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VOLUME 11.
frlrrtcit
SCHOOL.
I read of “ Mrs. Always”
And think of Mrs. Loss,—*
An excellent old lady,
Whom tee thought “ very cross.”
I see her little school*room,
Where we child ten sat in pairs,
And its well-worn leather cushions
In their tall mahogany chairs.
And many a solemn lecture,
And many a well-conned tula
Loom up. in memory’s twilight,
From dawning days at school.
How we envied ragged urchins
In winter at their slide,
While we must with our lessons
In gloomy comfort bide.
llow the leaf-buds of the willow,
In Spring, with longing eye,
We watched each day unfolding
Below its patch of sky.
And sometimes from the country,
Would come a bright youngbird,
While sunlit rain-drops glittered
Where the branches round it stirred.
How we sought the biggest puddles,
Wherein to cool our feet.
And wondered why ‘iwu “ wicked”
To play along the street!
Emily Herrmann.
(Original Calf.
A CHAPTER IN’ THE LIFE OF
CLAUDE CARRYSFORTE.
or MISS SUSAN A. STUART.
CHAP. I.
“Well! lam sure von are a gen-
W G
leman of a more obdurate heart,
than Itake you for, brother, mine,”
said my sister Agnesse , “ if you are
able to resist Mary Hazelhurst after
seeing her.”
‘•I would make you a bet of it,”
answered I, “did 1 not have an ob
jection to a lady’s betting. But the
best of all reasons, sis, i can assign
fur not falling in love with your
friend, is the fact of having seen by
her letters to yourself, and gleaning
from your own account of her du
ring your visit, that she was mas
culine in all her tastes and ideas;
anil no litile adept in the art of co
quetry. Now no disclaimers Agtry,
and lay aside I pray you, your wish
or plan, whichever it in ay be, of
ever making a match between us,
for I tell you seriously, I could not
possibly love such a woman, were 1
to try ever so much.”
“And really !” replied my sister,
vexed at my prejudice against her
friend, 44 and really, Claude, you
speak as if you had but to say the
word to ensure her marrying you.
For shame, brother, 1 did not think
vou had half the vanity of which I
find you possessed. 1 assure you I
never had the presumption to think
of it for a moment as possible. —
must recollect, Claude, that
Mary Hazelhurst, is the only child
of une of the wealthiest men in
South Carolina; and independent
of her wealth,she is beautiful, young
and talented.”
“Add to the list, Aggy, that she
*3a fearless horse-woman, can whip
fior own dogs—of which she has
quite a pack —hunt with the best,
a nd is always sure to he in at the
death, and can look with a tearless
eye and a rejoicing heart upon the
noble animal as ’tis grappled by its
fierce pursuers.”
. “Yes, l can add all these to her
for she is beautiful in all. You
do not consider how Mary has been
reared : without sisters or mother,
a doating father, to whom she
ever beei* a companion, a sol
a(e, and from whom she has never
fiecn separated, save the two years
which she spent at boarding school
with myself.”
“ l (Jo look upon her being raised
in this manner, as some excuse tor
her, and do not wish to depreciate
your friend in the least ; hut only
answered your advice by showing
you that my heart was well guarded.
Come smooth your brow, sweet sis
ter, and let us drop this subject,
has almost made you angry
with me. J only meant that l could
never like a masculine young lad y ;
k'U must acknowledge, that the
toore helpless and dependant the
gentle creature seems to be, they
a ppear in proportion the more love
aUe. You know her own letters
£ peak of her feats of horsemanship
~~-her dogs—almost as a man could
Dfuutcli tn jdtfflitmr, printer anil Slrt, tljt of Ctntjicrnnrf, (Dili jFdliitMjjijj, Bhsnnnj nnii Sntdlignnr.
speak. When l have read a letter
from her, written too in (hat bold
free h and, and rather brusque style,
1 expect to see Harry, Tom, or
some other rough cognomen appen
ded, rather than the soft, poetical
name of Marv, which ever suggests
to me, from its euphony, a gentle,
dove-like being, with azure eyes,
fair hair, and the face of a seraph.
I think l could describe your friend’s
appearance from her letters.”
“ First, let me tell you, however,
that hold hand-writing, (in speaking
of which, l consider you have com
plimented her.) is the result of the
practice to which she has been in
ured from her early girlhood. Her
father having injured his hand, she
has ever been called upon to act as
his secretary. Now for your de
scription.”
“ Well, that is something in her
favor. As to her looks, she is tall
by all means, with dark ringlets and
dancing eyes.”
