THE LIEUTENANT’S BRIDE.
BY ELLEN ASKTON.
It was the annual ball at West Point. The room was elegantly decorated with flags hung in festoons, sabres formed into stara, and all the other paraphrenalia of military glory. The floor was crowded with officers of the army and navy, of every rank, from the midsbip= man and cadet upward, The military band of the post ocoupied the orchestra. Never, perhaps, has there been ascembied at West Point a prouder assemblage of beauty then that which then entranced the beholder, ‘There were dark brunettes from Baltimore; golden-haired Hebes from Charleston ; tall, stately beauties from Philadelphia ; gay belles from the more ostentatious New York; and even the fair blonde daughters of New England, with their blue eyes, their clear complexions, their proud dignity of mien, But among that brilliant erray there was one pre-eminently beautiful, Tall and shapely in her Gxure, abe moved through the room with the stately motion of a swan, eliciting admiration from every be- holder. Her dress was simple, yet costly and beautiful. Tt was evident that the severest taste presided over the toilette of the fascinating Ellen Belvoir; for fascinating every one felt her to be who had listoned, though but for a moment, to her gay allies, or her subdued senti- ment. Her every look, word and motion was grace itself, She poss2used that rare combination of gualities whiclr constitutes the lady, in contra-distinction to the mere pretender. But it was not her manners alone that, rendercd her 90, Her politeness was that of the heart. She was no mero automaton; she would have been equally as affable and kind had sho been borne in a cottage. But alas! it was the misfortune of Ellen Belvoir to have been born of a noble family, and she bad been brought up with high notions of the superiority of blood. In this originated a trait of her character which in shared by too many of her sora scorn for all who could not trace their lineage to an equally noble origin with her, But now, surrounded by admirers, and excited by the gay scene around, even Ellen Belvoir had for the moment forgotten her prejudices.
“Who ia that elegant man?” she said to her cousin, during an intermiséion betwixt the sets, glaneing toward a noble-looking officer in the uniform of a enptain in the army, “he has been in the room a full half hour, and set he has not asked to be introduced to me. I declare,” the added gaily, “T am quite piqued at his indifference,
“Ah! coz, you will make him repent of it yet, laughingly replied her cousin, “or 1 misteke your sex. But rce,he is coming this way. Heis an old messmate of mine, and I will introduce him—ah! Captain Stanley —slud to see you,” and advancing from Ellen’s side, her cousin grasped the hand of the approaching officer.
The salutation was warmly returned, and for a while the two friends were engaged in talking of the evente that had transpired to each since they last met. At length, Stanley’s cyes happened to fall on the spiritual face of Mivs Belvoir, and from their look of admiration her cousin knew at once that an introduction would be considered a favor, He accordingly presented the young officer to Ellen, and, after a few remarks, saun- tered across the room, leaving his cousia and Staniey together.
What is 0 favorable to love as a gay ball-room? and what ball-room is 20 dangerous as that of West Point Both Ellen and Stanicy were soon lost to every thing excopt each other, They danced together and prome- naded in company, until they become the objects of whispered though general remark, Bofore the festivities of the evening had terminated, it was universally gos sipped about that the beautiful Miss Belvoir, and the hitherto heart-free Captain Stanley had fallen mutually in love, Some affected to sneer at it, some wondered how it dig happen; but all agreed that the two wero the finest couple in the room, and were admirably fitted for each other.
The gossip of a Dall-room was, for onco, right. Ellen Belvoir had passed three winters since hor coming out without miceting with any one to subdue her virgin heart; but from the first moment she sow Stanley she felt a strange interest in him, His gallent bearing, his polished manners, his fine conversational powers, and above all a certain frankness of deportment toward her so different from the sickening flattery daily poured into her ears, appealed at once to her fancy, and soon subdued her judgment. She felt that Stanley was ‘one to whom she could look up, and she knew that only such @ character could possess her love, His eloquent, tones vibrated in her ears long after they had parted for the night, and even in her dreams sho caw his manly form bending admiringly over her.
Stanley had been equelly charmed with his partner. Yeum had elapsed since he had been appointed to one of the stations on the far west, and during that period he had been completely excluded from refined female society, He occupied the time in picturing to himself the beau ideal of being such as he could choose for a wife, On his return to the east he had met many lovely beings, whose attractions his friends thought him incapable of resisting; but nearly a year bad passed, and he appeared even less susceptible than on his return, He had sought in vain to realize his rontnntic dreams, and finding it impossible, wae content to enjoy the reputation of a confirmed bachelor. Now, however, he thought he had met the divinity which he had so long adored in secret, for, in Ellen Belvoir, he fancied ho saw every tmit which he sought to have ina wife. As he became more intimate with the lovely girl, he grew
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