Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-10-30

see deeper than the alluring surface.
l was dazzled, once, by glittering exte-
rior; but have clear vision now"
"Win her and wear her, then," I re-
piled, "and may she be to you all your
fancy pictures"
"Shc is won," he answered, "and shall
wear her proudly in the eyes Of all men,"
There was world of surprise when it
became known that my handsome friend
was about leading his bride to the altar.
"How could he throw himself away up
on such homely creature 7" said one.
"He might have taken his choice from
the loveliest," remarked another.
ale will tire of that face in q month.
All the gold of Ophir would not bribe me
to sit opposite to it for a year."
And so the changes rung. But my
friend knew what he was doing. l was
present at the wedding.
The brilliantly beautiful maiden Of
whom 1 have spoken, gave her hand in
marriage about the same time. Her hus-
band was a young man Of good character,
kind feelings, and with sufficient income
to enable them to live in a style Of impos-
ing elegance. A series Of gay parties was
the social welcome given to the lovely
bride. But such honor did not attend the
nuptials of her palmer sister.
A few years later, and the moral quail
ties of each were more apparent in their
faces. remember meeting both, in COM
pany, ten years after their marriage. |
was standing at one end of the room, when
au over-drsssed woman, with SNOWY face,
came in, accompanied by a gentleman
whom l knew, not as an acquaintance, but
as man of business and the husband of
the beauty. l should scarcely have rec
ognized the latter, but for him. What
change was there. At distance the
face struck you as still beautiful, but on
closer view the illusion vanished. The
mouth had grown sensual, peevish and i'll
natured, the eyes we're bright, but the
brightness repelled rather than attracted.
After a while, wondering at the change,
drew near and entered into conversation
with her. Tho music of her voice re-
membered. There vas NO music in it,
now at least, none for my ears. A cer-
tain abruptness in her manners, born of
pride or supcrciliousness, was to me par
ticularly offensive. l tried her on various
subjects,in order to bring out some better
aspects in her character. The Swedish
Nightingale had just been here, and had
sung to my heart as no living man or wo-
man had ever sung. spoke Of her.
"Too artificial" was the reply, with an air
Of critical vanity, that gave to my feelings
q ripple of indignation. l referred to
new poem, remarkable for its purity of
style; she coldly remarked with depreci-
alton on some of its special beauties, mere
ly repeating, as knew, certain captious
reviewer. l was in doubt whether she
read even q page Of the book. Then l
spoke Of a lady present. She tossed her
head and arched her lip, saying, "She's
too fond Of gentlemen's attentions" l
varied still my efforts, but to no good pur-
pose. l left her side on the first good op-
poptunity, glad to get away. Ten years
ago, in all companies, she was the cyno-
sure of every eye. The praise of her
beauty was on every lip. But so changed
was she now that none bent to do her rev.
erence. 1 noticed her sitting alone, with
a discontcnted look, long after l had left
her side. Her husband, by the attentions
he paid her during the evening, might
have been unconscious Of her presence.
But there was another lady in tho room
who was the centre of an admiring circle.
None, perhaps, considered her face beau
tiful; but to every one who looked upon
it, came a perception of beauty that asso-
ciated with her individually. In repo.e,
her features were plain, yet not repulsive
in the slightest particular. But when
thought and feeling flowed into them,
every eye was charmed. There was
namclcss grace in her manner that gave
additional power to the attractions of her
countenanco. I was half in doubt at first
Of her identity, as gazed upon her from
a distant part of the room she looked, in
my eyes, so really beautiful. But there
was my old friend, who had been wise
enough to prefer beauty Of soul to beauty
Of face; and, passing over, 1 added anoth-
er to the circle which gathered around
her. There was nothing obtrusive in her
conversation; nothing of conscious pride
but a calm, and, at times, earnest utter
ance of true sentiments. Not once during
the evening did hear word from her
lips that Jared the better feelings.
"The good are beautiful" Many times
did this sentiment find spontaneous utter
ance in my heart as 1 looked upon her
and then, turned my eyes to the discon-