Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 40: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. 35 Jinghing bells; all New York was out a-sleighing; Broadway and Fifth avenue were flashing gay with bright equipages ; : the poorest streets assumed a holiday air. At twelve o’clock Mr. Lindhurst made his appearance in a fanciful looking sleigh, shaped much like a nautilus shell, with a downy heart of crimson velvet in which he kindly i invited me to nestle, and experience my first sleigh-ride. Delightedly I consented, and sat in dumb enjoyment as we dashed through the noiseless snow, and the myriad equl- pages; it was like a fairy scene to me, or a kaleidoscopic view of St. Petersburg, and I felt grand asa Russian Czarina. Yet perfect as was my pleasure, if received a check, when on passing one of the principal hotels, I saw Cecil Beaumont slowly descending the marblesteps. He saw me at the same instant, and lifted his hat, with an ineffable smile of triumph, or daring, which sent my thoughts tr ooping home to my sister and her troubles. ‘‘'Take me home, Mr. Lindhurst,” I said, gravely. “What? and you have not been out an hour. And see, the sun is just melting his way through that bank of clouds —the snow has stopped, and we are going to have a brillant day. You will lose all the beauty of the scene if you go now, dear Miss Ivanilla.” ‘*'There are other days with sunshine.” ‘Thanks for that gracious half-promise; I shall see that you keep it with me. But are you tired or cold?” ‘‘T am not tired and I am not cold, Mr. Lindhurst, and I never enjoyed anything half as much—but I would like to go home now to Isolina, who is alone.” “¢ How you two love each other.” He sped around a corner, and we went flying home. As I went up stairs, Sophie met me with a piece of news which-did not tend to relieve my mind. Miss Meredith had arrived. When I entered the dressing-room, I found Isolina in earnest conversation with a fair, blonde young lady who had large blue eyes, a very pretty complexion, and a mass of light glossy hair gathered in a mass of coquettish tendrils upon her forehead. Further than these attractions, she had no claim to superiority above the average fashion- able lady, unless in the possession of a very winning, inno- cent manner, which made her appear even younger than she was. CORNUCG OOO S (©)