“You must have heard me say
so, or you could not possibly have
guessed so truly. Go on.”
•‘She has fine teeth undoubtedly,”
continued l —pleased with my skill
—“or she would not indulge so fre
quently in laughter, of w hich I have
heard you speak. And now, if her
name was Kate, or Bell, or Mag, or
any other wild abridgment, l should
like it better than her bearing my
favorite name of Mary ; which as l
said before, always conjures up be
fore mv mind’s eve. a gentle,loving,
meek-eyed creature, whom one
must protect like some fragile flow
er.”
“And thereby, flattering the o’er
weening pride of manhood, by
claiming his stalwart and firm arm
to shield her. Is it not so brother?”
“ Oui , ma mignonne . Now come
play my favorite Ernani for me, and
i will promise to do my best whilst
at Hazelhurst hall; to act the cava
lier or any part agreeable to your
self or Miss Mary, save that of lov
er.”
This conversation took place on
the eve of my departure south, to
Hazelhurst Hall, to which place the
kindness of Col. Hazelhurst, had
invited me to pass the winter when
he was informed that the Physicians
had recommended a more southerly
climate to overcome some symptoms
of pulmonary complaint,with which
l had been threatened,and my moth
er, who almost idolized me, seemed
better reconciled to the thought of
parting, when she considered that 1
should have the care of the benevo
lent Colonel, rather than trust her
son to the cold charily of strangers.
I must confess myself, that I was
somewhat spoiled bv the society to
which 1 had been habituated ; and
took upon myself too many enlieal
and fastidious airs to suit the taste
of mv sister, from whom l often re
ceived a lecture. Our conversation
had commenced on this particular
evening in question, by my hesita
ting to carry with me some of my
coxcombical wardrobe, on the plea,
l should have no use for it in the
country, to display to the old Col
and his unfeminine daughter, about
whom Iliad imbibed a prejudice;
because her manners and ideas were
to my thinking, very different from
the paragon which my fastidious
taste had created.
chap. 11.
It was three o’clock when I ar
rived at the Rail Road station, (a
week after the conversation written
above,) where Col. Hazelhursl’s car
riage awaited to carry me to his
residence. The weather was pleas
ant though December had com
menced, and 1 seated myself with
a comfortable feeling of enjoyment
upon the luxurious cushions of the
stately equipage, which had been
sent to convey me.
44 How far from here to your mas
ter’s?” queried lof the coachman.
“About three miles, sir,” touch
ing his hat, 44 but you are on mas
ter’s land now.”
It was not like December weath
er, for the trees around still wore
the many colors of Autumn; and
here and there, stood out in vivid
and bold relief, the rich green of
the Magnolia, the live oak and the
wild orange. We soon arrived at
the gates of the park, which exten
ded in front of the Hall for about a
mile, enclosed with a good white
fence ; and, by its velvety smooth
ness and well gravelled road, re-
SAVANNAH, GA., SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1850.
minded one of the grounds around
an English Mansion.
From the first gate, I caught a
view of the house, which was in
keeping with the park. ’Twas a
noble building of white free stone,
with a colonadeof pillarsexlending
from the tessellated floor of the por
tico to its dome ; and, between each
column was the figure in stone, of
a lion couchant. The large French
windows gave an appearance of life
to the fagade. On each side, and
rather in advance of the house, were
two little temples of octagon form,
exactly similar in size and appear
ance, and which I afterwards found
to be the Col.’s business rooms ; hut
which added greatly to the coup
d'oeil of the whole as a picture.
Now entering the carriage sweep
we stopped a minute afterwards in
front ofthe broad white steps. The
old Col.—a fine hearty noble look
ing man of sixty descended the
steps, and stood with outstretched
hands to welcome me to his prince
ly looking home.
“Welcome to Hazelhurst, Mr.
Carrysforte,” said he shaking my
hand. “J hope you do not feel fa
tigued from vour travel, and how
are your father, mother and my
sweet young friend Miss Agnesse ?”
“Well I thank you Col. They
have all sent many kind wishes and
remembrances to you and Miss
Hazelhurst; and l have a letter
from Agnesse, somewhere in my
trunks.”
“Mary will be delighted to re
ceive it. The gipsy has not return
ed from her ride yet though it is
high time. Take a glass of wine
sir”—as the servant appeared with
a tray arid glasses “it will refresh
you after your journey. Perhaps
you would like to be shown your
room. George ! here sir, show Mr.
