The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-21
For the Sunday Crescentl
MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

cordial greeting of the group to Q tall Virginisn
whom all seemed to expect with some curiosity
and impotence. There were four Of them, Harry
Darlington Walter Percy, q son of old Masss
chusetts, one who wore as his only ornament q
Phi Beta Kappa key. of square massive gold, with
ite cabslistic letters; Tom Howard, whoIe-souled
Westerner, and ], Gerard MoHlton, Creole Of
the old Canadian stock. We were college chums,
schoolmates, all wiling to spill our hearts blood
for each other-it was before our country's
wretched war-snd we were brothers In heart
| and soul.
Percy sprsng forward with his natural imps.
| tience and said, Now, Darlington, you can tell
US all about the coming soiree, for you are Madame
Benoits right bower on all such happy occasions.
What is the charm Of the coming soiree for you
are in the secret, and the wise hostess always has
some new charm. an heiress, millionaire or a
litierateur, q belle or an Adonis."
Darlington laughed one of his lsnguid, fsshions.
Bile smiles, and remarked: swell, gentlemen,
stand convicted, but you must swear secrecy
beauty is the charm Of the next soiree-one who
makes her debut at Madame Benoit's."
Nov Gerard, your time will come, for If this
fair unknown is admitted to the ranks of the beau
tful by the critic Darlington, she must combine
the grace Of Hebe, the majesty of Juno, and
the beaury OF Venus, and be wise az minervs..--L
Darlington gave low mocking bow and said.
81 leave you to your fate. gentlemen, but II some
Of you are not intoxicated by Msgdslene Winters
beauty, l an no prophet"
Percy's keen eyes twinkled as he remarked, 81
half believe Darlington ia yictimized already"
Tom Howard said not q wOrd--the wild huntsman
had seemed 20 be in q sort of daze for some
time, watching for Madame Benefits carriage
with sort of feversh Impotence. He had seems
yelled fgure-one whose elegance of form he des-
cribed as partaking Of something supernatural.
Friday evening rolled around, and we four
drove up TO Madame BIS elegant residence. and
there met Msgdalene Minter. Can describe her
bewildering besutys Much above the usual size
of women, towering q very queen, coil upon coil
Of raven hair crowned her superb and beautiful
head-s pure, dazzling white complexion, cneeks
that We'd with the rose 10 its first crimson fiush
an exquisite form, hands as white as lilies and
model ike arms eyes that swan 10 their wilder
ing biacknehs lot sharp twinkhng eyes-I des-
pse those in g woman; not trained coouettish
eyes-Idistrust them; not great, sleepy expression
less ones-theS tire me; or duh brown or shy eyes
they worry me but great, earnest, truthful Ones
that flashed, or smiled. or dropped, as nature
dictated.
L,Gerard Morton, felt ny pulses quicken, and my
heart beat Sc gazed on this diviney beautiful
woman loved her, for what had | to do with
love p? l. whom my own mother would bid the
nurse take from her presence. | don't remember
that she ever kissed ne II Der life. grew mp the
darling and pet Of my old negro "nammy,v who
loved me SIS fondly as If had been her own.
Alas, the old tine IS gone now with its sweet
and tender ties and recOllectiOns on both Sides
The young generation will never know the ten
oerress of the old black nanny" The boarded
treasure Of popcorn, nuts, delicious pottage,
fsr preferable for our unintiateo stomachs to
oyster soup the moonlight dance in front of the
old cabin the mourniul cOrnfeld songs in their
sad MINOR key. And the poor old mammies when
sick now there are no golden haired children fit
ting in and out Of your cabin DOORS bringing lux
uries IRON the richly laden table Of tne olden
time, singing sweet Sunday school hymns, and
reading the sweet Evangeis to you.
