"You have taste In a lady's attire, Colonel
Howard; will not this bright yellow form a charming relief to my brown
face, while this white and black relieve one another, and this pink
contrasts so sweetly with black eyes? Will not the whole form a turban
fit for an empress to wear?"
As the arch maiden prattled on in this unmeaning manner, her rapid
fingers entwined the flags in a confused maze, which she threw over her
head in a form not unlike the ornament for which she intimated it was
intended. The veteran was by far too polite to dispute a lady's taste,
and he renewed the dialogue, with his slightly awakened suspicion
completely quieted by her dexterity and artifice. But although it was
not difficult to deceive Colonel Howard in matters of female dress, the
case was very different with Alice Dunscombe, This lady gazed with a
steady eye and reproving countenance on the fantastical turban, until
Katherine threw herself by her side, and endeavored to lead her
attention to other subjects, by her playful motions and whispered
questions.
"I was observing, Miss Alice," continued the colonel, "that although the
times had certainly inflicted some loss on my estate, yet we were not so
much reduced as to be unable to receive our friends in a manner that
would not disgrace the descendants of the ancient possessors of St.
Ruth. Cecilia, here, my brother Harry's daughter, is a young lady that
any uncle might be proud to exhibit, and I would have her, madam, show
your English dames that we rear no unworthy specimens of the parent
stock on the other side of the Atlantic.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153