Page:New Peterson magazine 1859 Vol. XXXV.pdf/66

 DRESSING TO PLEASE ONE’S HUSBAND. BY

ROBALIE

GRAY.

Dress became Mrs. Carlton, and she knew it well, She was not a blonde, with golden curls, and deep violet eyes, expressing al! of love and nothing more, whom you could array in some white, cloudy substance, and conceive to be a0 angel floating for a while out of her original sphere on this earth of iniquity. And yet I do pot wish to convey the idea that our friend’s character was not « lovely one. It was; but sweetness is not the word to use while describing

her. In the gipsy blackness of her eyes there was a depth of character never seen in the azure orba from which love looks forth and claims its place gapreme; her complexion was decidedly dark, and her cheeks almost colorless, except when heated up with the fire of excitement; her mouth was not small, but it was well shaped, and expressive of great energy and determina- tion; she was tall and well proportioned, grace- fol and dignified; in short, she was one of those persons who seemed formed to wear the richest and handsomest of dry goods which the skill of manufacturers can produce. So much for the lady; let us turn now to her worser half.

He was very fine looking, tall and large, with grey eyes and dark hair, and rather a stern expression. His most noticeable characteristic was what he conceived to be a perfect contempt fer dress; be scrupulously avoided all ornament in the way of a ring, breast-pin, or watch chain, and there never was a time in the recollection of his friends when Mr. Carlton msde his ap- pearance in any other than black clothes; so far and no farther, did he carry his indifference to dress in his own case. His cloth must always be of the finest quality, and his clothes must be & perfect fit. Bat the distinguishing trait in hie character was more particularly exhibited in his remarks upon the extravagance of ladies, their | conformity to fashion and similar topics. Of all this, indeed, Mrs. Carlton was aware before her. marriage, and she was told that she would have bo pesce of her life with such a man, that she | meter would be allowed to dress in any sort of syle or taste; but with s determined shake of the head she would always reply: ‘I'll manage: i”

“Bella,” said Mr. Carlton one fine morning: after they were married, ‘(I am going to bring a friend home to dine with me to-day, so look your prettiest; he is very anxious to be intro- duced to my bride,” and he bent down and kissed her fondly.

Our heroine knew she was fine looking, she had been informed of the fact too frequently to admit of any ignorance on the subject, and she knew too that she needed dress to set off her looks; it was therefore with conscious pride that she glanced in the mirror ere she descended to the drawing-room to await the arrival of her husband and his friend. Her rich raven tresses were twisted in heavy braids, and eo arranged as to set off to the best advantage her finely formed head; the roge-tint of her dress com- pared well with her complexion, and the flouncee lent additional pharma to the grace of her figure; her flowing sleeves seemed to fall modestly back, exposing to view a pair of beautifully rounded arms, and soft dimpled hands; and the diamonds on her tapering fingers sparkled and glistened as though in delight at the beauty of their mis- trese. Bella knew that she was looking uncom- monly well, and she secretly wondered if this would not reconcile her husband to her manner of dressing She noticed his pleased surprise as he entered and presented his friend Mr. Tucker to her. Fora moment he was dazzled by her beauty, but then with a half sigh ho refiected: ‘If she is ao lovely now, how much would her charms be enhanced oould she but be induced to leave off all this nonsense, and dress with perfect simplicity, thas showing that her attractions are her own, and not dependent upon any outward aid!”

No such ideas, however, were floating through the mind of our friend Mr. Tucker; he was entranced by her beauty, and hung with rapture npon her every word; and when Mr. Carlton, hent upon showing him the attractions of bis country-seat, took him to the garden and stables, nnd expatiated upon the swiftness of his steeds, the wonderful growth of the vegetables, and the merits and rarity of certain flowers, and told how Washington had probably rested under such and such a tree, his companion would give the most random replies, and seem scarcely to know the difference between a horee and arose. Before the day was over he had made up hie mind to