There was one had loved with more than
only looked upon Cousin Gerard as dear,
good fellow" This is quite q depression 10 |
favor Ct Gerard Morton, ESQ. There stood the
star Of the evening Miss Mirter dressed in |
some rich, white staf-we men are not Sood at |
descripnous-it was low at the neck, with short |
sleeves, bat there vas some sort Of feecy stuff |
that locked Ike en- imprisoned cloud up 70 her |
delicate threat, and fastened at the ex1uisteiv
shaped wrist, yelling the mstchless form and !
creamy whiteness OF neck and arms. She wore |
not jewel but spreys Of white jasmine in her |
jety hair and at her throat, for that was |
not the day of sboddy shar1s of tinsel and |
beads.
Ny friend Darlington lowered round her all the
evening, snd having previous slight acquaint-
tnee was more fortunate than Percy, Howard or /
myself. The next in fascination and beauty to /
Miss Minter was the fair.haired. ly-complexioned,
eiry-hke Fanny Stewart. Il had been q mooted
question which was her most devoted cavalier.
Howard or Percy. Darlington had until this even.
hg been making platonic love to Errestine
NcAfee, whose plain face and awkward figure
were get of by most magnificent natural curls, not
cache peig7se, but genuine met of gold in |
which 10 catch mems hearts and there retain |
hem," ss viii Shakespeare hath it 4; and this same
srnestine lay enshTined in my heart like pearl
\ it, she'll None dreamed it but the great ruler
# hearts, He who pitied Jacob, and made his four
cen years seem Ike dream. This baby cousin !
lad saved me from misanthropy. Miss Stewart
ad to look this night among the lesser lights for
6mirers. Magdalene Mnter's matchless beautv |
er freshness and esrlestness, had won both Percy |
nd Darlington, and feared jealousy might sepa. |
ate those very brothers, for jealousy ia cruel as
he grave, saith the Book Of Books, and trembled |
OF the loving, une.hearted Ernestine. Miss |
stewart did not pity much. She was shallow, |
nt self wilsd, artful and determined utterly nm.
{ 10 maize Percy happy man. Percy was q
sir type Of Northern student; keen, satirical,
ard student: not handsome, for he had the worn |
box Of the bookworm, ard was of a restless,
ervous, impatient disposition; he would say |
ard. stern things to his dearest friends; his COM
lexiOn Was saliow, hair black and straight as an |
1dian's, with clear cat features; clear bright |
ye that only 81 times (end they were rare indeed)
rev soft and tender. Darlington was the hand
omest man ever saw, with soft, brown, almond |
haped eyes, and face fair and fresh as young |
irls ripping soft brown hair mellow, witch. |
lg voice. Both had been decided in their atten-
ons TO Miss Fanny until Magdalene came. lsaw
hat night an ugly look in the girls face as be |
iwned snd iutiered around Miss Hinter. had | {
cen IL once before when Percy had admired the
ress Of lady friend. Now came the contest
etween baby.like, child.like, innocent-lookng
amy Stewart, with her guile and cunning, and
Re noble, whole. souled. honest woman. Oh the
light. have-beens that lie wrecks in our hearts,
I'd in dark and lonesome thoughtsl How the | ,
hantom bells ring out kDells and requiems
be, Magdalene, would have made Walter Percy !
Apply.
soon read my dsrling's heart. ] was but boy {
hen my favorite cousin married John McAfee, q |
ood man. She died in year and left baby | :
irl Ernestine she called me when she was dying |
nd gave me her baby girl. Her mother had been
beautiful Creole girl. Ernestine only inherited
le beautiful tresses of her dead mother; Ia other
aspects she was PLAIN Scotch lassie. + had seen
arrington's growing partially for her and felt | \
le " ould not suit him. bu; Ernestine's tastes were
sthetc and she loved Darlington with the un-
led heart Of young school girl. Now his atten- | {
ons began TO wane-there was fearful struggle | '
Ding on in his really honorable, noble soul. q
ught he to marry Ernestine, loving another, or |
rRht be TO wreck her happiness to secure his