Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-08-11
THE CURSE OF BEAUTY.
A Leaf from Chapter Of Frailty.


a Leaf from a Chapter OF FTailty.
OF the many beautifully frail who weave
the meshes of death in this wicked City Of
Rocks, there is one whose rich though
somewhat faded inheritance of natural
charms never fails TO strike the eye Of the
beholder with interest, If not with admira-
ton. A very queen in form and carriage,
she moves along our thoroughfares with an
underlined veil Of gloom about her-a men
tai chafDg as Of Invisible chains prin-
cess bsnished from her realms. A brief
recital of her life Of gorgeousness and sin.
told us by an old acquaintance of hers and
a friend to her family, we trust will not be
in bad taste, It may "serve to point a
moral" etc, who knows?
Could history roll back its truthful scrolls
or could the sun-hand which marks the
flight of time return ten years agone, this
woman would be seen queen of royalty
the most royal. On the far-off shores Of
the "Lone Star State" in the beautiful "Bsy
City," at that period lived a good man, an
eminent and successful merchant and
banker, and be had but this an only daugh-
ter. A cherub of beauty even in infancy,
meath the genial rays Of her tropic sun she
grew like gorgeous flower, fair and beau
tiful She was her fathers pride-his am
bition. At his bidding a palaLial mansion
rose to shelter her. She was gently Graded
among beautiful halle, fountains, statues
and gardens. Ships from over the sea
brought her all of luxury and Uertu that
mind could devise or heart desire. The
magic touch of gold, with position and
idolatrous affection smoothed the path
way of knowledge, and paved the vista
through which she entered life with
germs and flowers. In time this
paragon of child burst into the perfection
Of womanhood. Society of one accord,
united to do her homage men gazed upon
her with bated breath and yelled eyes.
Hosts Of noble suitors knelt at her shrine,
vet afar of. Time passed, and her heart
remained untouched. Anon, strange
knight entered the lists. He was an Apollo
in form, with the manners of a courtier
and a will of iron. For a time only he
innOcently mingled among their gay festivi-
ties, then dauntlessly couched his lance and
laid siege to the heart of the beauty, and
before his rivals could act, she was charmed,
fascinated, won!
Then came CONSERVATION in high circles.
In vain parents, friends and suitors frowned
upon his advances in vain they expostu-
lated with and reproached the fair object
of his passion. She haughtily repulsed
them until her high strung nature became
outraged, when, in fit of frenzy, she
bowed her glorious head to the tempter-
this fair-laced, smooth-tongued villain. Yes,
she bowed her head and fell--fell from the
Hottest pinnacle of pure, virtuous woman
hood, down, down to a thing whose name
is loosely banded about in foul places. 1t
was a calm, mid night; the soft,
sweet moon bathed the world in splendor
fairest of the fair, she fOated in the dance
to soft, bewitChing music; lights sparkled,
Jewels cleaned, silks ruffled and perfumes
filled the air, when the large, dark eyes of
this new sutton drank up the last remnant
of her will, and when morning came, of
the vestal fire in her young heart there re-
manned but ashes. Murder will out p
The terrible secret was revealed az all such
secrets are. Her aged father was struck to
the earth, there to writhe a gibbering I'M
beetle until death released him. The doors
Of society closed with ominous sounds upon
the lost one, and to her former friends and
snitors