The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-10-26

And when our triumph was delayed,
And many heart grew sore OF aid,
We still 3S hoped s on Thile s cleaned the blade
Forth from its scabbardi all in vainl
Forth flashed the sword OF Leel
'Tis shrouded now in it's sheath again,
It sleepathe sleep CT our noble slain,
Defeated, yet without stain,
Proudly and peacefully.
THE QUEEN OF THE STAIRS,
The first time I saw her, she was sit
ting on the stairs, eating an ice with a
gold.pointed spoon, around her an airy
cloud of tulle puffings, and at her feet o
perfect collection of men. Even now,
atthis distance of time, the scene rises
clearly before me. A staircase where
flowers abound, lamps held by marble
figures in the wall, throwing faint
light ON the lilies and geraniums below,
and among them. enthroned like fairy
queen, the prettiest girl it is possible to
imagine. I made one step forward, was
introduced, stumbled over Jack on the
first landing, and fell crushing on the
delicate pufings of tulle, on the airy
founces of net. I made an elaborate
apology, and was told, with smile that
made me feel positively dizzy, not to
mention it," she was already 'in
shrada."
We had gone to this ball, jack and I,
to see Jacks young lady, the fairy
queen. A capital reason for Jack to 60;
hardly equally good when applied to me,
particularly rs I was not to dance with
her, speak to her, if possible, not even
to look at her, on pain of jacks wrath
and fiery indignation.
On the whole, I think may say with
Shok 1on To
was not at oil O nice person to go with.
For instance, the moment we arrived he
bolted up stairs, leaving me to follow
and introduce myself to whoever might
care to know who was. AS it happen
ed, nobody cared; but he could not have
foreseen that, and showed o want of con-
sideraion. Then he had promised to
introduce me TO whomsoever liked;
and when reminded him of his offer he
only said: "Did I, my good fellow? Yes,
30 I did," and carefully avoided me for
the rest of the evening.
am a nice looking young man, ra-
ther pale, perhaps, and without many
features; or, at least, have not the ap-
pearance Of having many features, they
being rather indistinct; but don't at
all show up to advantage leaning against
watered paper, rather yellow from
wear, and not unlike my own complex
ion. Yet, there I stand, till the lady of
the house, taking pity on me, leads me
away. She gives me ponderous young
person, with large foot, which is con-
tinually taking the gloss off my boots,
and hurts rather. I bear it like q mar
tyr, and we join the dancers, having for
a vis-a-uis Jack and his young lady, Lily,
the acknowledged queen of the stairs
regular party-going girl, with ring
ing laugh, better than any music to
dance to, and way of glancing up ut
Jack from under her lashes that seemed
quite to put him at his ease. Not that
he required much putting" by the
way; it came to him so naturally.
Considering had always heard she
didn't flirt, ("Not that sort" Jack used 4
to say,) and wasn't engaged to him,
capitally. I limited ae much to him
afterward, when he had surrendered his
pretty partner to the next claimant, who
took her off instantly to tho stairs, and
I had deposited her of the ungainly foot
on friendly chair, but he laughed mo
to scorn.
"What, marry Lily?" he says ''No,
no, my dear fellow Catch q weasel
asleep Gf jack is the weasel, nothing
could be easier than to catch him asleep
he never thinks of getting up before IL J
She is dear little girl, and would make
q most charming wife, I am sure, for q
rich man; but the idea of love in cot
tage, even with Lily, is-well, anything
but invigorating.
don't believe him for q moment; but
won't enter into an argument-not at
all, because always get the worst of it,
as Jack declares, for I don't admit the
truth of that assertion, but because
feel that time will give more satisfac.
tory answer than any words of mine
could do.
So we go on-very comfortably, so far
as they are concerned, I should think,
till at the close Of the evening, on enter.