Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-06-10
sCELLANY.
THE PLAIN ONE OF THE FAMILY.
~ uAREiET y. niTuiwAr.

Aunt Mercy looked up nv me iTnm her Ahlt'
ting, and aii, with a smile peculiarly her
own;
Hattie. child, DO you think tha, you
are Prr,,y2'
"Ono, Aun, Mercy" | replied. IN all
honesty, I'm sure do not. Why did
YOU ask wa, il boc,as, was smoothing my
hair2"
"Lovo is a wonderful b'iuti6cr," she
said, apparently no, needing my question,
or the cnharr,.m,nt b,tokencI hy my BLUSH
cs-"a wonl'rrll b,AruG,r indeed II
smooths out the wrinkles Of old as,. lend.
lus,ri u ihs dimn'l ry,, paint, roses on
the -lllow cho,k in short, thc phlnysi face
b,r,ms, h'luulnl. when sen through the
medium OF love-"
l-,lily drew an o,,,m,, ir,m il. place
and .'lt,i myslra, thc oil hly'' feet. |
knew her mini va, wandering tar away
amid the shadows or ,hc pls,. Very quiet.
ly at, ror f',r OF disturbing her rcycrie.
"lla,,i,," At length she sld; "would
you lik, q ,.,y?"
"oh hys aunt Mercy" replied, Tor this
wa, what hid b''n waiting Tor.
The old lady h,lp'l h,r,,lttoa pinch Of
snuT ,,nk back IA her arm ci,r. removed
her g'ts,r, from h-r cyc., anl rested them
upon th, border OF h'r dainty NIB cap,
then foll,l her wrinklrl hand, together.
anl ptr,iy closing her ewes, aid
"Dsr liitls Lucy Lambert see her
as pAin!y at tb., IA Im'u,. a. though years
hai not MT sla' by ',n,, ,h, s,)jl b,f1ra
me a iimil shrinking child.
Alice Mlrsln W., my early school friend.
and ws wsr, Ike sister, in aiuchm,n, but
Alc, mtrrii ylins. anI wsnt from her
NV E1s.anl hon' 10 ind ono in Cin.
cinm,u, Oll. L. d's,n years from that
time, W., l-T, widow AMI chiliIrs,. with
not a nr,r r'l,tiy, IN ti, viii, world.
Ny oil friend, on hr,slns Of my BE-.
r'iy,m,nt s'nt an earnest invitation u com,
ami nak' h,m, with them lJr tims.
accepted ,li, sni DIR I, was afternoon
when arrived aud mt with slsi1rly
reception from my lr'ni. Au,, LAMBERT.
"S,in thr chilirci cimstrIppins IN from
s,h1Il-:h, two boys AMI iwI girls. F.r,t
came Frank, a Gn', noble looking boy OF
twcly, -umm,rs then Walter. a Air.hairsd
boy OF ton /. next Bella, a brilliant, biwitch.
ins beauty OF lourtc,n, followed by her
twin.si','f Lucy, who seemed u shrink
from observation.
"rhir' was evidently a l,,llns akin 10
rrii, - Mr'. L,mh'rt presented Walter,
Frank aDl B'.hn 10 M; bus, when she
clu,' . Licy, sac sad:
"AnIh h's, oar Lacy n, plain on, Of
th' family bls sis ., vcry s'pl, sin,lc
srrl.
draw th, ,imiI, blushins child to my
bosom. and said
IL know she Is, for she i very pleasant
looking. Shs riminl, mi Of ~ own h,-
tlc Alice. your nlm,,ak,, who died two
years ago"
~, I All this, a tear called forth by
by the rsn,mbrlni, OF that s,d hour, fell
upon Licy's hani. 81, rii.,l her little
plain lac, &, min, with a look oi -1rrowlul
compassion. rl1 moment oar eyes met
thcr, seemed to b, an cl,c,ric sympathy
rs they call 1t noN-,stablish,i between
Us.
During my stay in tho family, can
not rcccJIect u day bat that sbm,ihins oc-
cured to remind Lucy Of her lack Of per-
s,ntl beauty. II wi' rs,lly painful to me-
to sec what line Of distinction was drawn
between her and the oth,r children by
every member VI Ihe household. II her
father addressed her, il WIS "PIiin little
pu,s," AMI the mothers PIT term was my
homely litI!e Llcy," while tl, fun loving
Frank delighted in designating B,lla as the
Beauty and Lucy as the li,,la Beast.
0Ho afternoon rs Lucy s,t by my side,
Frank came bounding IN calling;
4" Si'. sis Harry May wants to see
you"
The color mounted to Llcy's trmPlcs
as shc exclaimed:
what me, Frank p
"No no, not you!' crclilm,l the i'm.
petuous boy. "Why should be caro- to
s,s YOU? No one clr,s to see hom,ly folks.
It's Beauty he's after. IIo thinks you arc
homely as hedserncc, Lula. Did you
know IT.
81 had often been at los, to know how
Lucy felt when meeting with such rohad' (;
but had never b,sn ahlc 70 como to definite
conclusion. had at times thought that
. having heen 80 accustomed to them, she
did not heed them. bat a. Frank closed the
door she raised her large gray eyes to my
face with such an expression Of sorrow,
that my heart throbbel with anguish, and
I it was with difficulty I could restrain my
tears, She did no, speak word. nor was
there need Tor this, Cor that look told me
more than language could utter. Soon al.
ter, she made an excuse, and went to her
room. Somehow. | felt unea.ily abou, the
child, as she had not heen well for several
days, and in a few moments I laid aside my
work and followed her.
Very quietly entered my room which
was adjoiuIns hers, the door Of which sio ID
partially open. Before the glass i saw
Lucy apparently studying each feature Of
her PLAIN little face separately.
.Erank l. riybt'-I am hotnelvr nj