Carrysforte his room and attend on
him. ”
I followed the man up the broad
staircase ascending from the hall in
to a similar one on the second floor,
from which doors opened into sever
al chambers. The spacious one
into which he conducted ine was
in keeping with the house and fur
nished in most comfortable style. 1
stretched myself into the commo
dious arm chair, which the attentive
servant wheeled in front of the
blazing and cracklingoak fire, whilst
he proceeded to unstrap trunks, and
pour out water for my use. I could
not help praising to myself, the
taste —it must have been feminine
that had so arranged the cham
ber; whese carpet matched in col
or the rich hangings of the windows,
O O
and threw a rosy glow, as it
were on the white Marseilles which
covered the low French bed. A
table for hooks was in the centre
upon which lav some volumes and
on it, though December, was a rich
bouquet breathing perfume through
the chamber. The daik mahoga
ny of the bureau, the bed stead,
wardrobe and stand was glistening
in the rays of the setting sun, and
the fitful blaze .as it danced o’er them
gave to the whole an air of luxury
very pleasing to my sybarite feel
ings.
My toilette was soon finished,
and 1 hurried down to join the Col.
whom l found walking up and down
ihe broad portico. The sun was
just sinking in all his splendor, ting
ing with gorgeous hues the floating
O O O o
clouds : every where around us was
“Crimson and bright as if not night
But yet the day had just begun.”
In the clear, mellow air was a gold
en tinge ; and against this brilliant
horizou each branch, leaflet, and
spray was thrown out as if traced
with a pencil.
And on the calm evening air.
came a sound of gay, musical
laughter, mingled with the the elat
tering of horses hoofs on the hard
gravel'll road.
“Mv daughter is retmning I see,”
—said the old gentleman as we
stopped in our walk to contemplate
the two riders, and their graceful
steeds, as they came sweeping on,
in a swift canter. The lady, l could
discern was of a very delicate fig
ure and sat her horse beautifully.
Behind rode a youth, who was urg
ing his horse up to the side of Miss
Hazelhurst, for of course it was
her. The merry laugh again issued
from her lips as reaching the steps
she sprang lighilv down and ex
claimed in a voice, which even to
my predjudiced ears, was like the
homed droppings of liquid music.
“ Fairly beaten, cousin,faily beat
en, I told you Zaire could distance
any animal in my father’s stable ;”
and she patted the nose of the beau
tiful creature with her while hand,
from which she had drawn her
gauntlet.
“Mary, here is a friend whom I
wish you to welcome,” said her fa
ther
She turned quickly, and whilst a
bright blush colored her already
rosy face, she gathered die long
skirt ot her habit in one hand, and
tripped gracefully up the steps.
“I hope you will excuse me, Mr.
Carysforte,” after lhad been named
to her and her cousin Alexander,
“1 forgot about your being expected
and took you for Mr. Wring ham
at the first glance.”
Alas ! for tny pride, my self-com
placency. 1 afterwards found out
that Mr. Wringham was her father’s
man ot business, and was the hap
py parent of three or four little tal
low faced, tow-headed brats—and
I! the fastidious—whom the ladies
had often called the elegant Claude
Carrysforte to be likened to such a
being!!
I almost caught myself saying
aloud, “I am determined not to love
her,” so struck was l with the dif
ference between my own descrip
tion and the reality. And that witch
of a sister, to allow me to congrat
ulate myself so complacently on my
skill in portraiture !
Instead of being tali, she was del
icate and petitte, almost to childish
ness, being scarcely five feet in
height; and for the dark locks, were
substituted—
“ Golden tresses,
Such as float on the wind’s carresses.”
From her eye, of a deep violet hue,
fringed with dark lashes, stole forth
the most arch beams imaginable,
as she stood talking alternately with
her father, cousin and myself; all
the while too toving with her riding
• * * G
whip and a playful greyhound that
was whisking around her.
“Get away,” she cried to another
dog that at this moment catching
the contagion of the greyhounds’
example, leaped up —at the same
time dealing him a smart blow wiih
her whip. “Pa, nou should learn
l/our dogs better manners than to
treat me so. I hope you will ex
cuse me, hut this skirt is rather em
barrassing, so 1 must go take it off;
and Mr. Carysforte he prepared for
a long conversation about Agnesse.”
I said'over to myself (as one does
one’s prayers, in a moment of dan
ger,) “/ am determined not to love her.”
And though I continued the conver
sation with the Colonel and Alexan
der Walton, (her cousin just from
college,) I must confess I felt my
thoughts wandering: off to the bright
o o o
eyed fairy, whose gladsome tones
was echoing like a strain of music
in my ears.
