The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-05-25
The Bridal Eve "a
dtTowsguiiIeff8 % d1lsN ,motxoy
A STORY OF THE, REyoLUTIoNARY, WAR.

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One summar1ipight the, blaze ,ot,I
many lights Istreaming from the win
dows of an old mansion, 'perched a4s
mong the rocks and woods, flashed
far over the dark waters Of Lake Lalk ~
Cbamplaip,J ,Nogaoa Z y
In aqniet and cent fSrtable, cbam-
bor of that mansion party of Byitish
officers, citing around table, ,ypread-
with viands, discus5ed topic ofsome
interest, if it was not the most impor.
tant in the world, while the tread of
the dancers shook the floor of tae
adjoining room, 3o' y" :. -. 'D1.' Z,
Yes; while all is gayety and dance
and music in the largest ball Of the
old mansion whose hundred lights
glanced far oyer the waters of Chams
plain-here in this quiet room with
the cool evening breeze blowing in
their faces through the opened win
dows' here this party of British Off
GERS had assembled ito discuss their
fayorite topic.r fI.itgtpr lrlY,s
That topic wis the comparative
beauty of the women of the world,
'As for me- said handsome
young ensign, i will match the. vol
uptuous forms and dark eyes of Italy
against the beauties Of all the worldl'
'And l. said a bronzed old veteran,
who had risen to the colonelcy by
his long service and hard Fitting,
'and l have a lass of q daughter there
in England, whose blue eyes and fax
en- hair would. shame ,your tragic
beauties of italy yinsbIkolyi ugliness?
Il have served in India, as you all
must know said the Major, who Sat
next to the veteran, and I never saw
painting or statue, much less living
woman, halfso 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 and Major, had given their
opinion. The last was captain, who
wore handsome scarlet coat, glitter
ing epaulettes, lace rutiles on his
bosom and around his wrists.
Some, captain shouted the en-
Sign, decide this great question:
Which arc the most beantiful=-the
red cheeks of England, the dark eyes
of Italy, or the graceful forms of Hin.
doostans'
The captain hesitated for q moment
and then replied:
Mold your three models ofbeau;y
your English lass, your Italian
queen, your Hindoo nymyth-into one
and add to their charms Thousand
graces of color and form aud feature
and would not compare this pertecu
tion oflovelineSs for single moment
with the wild and artless beauty Of
an American girl.
The laugh of the the three officers,
for moment, drowned the echo of
the dance in the next room.
Compare his American milkmaid
with the woman of Italyp
'Or the lass of Englandl'
Cor the graceful Hindoo girlp
This laughing scorn of the officors
stung the handsome captain to the
quick.
'Hark YEP no cried, half rising
from his seat, with flushed brow,
but q deep and deliberatiye voico:
'To morrow | mary wife; an Amer.
lean grill To night, at midnight, too,
that American girl will Join the
dance in the next room. You shall
see her-you shall judge for yours
self whethor the American woman is
not the most beautiful in the worldr
'We have heard something of your
marriage, captain said the gay en-
sign, but we did not think it would
occur 30 suddenly. Only think Of itl