Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-09


Life.
The scsne in Platt's Hall There is a
ball going on. Oar "afistocratic circles"
are Lot represented, and Ia creme de n
creme is absent; but the moneyed interest
has sent its representatives. Diamonds
flash, silks ruatie, eatinc shine, aud thsre-
fore We are, perhaps, justified in saying
! that tie ball was, according TO the mod
ern ccds, respectable. There is blonde
therein fact. there are several some
natural, others artificial; the latter the
prettiest generally, and great deal the
more lively to talk to. There is one blonde
there with vary blue eyes and bright hair.
She is surrounded by crowd of youths
of the period, with boots that are too
small AID gloves that are too large-in
the fingers with hair that is too shiny
AID eyes that are not shiny enough !;
with conversation that is too suggest
i've Of cheap tobacco, and wit that is not sug.
gessive enough of Chesterfield But they
are somewhat nonplussed by the behavior
of the belle Of the evening. She is distract,
and lacks her usual vivaoity. She seen
to regard them ali rather as a bore than
otherwise. Fred tries his sottest blandisE-
ments III vain, and Tins carefully selected
wisicityus fail to provoke a smile. or even
to command that attention which Tim
feels he has right to expect eeeiug that
he paid for the bali ticket and the hack,
and will have to economic for week,
and brave out his washer woman for several
days longer in ordsr to make up for it,
Whither wander those blue eyes 50 inces-
sanity this evening, SO that even the fact
that Miss lilly PIgeontOes hiss new style
of bronze boots on, or that Miss Hattie
Gadabout has had her old dress made
over again, fail to receive more than mo-
smentary attention It was case of love
at first sight; fer in the further corner of
the room stands Young man. A gambler
but with lovely muustache; sport
but with charming eyes; faro dealer
but beautifully DIRE, sed short card
player-but with such dear figure. The
blonde is smitten the sport secs it ; for
certain contingencies of his profession are
apt to render the eyes SINS rt--their hands,
toe, we have been told. He is cautious.
Ihowever-sports usually are. He iEqaire S
of his friends around the room WHO is
the little girl in the corner there, in the
blue dress and big panier. fair hair and
pink checks ?" He is told the ipforma-
ton seems saticfactory an introduction
sson follows, and palpitation, mutual ad
miration, and arrangements for future in
tercour.e, I'll up the remainder of Miss
Carries evening.
When Miss Carrie found out tho social
status Of her lover, and how she liked it
when che found it out, we cannot say, pre-
cisely, bat it is reasonable to suppose thai
she was not very much shocked 1T the
discovery, since a beautiful sport and a
pretty blonde might have been seen az
most every afternoon afterward IN photo
grapher's gallery. seated in close proxlmi-
ty, and mos Confidential and Affection
ate manner, upon lounge for hours to-
gether At least, they might have been
seen had not the friendly and handsomely
acknowledgements taken care that LOB ID Y
should see them. 1t progressed ia this
way some time, the young ladys father
a rich old ''merchant prlnce'-of course
remaining in blissful ignorance of how his
fair young daughter employed her time
and her thoughts. Finally, the climax OF
all real love scrapes was reached, and q
secret marriage between the sport and the
blonde WAS the appropriate c0EciusiO1 of 8
c,ande.tine courtship.
Still, all things went smoothly, at least
to ali outward appearance. Before long,
however, a cloud appeared upon the horI-
ION. Il came from New York in the very
definite shape of live, healthy man OF
business, occupying bueiness relations with
Carries papa. The New Yorker saw Car
RE, fell in love with her, and when he
sounded her papa upon the subject felt
that he already had q biue-eyed little
blonde for his wife, for her Papa smiled
graciously upon him and intimated that
O2Irl0 Was as SeuSiOIO las SIG WAS D0duGl-
full, and obadient xithal, so that there
would certainly be no difficulty about the
matter. What then must have been the
as!onishment Of the pateriamilias and the
chagIin of the business-like lover, when
tie young lady me, the matrimonial pro
ljecs with blank refusal, and expressed
her decided desire that the subject should
not be brought upon the tapis again. Ex-
postulations were of no avail and so storm
| - L.
tried-and with better sffect-Carrie with
food of tears confessed oil, and papa
stood aghast.
| "Now paps," said the sensible young
lady, "there is NO use making any fuss
. about this-the thing is done. The only
thing is, how it can be undone so thatI
may be able to comply with your wishes"
Papa listened attentively. She proceeded:
81 am sorry to say thas I have already
reason to believe that my husband is tired
O: me. and would not be unwilling that I
should be separated from him Do you
buy him off. Make him consent to a d.
vorce. Give him what money he wants
and let him go, and then can marry the
rich aud prosperous New Yorker. He will
know nothing of this affair, ror will any
one else." Papa saw the common sense of
the plan, and instantly set abont the exc
cution of it. Several interviews were had
with the young gambler, ard finally, for
and in consideration of the sum of 800, 900,
he allo we'd himself to be made the subject
of divorce, and soon after, the young
and accomplished Miss was announced
to be engaged to Mr., a we'll known
New York merchant.
| The course of this true love ran as
smoothly as we'll oiled wheels could make
it. The New Yorker was all attention :;
Miss Carrie was all softness, grace and am
liability. The charming mysteries of the
Wedding trousssau were in active progress;
the .1fancse fairly glittered with gems pre-
sem ed to her by her devoted lover but
seven days interviewed between a New
Yorker and matrimonial bliss, when one
morning a thrill of horror and dismay ran
through the household-Miss Carrie was
missing The way "young Lovel cele-
brated Christmas eve when the holly
branch shone on the old oak wall was
nothing to the sty lie in which young New
York few around when he received the in
telligence of his afianced's disappearance.
Quite innocent of the horrible suspicion
that filed her fathers heart, he could as