At the tea-table, Miss Hazelhurst
appeared in a pretty, coquettishly
arranged dress ; and I already
thought I was in fault in this part of
my description about her being un
feminine, for never did any lady
within my ken, act so gracefully—
so womanly as she did in dispensing
with her taper fingers the delicious
tea and coffee, and playing her part
of hostess with so much tact. Our
conversation, as may he supposed,
related almost exclusively to my
sister, and even after supper and
when the night was well advanced,
was the same subject discussed un
wearied Iv. When I retired, l al
most was ashamed to acknowledge
to myself, that my sister was half in
the right for her admonitions, for a
feeling of delight was playing at my
heartstrings, as 1 pictured to myself,
l shall see her to-morrow, all day,
and for many days.
I turned the volumes over on the
table, eagerly, to see her name writ
ten in that “ bolds free hand” and 1
began to acknowledge that a little
dash of spirit, was to feminine love
liness what cayenne is to sauce, and
added much to its piquancy. “ I
think,” was a part ot my soliloquy,
“that a woman like Mary Hazelhurst
would at least ensure the constancy
of a lover, for there is a ceaseless
variety in her character, that would
bring ever the charm of novelty to
chain him to her side —she really did
give that cur a sharp blow with her
whip, but then the rascal richly de
served it for daring to aspire.”—
Here, ray good reader, a good day’s
travel caused me to fall asleep even
in the midst of my self-accusing
thoughts, and though I was not in
love with Miss Hazelhurst, would
it not, think you, have pleased Miss
Agge, if she could only have known
how those sweet looks and tones
were running riot through my wa
king and sleeping dreams the first
night of my arrival.
1 spent more time in dressing the
next morning than l had expected
to have done for “country people,”
and as l congratulated myselfon the
effect of my city costume, I might
claim some merit for my disinterest
edness, in thus making such a sac
rifice of lime in the adornment of
myself! Thinks I this rick friend
jof my sister has, a thousand line
! things of which she has boasted un
j doubtedlv, like all womankind, jew
| els, horses, dogs, &e. And poor
dear Agge has no pet hut a handsome
\ puppy of a brother, and therefore
j it behooves me to show myself to
the best advantage, for her sake,
who of course has often, like all
fond sisters, spoken highly of me.
I found the party assembled in the
delightful breakfast room, and 1
thought Miss Hazelhurst looked ex
quisitely beautiful, with her golden
curls dancing and glistening in the
sun’s early rays, as they fell upon
them ; and from their gloss and
color, surrounding her classically
shaped head with the halo one
sees around the Madonna’s of Ra
phael.
“1 must give you an account of
how we kill time, and leave you a
choice,” said the hearty old Colonel,
as we breakfasted. “ I generally
ride directly after breakfast which
takes up the morning; then the
newspapers and lunch ; arid after
dinner, I nap a little —my custom
always of an afternoon ; and the
evenings we spend with music. It
is rather dull in the country, 1
should think, for young people, hut
you must make yourself at home.
Get Marv to play and sing for you.
The little witch can he quite amu
sing, if she chooses, but like her sex
she is wilful at times. You will
find her a good player too at back
gammon and chess. You also can
share my ride, if you should feel
interest enough in a planter’s
schemes to ride over cotton-fields,
or ‘hog* your horse through my rice
plantation. Enjoy yourself, and
make yourself perfect ly at home,
and you will act up to my wishes.”
“ Thank you, Colonel, 1 should
be indeed hard to please if the de
lightful programme which you have
sketched for my entertainment, fail
ed to do so. Make yourself per
fectly easy on my account, as I shall
do as you so kindly wish ; and hope
when a little recovered from the
journey to follow with much inter
est your lead through the plantation.
For this morning, I think 1 shall
trouble Miss Hazelhurst for some
music if she will dome the favor.”
44 With great pleasure, Mr. Carys
forte. We have also some fine
walks, where 1 promise you will
not 4 bog,’ as Pa says, but enjoy as
delightful a promenade as even
your famed Pennsylvania Avenue
can give }*ou.”
And that morning, and many suc
ceeding ones was passed most de
lightfully by me. 1 began to imag
ine that I was born anew in all my
thoughts and feelings: for surely, 1
had never been so fully aware as
now, to the beauties of nature, as
when accompaning Mi ss Hazelhurst
in her walks, or standing to admire
with herthe glorious sunsets. Back
gammon and chess, also afforded an
excuse for me to linger at her side
during an entire morning, and every
evening she “discoursed most elo
quent music.” 1 began to feel like
a miser already, as I told over each
day as it passed so rapidly, so very
rapidly.
