The Project Gutenberg EBook of Graham's Magazine, Vol XXXIII, No. 6,
December 1848, by Various

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Title: Graham's Magazine, Vol XXXIII, No. 6, December 1848

Author: Various

Editor: George R. Graham
Robert T. Conrad

Release Date: May 14, 2010 [EBook #32369]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration: A. B. Ross, THE DEBUT
Engraved expressly for Graham's Magazine]

GRAHAM'S MAGAZINE.

VOL. XXXIII. PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER, 1848. NO. 6.

MILDRED WARD.

OR THE DEBUT.

BY MRS. CAROLINE H. BUTLER.

[SEE ENGRAVING.]

CHAPTER I.

Archibald Dundass was a rich Jamaica planter, whose estates were
situated in one of the most delightful regions in that garden of the
West India isles. His wife, an English lady, of great personal
attractions and highly connected, died when Helen, their only child,
had just entered her thirteenth year, an age when, perhaps, a mother's
counsel and tender guidance is most required. When the news of Mrs.
Dundass's death reached her friends, they immediately wrote,
beseeching the bereaved husband to come at once to England with his
child, or if not expedient for himself to leave Jamaica, that he would
at least suffer the little Helen to come to them; and especially did
they urge the plea that thereby he would enable her to receive a more
finished education than could possibly be acquired upon the island.

This plea, to be sure, offered a strong inducement to Mr. Dundass; but
how could he school his heart to this second bereavement. Helen
possessed all her mother's traits--her dark blue eyes--her golden hair
and skin of dazzling purity--the smile that played around her dimpled
mouth--her light airy step, were all her mother's. Looking upon her
thus in her budding loveliness the Helen of his youth once more moved
before him. To yield her up he could not--and therefore Mr. Dundass
rejected the oft-repeated entreaties of his English friends. Helen
remained in Jamaica. A governess was provid