The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-08-19
Fer the South Western.
The Dance.
: This ere is mine, I'll freely share

Sang the Teian bard Who in his soft and sweet Ionic
dialect advocated with peerless taste and decaey the
claim of pleasureas the medium by which the greatest
amount Of happiness waste be enioyed deFout vo-
tary at the shrine where joy offerings are land his de-
ghtul warblea the sweet enchantments OF pres
ent mirth, aud
aCheerful friends that faithful prove
Beauty g smiles and blissfui love"
Though the world, since the early period when the
minstrel Of Teos touched, with skui art the strings
of that sweet Tyre that poured forth ceaseless strains
ofmelody -the soft aud delightful musc-breethings OF
the heart-has undergone changes and reVulsons and
society, for the most part, is governed by dieren'
ideas and circumstances yet human nature acsnoWi-
edges but little alteration, and the sentiment OF man
kind in general responds most cheeruiy to the pleas
ant warblngs of the polished Anacreon fart1cuari7
do the Young and lovely pay homage to the god OF fes-
tive Cheer and seek fer happiness in the fowery paths
of pleasure. The cold, podding sciost, who sees IN
every throb Of exuisaton which the heart espiays
departure e NE nay re-
alise all the eBjoymens he derive from such beef
founded upon principles Of the most forbdding Piaon-
ism but giveme the goblet brimmiHg with joy,the
scenes where youth and beauty mestand there hap
piness will reign in the richest robes of sovereignty
!" Let Venus, loves sweet, smiling Qneen,
With youthful Hgrnen deck the scene;
With these, youthful group display,
As fair as Phnbus, god ofday"
And then the cares which duty and disappointment
bring will be washed by Lehes wave and forgotten
the Bitterness of fe darkest hours will vanish from
the recollection and the heart forgetfu of the past,
and blissfuy ignorant, uncarng as to the uure Is
sensible only of present joys IL there not reason as
we'll enjoyment IN this pnIipS6pnyf DoeS not tle
heart in the contentious struggles Of life, become
thirsty for draught Of Tecreaton9 and where may 1t
be saked from seeter source than the blissfu fonn-
tain of pleasure? One sip from that delightful spring
reiurenaes the spirit tina. is oppressed by trouble
sorrow and gives buogant freshness to the feeling ana
bounding elasticity to every fibre IT beng 1t IS, m
deed the tabled fount which makes youth perennial
and satisfies the longing aspirations OF the heart ior
happiness. ss I, .r.-
Thursday eve Twas set apart and consecrated as
the occasion for festive ritesthe closing dance OF Pref
SuE ga sPhnni an hnnr thFoug OF little
children misses In their teens; beauty Ia It's pioom
and beauty on the wane mothers that are and those
that would be, assembled z. Masonic Hall to lay cba-
tons upon the altar of their itopieasare Fair ones
arraFed mall the attractive forms Of ioyeiness
their features radiant with Joy; their smiles sparkling
with playful hunor, with beutching sweetness and
beauty, and men lost their uniform gravity OF appear
ance their countenances flashed with lively appre-
citation fthe worth and loneliness of those scarcely
less than angelic beings that surrounded them, and
with the glowing pleasures that beamed every hand
inviting the admiration Of every heart. DARK and bril-
liant eyes flashed secret power that prompted the
most loyal DEVOTION and the bright iustrous oFps too
Of oul-subdung blue, reflected light and influence
the most obdurate heart could not resist the duest
and mostinsensible feeling fail to appreciate.
The whole scene presented picture as fair as the
poets fondest vision of the Mosems heaven. But to
the dance. The early part of the evening appro
priated to the pupils of Prof Duke, who executed a
number Of dances in the most graceful and artistic
style Indeed, some of the little Misses achieved tr
umph in the terpschorean art but seldom witnessed III
those of n1aturer years. Among the many who won
applause OF Jne OeHgnSu spectators
E. Miss Daisy E., Miss r. s., Miss NJ. R., Miss B. w ;,
Miss Z. T., and the beautiful, attractive and lovely
Misses e. E. These gentle beings were the objects OF
intense interest and admiration, not only account OF
their superior excellence in dancing but for the modest
and pleasing demeanor that characterised their every
action. Where all performed so admirably, it would
perhaps sayor somewhat of parteiity to bestow upon
any particular one the need Of special praise but IN
view Of her exFe me yonta, and the wonderful facility
with which she bend to the requirements OF the
art causing her petite figure to float through he air IN
graceful motion, spirit from lana, as She
threads the may abyrinths Of the Highland Fling we
constrained to accord the palm of undsputed SOW
eregnty to little Miss Lucy E. Of the fair ladies OF
mature years, who lent their smiles and tasciua
tons to the scene cannot, with proPrety speak
heart dictates. While many shons in all the lustre
of their charms, yet to our enraptured vison there
who, in beauty, grace and loneliness, Tar
eclipsed them all, Who that gazed upon her. as she
moved amid that fairy throng with ease and elegance
voice merry marriage bei,' and sweeter than
the song stars but wished in mis- heart that he pos
sessed that home which Byron sighed for when he
peDned these beautiful lines. az:
''oh that the desert we're my dTe|ling-place,
With one fair spirit for my minister
That might all forget The human race,
And, hating one love tut ouiT her.
Who did NOT gaze with delight upon the fair forms
they fitted like visions Of light, of beauty and excel
ence, before the eye, and dreamed in their mirhul in
nocence and purity, only of the numerous blessings
which crown the glorious Of their youth? Who
did not like the conception Of Byrons fancy and hero
of his immortal verse,
g view, but not displeased the reTelry,
Nor hated harmless miTth?"
Y no did not gaze ~th rapture upon the bright eyes,
the Joyous looks and animated countenauces of the
tie beings by whom they pleasantly surrounded
and hasked beneath the sunny smiles that darted in
every direction their radiant and cyinspiring beamsf
II was. indeed pleasant time. and heart responded
to heart in the ntiDe5s OF happiness that it realised
For hours the dazzling lustre of brilliant orbs shone
full upon unchened spirits and claimed the ferVid idol
airy of hearts that exuted voluntary captivity.
At length the pleasures OF the dance ceased the
sound of music hushed the voice of revelry no
longer invaded the peaceful realms of quiet, broke
captivating eeipess upon the listening the charmed
and delighted ear. The lights fed that gave
such hEillancy the scene " the garlands dead that
fair inhabitants that lately peopscd with life with
Jog and animation Each ones hope mad been attained;
each heart had realised its WISH and each brow beamed
with the sparkies Of peasuFe-was crowned with a
blooming wreath Of happiness. May 1ower |
from that garland be withered, but bloom in perennial
brightness May the page Of memory never be stained
darker spot than the recollection of that evening
sunny hours of undimmed hap
piness May each and every who mingled the |
pleasures Of the rejoice in the realisation of life
free from the sing5 Of disappointment aud the poign
of care, and may the end of earth be bliss
'ui the bright Fecoilecons and sunny associations
hat render the present Eden of Joy, of felicity and
owe. SPECTATOR
THE GEORGIA SENAToRs.-From the National Intel
igepcer learn something of the antecedents of the
wo gentlemen lately elected United States Senators
rom Georgia dr. Joshua Hill, of Morgan county,
Tho is elected for the long term, member of
congress from Georgia at the breaking out Of the war;
nd rafrsed tn resign with his cnllearues He