The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-11-30

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; 3s,,s An, M "a
tiSit4a4yd ,psrfScts IfH5f Sa sSiways 9sfSa.
;bass . soari ideal sof on hood. AID,
'ss 'ssssa Il; 3 Err; ss;;
kB6WHsNiShss st open sdsti lance. !, &. {;
i an not : hslsaysr I, III ths gfff. Of
ptescienoe and yat, pows that i look
bssk apoa that ni ght, there Nas shade
:es ea sSeas e lssstin 8 q s ;t,s, hes no 81
ISsSssssss' ss,'sg 8 9 z y sssns ( q IR z H
'm5 dsa,l Guy and light hearted mood
deserted me; aud tiituggAsattAs.rest Of
the evening ! noticed at jnses ale Johns
anxious; gaxs Bent upon Hia} WITH %
unde6nabfe mir Of appfehensi6ns which
/ could not account for. Wa wese
drifting, though ell upeonseiously, in
the deep.shedow Of q coming woe.
The next day, was the eighteenth an.
.niversary Of my birthday, aud my father
had resolved 20 give a. splendid .fete .in
honor 6f'tke occasion. was then ITO
make my entree in the fashionable world.
In vain / protested that I was not ia q
,nvoG 70, enjoy Q festive gathering; that
i Had alf thS society i wished for, and
did not care to extend the cirple Of, my
acquaintance. My father iusisted, And
whom he drew me tenderely 70 his side
and kissed me fondly, calling sms4 his
youp&sst dazzling. i was no longee5 proof
agsfnst his lavish Caresses; and deter
mi1ed to contest the matter 10 farther.
Cards Of iasitation were. therefore, is.
sued to about twenty families in the
neighborhood, while number ofguests
were invited from town--friends ofmy
father, who had long held an honora-
ble position Nuuder government, and was
in daily habit of association With some
of the most prominent minds in the
country. -
: The fiat having gone forth, I entered
heart and soul into all The minutiae Of
preparation, to the surprise of my
friends, who wondered greatly at the
contrast with my former apathy. I vi
brated all day from parlor to kitchen,
from dining.room to bo,4doir, taking q
thousand unnecessary steps, and having
a voico in every arrangement however
trivial. It was late in the afternoon
when, wearied and exhausted with my
voluntarily assumed labors, Ithrew my.
self upon couch and was SOON buried
In profound slnmber % awaking, it
Sc emed as though 1 had only'for mo-
ment lost my Consciousness but the
mantel clock, then on the point Of stri.
king six, informed mo, to my dismay,
that i had slept noarly two hours. 49,.
After refreshing myself with hsstJ
bath repaired to the dresssing- room,
where found my. sister, Who was about
starting in search Of me-. Having "a
dressing maid we'll skilled in all the
mysteries of her art, I placed myself
under her careful manipulations, aud at
eight o'clock precisely emerged from
hor hands, my toilstte being pronoan-
ced; faultless aud complete. was at
tired in gossamer robe of soft, diaph-
auous texture, my only ornament CON
sisting of a single white japonica, whose
pure and lustrous petals sbone in vivid
contrast with the massive braids Of my
dark hair. Having put the last finish
ing touches to her work, Lisette folded
her arms and looked upon me admirine-
1y. "Quele jolie den,oiseNe" she ex-
claimed. II have done my possible,
aud Monsieur John will be so proud"
I blushed consciously at her extrava-
CANT praises. At the foot Of the broad
staircase 1 met my father, who over~
whelmed me with compliments. I fancy
they were not wholly undeserved, for 1
the involuntary glance Of ad.
with which caught in passing
the reflection ofmy figure in. full
length mirror. Beyond this: I never
gave roy appearance an after.thought.
The rooms were all thrown open and
brilliantly lighted. Vases Of the choi-
cest and most fragrant flowers from the
filled the air with q deli
cate perfume that, to my excited fancy,
seemed waited from the tabled gardens
of Eastern story. 1t was like fairy land
to my enchanted vision and when John
game and stood beside me, my happi-
ness was complete. It is impossible to
convey 10 words,any idea OF the expIes-
sWu WiSu Whtou 40 AOSotucu moS suS
mingled pride aud tenderness, while
the thought shone uppermost that i
was his-his alone. ; -
( Love, to me, has always bsen'a sacred
thing. Like the hidden violet that
breathes its perfume in some lowly vale,
or deep, sequestered nook, charming the
senses Of the solitary passer.by, aud not
to be faunted in the broad light Of day.
Ishall pass over those few blissful
Of heart comnpapiop-,a..hat
oome but once in ID lifetime, and al
most make. heaven upon earth. In
The secret chambers$of my soul they
are treasured still, the only solace Of my
lone aud 3 weary life. Alas T. that I
could so coon and so ruthlsssly trample
upon spofl love I ~ : .3,:e,
I stood with my sister at the door Of
the reception room, to greet the enter.
ing gussts; "A fewa vere ,,strsngsIA;
most Of them were known tolasy either
personally 81 BY rspntaii io6. The MOI
n,ents wore eson and i was shout toE ro'
liSqpish my position, whichyyis, bscopn.
nny wAnriaoff1e ywh an q n .Ghe orvn6. mn