Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1864-06-29

and many wondered with themselves how
how it was that they had been SO slow in
discovering how greatly she was, in some
things, superior to her more snowy sis
tiers.
There was a..sphere of tranquility about
Margaret, felt by every one who apprOa-
ehed her. The repOse of her manner did
not break up easily, but to right senti-
ment and feelings she responded with a
warmth of expression that yelled nothing
of insineerity. In conversation, where
the subject was agreeable, thought would
light up her cOuntenance, and play over
it in manifOrd changes. Itwas singular
ly mobile to the mind-answering to en-
otion; never eOncealing,
Time came when the two elder sisters
found themselves often less attractive in
company than the homely Margaret
Young men, whose favor they desired to
win, were not unfrequently Indifferent to
all their arts and Establishments; and yet
stranger still, as it appeared to them, SO
interested in Margaret as to be emulOus
of attention towards her.
It is not always that truth comes to
ears mostconcernedin in hearingit Friends
and neighborS see and talk about our per-
sOnaI defects, peculiarities, and hindering
faults, though we see them not, and 60
on blindly indulging them to our loss
and injury. Margarets two elder sisters
still thought themselves beautiful, win
ming, graceful beyond all comparison
with their Cinderella, as once they had
been vain and heartless enough to call
her. They did not recognize the fairy
work that, with slower than old fairy
touches, yet with more enduring magic,
was transforming her daily. But there
eyes that could see while theirs we're
blind; and it happened that through the
sense of hearing, they gained knOwl-
edge of what their sight had failed to
give The eldest-her name was Corde-
lia-oyerheard, it matters not as to the
place and circumstance, this Conversation.
1t was between two youngmen with whom
she had been long acquainted:
L used to think her beautiful, said
one of them. E..r
'CordeIiaY
Yes
80 did 1. Three or four years ago,
when she and her sister first came out,
with the girlish bloom upon them, I
thought them two of the loveliest crea-
lures I had ever seen. But somehow
they have been fading, or changing, ever
since
There is nothing in them, said the
first speaker
Not much, was answered.
They dress elegantly, and have a world
of sprightly gossip and small talk. But
as to culture of the heart or intellect,
have failed to discover the signs. I was
quite smitten with Cordelia at frst-ac-
tually in love with her bright eyes and
blOssOming face-but I got bravely over
it long ago. Beauty is very well in these
love matters, but sensible man is apt tc
look a little way beneath the surface, tc
see what kind of foundation beauty is
resting upon. Girls of this kind are well
enough to dance and firt with, but for
the grayer purposes of matrimOny, none
but mere knaves or fools accept them
There are knaTes and fools about
90 yes, as witness the wretched marri.
ages that are constantly taking place
There's fellow dancing attendance upon
Cordelia now, who is just weak enough
to marry her as kind of show-wife. He
thinks her queenlyl Of course, if the
event comes of, there will be another
miserable couple added to the list. Both
will find themselves disappointed
By the by said the other, breaking
in upon his friends homily, what dc
you think of the palmer sister2'
Margaret?'
Yes
I've ceased to call her plain
You would hardly call her beauti
fulY
Il don't know. I have seen her wher
to call her beautiful would be no error o
language. The fact is, Margaret has puz
zled me at times. I grant you, that hel
features are not cut after classic model
nor is there what we sometimes call style
in her face. She hasn't the fine complex
ion, nor the large liquid eyes of her old
est sister, and yet her oountenancs is t,
me far more attractive-it is so full O
mind and feeling. You forget, as 20,
talk with her, the material lines of he
face, in the beauty of thought that trans
figures it. Do you want a higher styl
than this?
And yet Margaret was very lonely
There was time when I almost wonder
ed at her courage in yenturing to bray,