ribbons
lGf the same hue On his helmet, his
stout arm and skillful lance had |
made the terrible violet, Clothilde's |
favorable emblem, q dread to all |
who. sat in kiightly selle, from,
which the Landgrave was exceed
ingly successfuLin extricating them.
Still she liked Count Knn the
best. How her heart had beat, that
well remembered day, when from
the gallery she recognized herIio
cognisance on an ngknbwn helmet,
and somathinig told her she was
guessing rightly ut the face beneath.
How.she held her breath and turned |
.sick. at the crash of the encounter;
andhow her, faintness; passed. away
and her blood, thrilled when she
saw the Landgraye onH his back,
with his squire unclasping his Tzor,
while the; unknown champion, wheel
ed his charger round in Triumph to
receive the plaudits Of the Emperor.
After that, Eof course, she let him
himself and when he Ap-
peared at court. in q full suit Of
violet satin, embroidered with seed |
pearls, to the Empress's admira-
tion and the Landgrayes unbound
ed disgust, regarded him with "a
sunny smile, and permitted him to
eat off the same plate with her at
supper-a partnership which, in
those unsophisticated times, implies,
rather an excess of good will than O.
scarcity of china.
And Count Karl loved her very
dearly, and for her sake split his
blood in her fathers battles. win
ming great honor and renown; and
for her sake haunted her fathers
court, where he was not exceedingly
welcome, and preferred his almost
hopeless suit, with all its sorrows,
to the bright eyes and kindly Smiles
that wooed him from the rest.
1t was strange, said the Austrian
ladies, to see so high couraged
warrior with heart. SO cold.
But stranger still was the conduct
of Clothilde. So little advanced
was this young lady in the code of
coquetry, that she did not despise
her lover for his answering devo-
ton to his mistress; that she did
not undervalue possession simply
because she was sure of it; nor humi-
late him because he was too proud
IN 10 L. L. 4