winged steeds of the ocean. In no part of the world are there more lovely women than in our American cities. They contribute largely to the fascination of this exciting sport, and neither at the ball, nor the theatre, nor the midnight revel, do they appear more beautiful than here. Their graceful and glowing faces fleet by with a rapidity which prevents all criticism, if not all comparison. The gaze is bewildered with an endless succession of lovely lips and radiant smiles; and eyes which the young and sensitive of the other sex, with the fidelity characteristic of ardour and youth, might remember for ever, but that each succeeding glance heals the wound received from the last. In the midst of this gay and noisy scene, the pedestrians along the spacious side walks found their interest so much excited by the vast number, variety and beauty of the equipages, and their charming groupes, that the pavements in their long

extent were lined with animated spectators, some lounging slowly onward as if reluctantly withdrawing from such a pleasing spectacle, while many remained stationary, watching each bright car as it went ringing and flashing along, and commenting upon each passing company.

"See, Leslie-look!-" cried a fashionably dressed young man to his companion, whose finely proportioned figure and extremely handsome face had attracted more than one pair of those mischievous eyes we spoke of. "There! behind the yellow sleigh-with those superb horses;-don't you catch a glimpse of her now? -they have stopped to address that party."

"Yes," said the other, " you are right-what a queenly woman!"

"Is not that fair girl Flora-she with her head turned away?"

""Tis her sweet self," replied Howard with theatrical enthusiasm.

The sleigh which they had been observing

now swiftly approached and dashed by over the hard pressed snow, discovering a nearer view of a gentleman and two ladies; the former a man of style and ton, though somewhat advanced in years;-the ladies, an extremely fine looking woman, richly, nay, gorgeously dressed, whose age one might scarcely venture to suppose, so brilliantly did the charms of youth and gaiety linger around her person. The other a fair girl of exceeding beauty, her complexion heightened by air and exercise, whose bewitching smile and laughing blue eyes having already intoxicated half the Broadway Exquisites, boded no good to the susceptibilities of our young loungers. Greetings were graciously interchanged as they flew by, and the two friends uncovered their heads with that air of heartfelt homage, with which gay and ardent young men return the smile and salutation of the loveliest of the reigning belles.

"I am a lost man," exclaimed Howard.

"Which one now?" asked Leslie smiling,

I would I had lived in the days of good old Greece, when the chisel of Praxiteles made marble breathe and almost blush."

"I had rather live in the good old town of Mannahatta after a merry snow-storm, like this, replied Leslie; "but why your wish?"

"That I might have Flora Temple wrought in Parian for my gallery. To have that exquisite Psyche face in marble-immutable-immortal marble, never to be changed by sickness-by care-by time. I would spend hours by it daily, worshipping. But look! yonder comes another," said Howard.

"Old Mr. Romain and his daughter," added Leslie.

A stately creature, with a face that might have been Cleopatra's in her girlhood, bowed smilingly to the two young men, and directed to them the attention of her father.

"After all," exclaimed Howard, as they

disappeared among the throng of sleighs, "I do not know but those large eyes of Rosalie Romain's eclipse them all."

"She is one of your bewildering girls," said Leslie," which it would be prudent for such gentlemen as you to beware of. But what is doing yonder?-is some one holding a levee in the open air, this cold morning?”

"I wager my life," cried Howard, "that the sleigh, around which the others are all crowding so eagerly, contains thatd-d French Count."

"His Lordship, true enough, at full length," added Leslie," coated like a Russian Emperor, and showing off those four fiery animals to every body's admiration."

"And envy," said Howard.

"That fop

now could marry any of those blooming belles

at ten minutes' notice."

"You do your countrymen injustice," replied his friend, drily.