Miscellaneous.
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BY HELIEN ASHTON.


1t was the and 4fiia1 BALL at w est Point. The,
room was elegantly decorated with flags hung
in festoons, sabres formed into stars, and all
the other pafaphernalia Of military glory. The
floor was crowded with officers of the army
and navy, of every rank, from the midshipman
and cadet upward. The military band of the
post occupied the orchestra. Never, perhaps,
has there been assembled at West Point a
prouder assemblage Of beauty than that which
then entrauced the beholder. There were
dark brunettes from Baltimore golden-haired
Hebes from Charleston tall, stately beauties
from Philadelphia gay bellies from the more
ostentatious New York and even the fair
blonde daughters OF New England, with their
blue eyes, their clear compIexions, their proud
dignity Of mien. But among that brilliant ar
ray there was one pre-eminentIy beautiful.
Tall and shapely in her figure, she moved
through the room with the stately motion of Il
swan, eici,ing admiration from every behol-
der. Her dress was simple, yet costly and
beautiful. 1t was evident that the severost
taste presided over the toilette Of the lasclnat-
ing Ellen Belvoir; for fascinating every one
felt her to be who had listened, though but for
ii moment, to her gay sallies, or her subdued
sentiment. Her every look, word and mo-
ton, was grace itseIf.-She possessed thai
rare combination Of qualities which constitutes
the lady, in contra distinction 10 the mere pre-
tender. But il was not her manners alone that
rendered her 50. Her poiteness was that O
the heart. She was no mere auton.aton she
would have been equally affable and kind lao
she been in a cottage. But alas 1t was the
misfortune OF Ellen Belyoir to have been borr
OF noble family, and she had been brough
up, with high notions of the soperiorIty o
blood. In this originated trait other charac
ter which is shared by too many ol her sex
u scorn for all who could not trace their lin


na dfs.es,le .s origin with hers: Hu IL


the cay scene abound, even E..,, polv,,;vshs
orsse,tsn ss,., her prejudicea .nan - she said to
,er ca'nce no Is iesfsan pig intermission between
~ ~ .s.3ing toward noble looking Of
~ ~ W. form of q captain in the army
nG n,' pa in the room full half hour, and
ye, nI "aS< <not asked to be introduced to me-
decEsIG," she added gaiIy, g am quite piqu-
ed.;Sn his Indifference


=" An! COZ, you will! make him repent of il
YETI aughingly replied her cousin, 6 or | mis-
take your sex. But see, he is coming this
way. He is an old messmate of mine, and
will Introduce him-ah! Capt. Stanley, GLAD
to see you,' and advancing from Ellen's Side
her cousin grasped the hand of the approaching
officer. The sautatioa was warmly returned
and for while the two frieuds were engaged
in talking of events that had transpircd &c
each since they met last. AT length the ewes
OF Stanley happened to fall OH the spiritua
face ot Miss Belvoir, and from their look Of adj
miration, her cousin knew at once that an in
PRODUCTION would be considered favor He
accordingly presented the young officer to EI-
len, and, after few remarks, sauntered across
the room, leaving his cousin and Stanley TO-
gether.