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

whom all seemed to expect with some curiosity
and impotence. There were four of them, HarrJ
Darlington Walter Percy, son of old Massa
chusetts, one who wore as his only ornament q
| Phi Beta Kappa key. of square massive gold, with
its cabalistic letters; Tom Howard, whole-souled
westerner, and ], Gerard Moalton, g Creole OF
the old Canadian stock. We were college chums
schoolmstes, all willing to spill our hearts blood
for each other-it was before our country's
wretched wsr-and we were brothers In heart
and soul.
Percy sprang forward with his natural impa.
tience and said, Now, Darlington, you can tell
US all about the coming soirse for you are Madame
Benoit's 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 hss
| some new charm, an heress, millionaire or a
| litterateur, q belle or an Adonis."
Darlington laughed one of his lsnguid, fsshons.
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 II 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 beauty OF Venus, ard be wise as mfnervs..-ll
Darlington gave q low knocking bow and said.
al leave you to your fate, gentlemen. but some
fyou are not intoxicated by Magdslene Winters
beauty, 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 huntsmsn
had seemed 70 be IN a sort of daze for some
time, watching for Madame Benefits carriage
with sort of feverish impotence. He had seen
yelled fgure--one whose elegance of form he des.
cribed as psrtaking 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 besuty, Much above the usual size
of women, towering very queen, coil upon coil
Of raven hair crowned her superb and beautiful
heads pure dazzling white complexion cneeks
that We'd with the rose 10 its first crimson flush,
an exquisite form, hands IS white ss lilies, and
model like arms eyes that swan 10 their wilder
ing biackress F; not sharp twinkhng eyes-I des-
pise those IN g woman not trained co0uettish
eyesI distrust them; not great sleepy, expression
less ones-heS tire me; or duh brown or shy eyes
they worry me; but great, earnest, truthful ones,
thar flashed, Or smiled. or dropped, as nature
dictated.
I,Gerard Morton, felt ny pulses quicken, and my
heart beat as gazed on this divinely beautiful
YOmgp. l. who 1t thirty FIVE, had never told a
love ], whom my own mother would bid the
nurse take from her presence. / don't remember
that she ever kissed ne IN her life. grew mp the
daring and pet Of my old negro nanny" who
loved me as fondly as If l 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
derness Of the old black NANNY" The boarded
treasure Of popcorn, nuts, delicious pottage,
fer preferable for our unipitisted stonlschs to
oyster soup the moonlight dance in front of the
old cabin (; the mourniul cOrnfeld songs in their
sad MINOR ley. 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 from 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 a
brothers love, sweet, gentle cousin, bat she
only looked upon cousin Gerard as dear
good fellow" This is quite . depression 10
favor Ct Gerard Morton, Esq. There stood the
star Of the evening. Miss Minter dressed in
some rich, white stuf-we men are not good st
descripuOns-it was low at the neck, with short
sleeves. bat there vas some sort of fleecy stuff
that looked Ike On imprisoned cloud up 70 her
delicsie throat, and fastened at the exquisiteiy
shaped wrist, yelling the matchless form and
creamy whiteness Of neck and arms. She wore
not jewel but spreys Of white jasmine in her
Jetty hair and at her throat for that was
not the day of sboddy shams of tinsel and
beads.
Ny frierd Carriogson lowered round her al the
evening, bnd having a previous slight acquaiat-
snee was more fortunate than Percy, Howard or
myself. The next in fascination and beauty to |
Miss Minter was the fsr.haired. lily.compexoned,
tairy-like Fanny Stewart. Il had been mooted |
question which YVES her most devoted cavalier |
Howard OF Percy. Darlington had until this even.
ing been making platonic love TO Ernestine |
mcAfee, whose plain face and awkward figure /
were get of by most magnificent natural curls not
a cache fetgae, but 8 genuine met of gold, in |
which 10 catch mems hearts and there retain i
IheIn," as VIII Shakespeare hath it and this same
krnestine lay elshTined in my heart like Q pearl
a ita shell; None dreamed it but the great ruler |
Of hearts, He who pi.ed Jacob, and made his four
een years seem Ike dream. This baby cousin
lad saved me from nnisanthropy. Misc Stewart
lad TO look this night among the lesser lights for
admirers. Magdalene Minter's mstchless beauty,
ler freshness and earnestress, had won both Percy
Ind Darlington, and I feared jealousy might sepa.
ate those very brothers, for jealousy il cruel as
he grave, saith the Book Of Books, and trembled |
.or the loving, srne-hearted Ernsstine. Miss
stewart cid not pity much. She was shallow, |
,us self willsd, artfnl and dstermined, utterly nm
Il 10 make Percy happy man. feroy was
sir type OF Northern student, keen, satirical, |
lard STUDENT; not handsome; Tor he had the worn
ook of the bookworm, ard was of restless, |
lervous, impatient disposition; he would say
lard, stern things to his dearest friends; his COM
,lexion was sallow, hair black and straight as an
ndian's, with clear cat features; clear bright |
ye, that only 81 times lend they were indeed)
rev soft and tender. Darlington was the hand
onest man ever saw, with soft, brown, almond
haped eyes, and face fair and fresh as a young |
,irl's; ripping soft brown hair; mellow, witch.
ng voice. Both had been decided in their atten-
ions TO Miss Fanny until Magiaene came. saw
hat night On ugly look in the girls face as be
awned and fut,ered around Miss Minter. had |
cen II once before when Percy had admired the
.ress Of lady friend. Now came the contest
.etween baby.Ike, child-like, inuocentlooking |
fanny Stewart, with her guile and cunning, and
be noble, whole-souled, honest woman. Oh the |
night have-b eens that lie wrecks in our hearts, |
I'd In dark and lonesome thoughtsl How the |
'hantom bells ring out knells and requiems |
he. Magdalene, would have made Walter Percy |
Apply.
| soon read my dsrling's heart Twas but boy
Fhen my favorite cousin married John McAfee, g |
'ood man. She died in year and left baby |
,irl Ernestine she called me when she was diving |
nd gave me her baby girl. Her mother had been
beautiful Creole girl, Ernestine only inherited |
be beautiful tIesses Of her dead mother in other |
aspects she was PLAIN Scotch lassie. ihad seen |
)arrington's growing Partially for her and felt
be wond not suit him, but Ernestlne's tastes were
ssthetic and she loved Darlington with the un-
ried heart of young school girl. Now his atten-
ions began to wane--there was fearful struggle |
DING on in his really honorable, noble soul. |
lught be TO marry Ernestine, loving another, or |
ught he to wreck her happiness TO secure his