Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-04-13
THE BRIDAL EVE.
A story Of the Precautionary War.

lights streaming from the windows Of
an old mansion, perched among the
rocks and woods, flashed far over the
dark watprs of l. ke Champlaiu.
In quiet and comfortable chamber
of that mansion party of British Off
GERS, sitting around table spread with
viands, discussed topic of some inter
est, If it was not the most important In
the world, while the tread of the dancers
shook the floor of the adjoining room.
Yes, while all is gsyety and dance and
music in the largest hall of the old man.
sion, whose hundred lights glanced fal
over the waters of Champlain-here In
this quiet room, with the cool evening
breeze blowing in their faces through
the opened windows, here this party oi
British officers had assembled to discuss
their favorite topic.
That topic was-the comparative
beauty of tie women of the world.
GAS for me-" said handsome young
ensign, "I will match the voluptuous
forms and dark eyes of Italy against the
beauties OF all the world !"
"And T." said bronzed old veteran,
who had risen to the colonelcy by his
long service and hard fighting !; "and ]
have a pretty lass of daughter there in
England, whose blue eyes and ha1en
hair would shame your tragic beauties
of Italy into very ugliness."
"I have served in India, as you all
must know" said the major, who sat
next to the veteran, "and / never saw
painting or statue, much less living
woman, half so lovely as some of those
Hindoo maidens, bending down with
water lilies in their hands; bending
down by the light of torches, over the
dark waves of the Ganges."
And thus, one after another, ensign,
colonel aud major, had given their opin-
ion. The last was captain, who wore
a handsome scarlet coat, glittering epau-
lettes, lace rufies on his bosom and
around his wrists.
"Come, captain, shouted the ensign;
"decide this great question! Which
are the most beautiful-the red cheeks
of England, the dark eyes of Italy, OF
the graceful forms of Hmdoostanf"
The captain hesitated for moment,
and then replied: y1-'
"Mold your three models of beauty
your English lass, your Italian queen.
your Hmdoo nymph-into one, and add
to their charms thousand graces of
color and form and feature, and / would
not compare this perfection Of loveliness
for single moment with the wild and
artless beauty of-an American girl.
The laugh of the three officers, for a
moment, drowned the echo of the dance
in the next room.
"Compare his American milkmaid
with the woman of Italy"
"Or the lass of Eugland!"
cor the graceful Hmdoo girl !"
This laughing scorn of the officers
stung the handsome captain to the
quick.
"Hark ye!" he cried, half rising from
his seat, with flushed brow, but deep
and deliberate voice: "To-morrow
marry wife; an American girl To
night, at midnight, too, that American
girl Will join the dance in the next room.
You shall SEQ her-you shall Judge for
yourselves whether the American woman
is not the most beautiful in the world u
eve have heard something of your
marriage, captain, said the gay ensign,
"but we did not think it would occur
so suddenly. Only think of it )! To
morrow you will be gone-settled-ver.
dict brought in-sentence passed.
married mani But tell me2 How will
your ladylove be brought to this house
to-night2 I thought she resided within
the rebel Gnes2"
"She does reside there! But have
sent messenger-a friendly 1udlan
chief, on whom can place the utmost
dependence-to bring her from her
present home, at dead of night, through
the forest to this mansion. He is to re-
turn by twelve; it is now half-past
eleven p
Friendly Indian !" echoed the vete-
ran colonel "rather an odd guardian
for a pretty woman !"
"And you will match this Lady against
all the world for beauty" said the
major. .,
eyes, and if you do not agree with
me, this hundred guineas which Lay
upon the table shall serve our mess fox
a month to come. But if you do agree
with meas without donbt You will
then you are to replace this gold with a
hundred guineas of your own"
"Agreed! 1t is a wager !" chorused
the colonel and the two other officers.
And in that moment-while the door
way was thro1ged by fair ladies and gay
officers, attracted from the next room by