The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-10-20
Gbuire Afaoing,
From "Steps TomardS Hearcn."
EMPERiSElABLE BEAUTY
t. S. kRTHUR.


1t was very plain face My eye rest
cd upon 1t, for moment or two, and then
wandered away to the countenance of an
other maiden, whose beauty ravished the
eyes Of every beholGer; and as ] gazed
wish . fesling of delight, upon its trans.
cendent soseliness, an impulse of thank
fulness stirred in my rt-thaakfuluess
to the Greater Of beauty. The first maid
en- sat alone; areand the other stood a
group of admirers. So marked contrast
between eEe swo, as we'll in fearurcs as in
the impressions made thereby, excited,
6rss, something like pity for her whom
nature had endowed so poorly; and |
turned to look at her aga1u with q kinder
feeling in my heart,
There she sat all alone Yes, her face
vas very, very plain but it did not strike
me as repnlsive The mouth, which had
nothing of shs ripe fullness that gave such
an enalnor.ng grace to the ether maiden,
was placid and thoHgh not encirclcd b,
a perpetual W: ea.h of smiles, calmly eu-
throned the gentle spirit nf content. He
eyes were small, the lashcs thin, and the
arch above them family visible. Arch !?
| can scarcely give it that graceful desig-
nation. | had not yet seen the express
ion of those eyes. As | looked towards
her, with that strange consciousness of
observation which ali have remarked. but
which few can explain, she turned her
eyes from another part Of the room, and
looked at me. They did not fash bril-
iiantly, Dor strike uIe, at the first glauce,
as having in them auythiug peculiar.
They were the common eyes we meet at
every turn--no soul in them. 1 give my
hrst impression. My second was differ
ent. l had turned my eyes away; but
something l had seen, caused them al
most involuntarily to wander back to the
maiden's face. A friend whom | hIghly
regarded-a young man of more than
common w,rth-had crossed the room,
and was standing before her. Sine had
lifted her eyes to bis face, and there was
a new light in them-not dazzling, but
a soft, winning light, that purity and love
made almost beautiful .... ...
They were convcrsing, and | watched,
for some time, the play of that uDattract-
i've countenance--1n 1nattractive no longer.
"Ah!' - said /, "there is beautiful
soul within that casket."
And as | spoke thus, in the silence Of
my own thoughts, l looked towards the
other maiden, who was still surrounded
by crowd of admirers.
"Her beauty is wonderful" l could
not help the u.terance Of this tribute to
her charms. Yet scarcely had | spokeL
the words, when she turned to one of the
group which had gathered about her, a
slight curl of unlovely scorn upon her lips,
and threw ut him an arrowy word that
wounded as it struck. She saw that it
hurt, and gleam of pleasure went forth
frcm her brilliant eyes. .s
A hlmy veil came between me and that
countenance. which, little while before,
had shone with loneliness that was ab-
solutcly enchanting. turned again to
the other maiden. Ny friend still stood
before her, and her eyes were lifted to his
face. She was utteriDg some sentiments
what, | did not hear-but they must
have been good and beautiful in concep-
tion, to have flied every lineament with
such winning grace.
"Ah! !" said |, the real truth dawninc
upon my mind, "here is the inner, impcr-
isbable beauty. The beauty, which, in