“Forquickly speeds the foot of Time,
Whene’er it treads on flowers.”
“How I shall miss you, Cousin
Alic,” said her sweet voice as we
all stood in the portico to see him
depart. “ And l will never ridewow?
without thinking of our merry scam
pers, ‘o’er bush, and o’er brier.’”
How 1 envied Alic for this regret,
so expressed, ’twas from her heart,
i one could well see, as her beautiful
eves were glistening in tears, though
she smiled radiantly on him as she
b ide him farewell, and promised to
write to him punctually*
“ Will you not allow me to take
Mr. Wei born’s place as vour escort
Miss Mary?”
“ I shall be .clad to have you as
a substitute, I love riding better than
any exercise save dancing. Jn the
country, one must needs love it or
some other amusement passionately
to prevent a feelingoflonfcs'omeness;
and when I was a ‘ wee thing,’ Pa al
ways car ril'd me along with him on
his daily ride; so I may truly say that
hall ot my life has been passed on
horse back.”
Behold how I became duly in
stalled as her escort. And well
might my sister praise her for it, as
an accomplishment. She rode bet
ter than any lady 1 ever saw: fear
lessly, yet most gracefully, no effort
to sit erect; but her light, willowy
figure, seeming to move in unison
with the motions of her horse. Of
ten diil I purposely linger, to gaze
on her as sitting thus, with her nice
ly fitted riding habit, showing her
rounded and taper waist in relief
from the full gathering of the skirl;
and its long folds, in the swift pace
of the animal was changing at eve
ry step into the ‘ line of beauty,’ like
the floating wave of our own Ameri
can Flag. Then too she would turn
her exquisite face to see why 1 thus
lingered ; her rich, red lips parted
with a merry smile, and excitement
lighting up eve and cheek most bril
liantly. Add to this picture, the
little velvet cap with snowy plume,
resting so caressingly as it were, mi
those floating curls as they now in
their perfume were dancing on the.
breeze ; now shading, now revealing
that face in its glorious beauty ;
that you will wonder as l do now at
myself for not openly declaring my
admiration of this peerless beauty.
“ All, Aggy,” did I often and over
say to myself. You were right in
deed when you said that 1 should
not be able to resist your beautilul
friend when I saw her. I feel now
how immeasurably superior she is.
to every one ot womankind that I
ever beheld. She excels in every
tiling, even new beauties are dis
played by actions which in others
could excite disgust.”
You may imagine by all I have
said that the disease had reached fe
ver point with me by this hme, Yes
it is true; 1 was desperately in love
with Mary Hazelhurst, mud felt
all the fluctuations of love, hope,
jealousy, despair, and again hope
as 1 saw her blush, or smile at whis
pered word or look of mine. I nev
er felt so little confidence in my
own powers of pleasing as now ;
and really if Agtiesse were by to
see me, she would have but little
occasion to lecture me on my self
complacency; for 1 had become
humble, ave, downright humble be
fore my beautiful and coquettish
Mary. That she was so, I was fully
aware ; and yet with all this knowl
edge, of what was one of my great
objections in theory , I must confess,
that now, in the practise , it lent new
charms to me ; and I felt with the
poet:
,l That (1 carpr s001110(1 each dawning smite
Fur having lost their light awhile.”
Yes, to a dead certainty, I was, to
use a common phrase, “over head
and ears in love with her,” and
though l had never popped the (pies
tion, yet l am sure she was as well
aware of the fact as mvself. Some
times too, I began to flatter myself
she loved me ; when I have seen the
vivid blush crimson her very tem
ples, at the emphasis I would at
times be reading to her; and again
at the trembling of 1 lie soft hand,
or the sudden drooping of her lashes
when her eye met mine, after one
of these readings. I was just in a
fit state to have made a kmght-er
rant of chivalric times, for l was
ready to break lance at tilt or tour
nament if any one should dare to
dispute her claim as the “ Queen of
Beauty and of Hearts.”
To sum up all at once, T was
madly in love with Mary T.iazel
hurst, but through this delight was
mingled the gall of bitterness, when
1 recalled m3’ sister’s speech—
“ Make a match between von and
Mary indeed \ 1 assure you I never
had the presumption to dream of
its possibility!” “Surely,” would l
say as in the silent hours of the
night I communed with my own
heart—“ Surely, my sister knows
NUMBER 24.