The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-02-28
Ugly Hess.

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the gift Of beauty, although healthier OF
merier little creature than Hess seldom
lived. Her hair was dull brown, her eyes
dim and lead colorcd, her nosc crooked,
and her teeth Jagged and irregular, and no
sides, her skin was the color Of new lcath.
er! @
"What does make our Bcss 20 uglyF
said her old grandmother. And she brush.
ed her hair, night and morning. and made
little WISHES Of rosc.water and cream for
skin. and did her best to improve the little
girls unsightly appearance. , ,.s..
Bess was pleasant sweet.'empsred
child, and continued TO extract a great deal
Of sunshine out Of life. But when she played
in the woods all by herself, and came to the
clear cystal pool where the water lillles
grew, and the trout played here and there
like cleaning lines Of gold, she would some.
times look down at her face nirrored in the
clear translucense of the natural looking
glass, and murmur TO herself with tears In
the poor dull eyes,
"Oh, Why WINS created SO ugly"
Little Mary Bell, her nextdoor neighbor'
often tainted her with her plain face, and
sandy hair, and sometimes refused to play
with her. But Bessie never retorted. She
was always aniiable.
"Mary," she said, one bright May after
noon, twill you como and gather daisies
with me? and we'll make chain"
"No," said Mary, haughtily,"l shall not
play with an ugly girl like YOU"
So Bess went out into the woods oil by
HERSELF musing sadly on the ugly face that
seemed to stand in her way through oil her
little life And behold, a broken rosebush
lay across her pathway, trailing in the dust!
"Poor Rose ..'sighed Bess, as she strnight.
encd It up, tied The dropping branches, and
wateret the roots and folinge from the
brook, "f ! am ugly, can ut least help
you"
A little farther on, tiny yellow butterfly
struggled violently in the mcshcs Of huge
spiders web, while the black monster nd.
vanced to seize his helpless prey
"Liule B,hterhy," said Bess softly, "you
shall not die yet. You arc beautiful enough
to enjoy your brief day of life."
So she lifted the fluttering insect from its
ENHANCEMENT, and It foated away like a
spcck Of gold upon the blue brightness Of
the summer air.
Where tho big apple tree stood by the
orchard fence. u robin was Tapping its
wings wildly, hur by some cruelty directed
stone. 49, -- -'-'' . ..-'.-.' .,'--s s4.Esfs
Hess took Il up in her hands, smoothing
its rutiled plumugc tcndcrly, and carried Il
TO shaded nook, where she bnthcd its
wounded wing, and fed It with sweet Der.
ries and crystal water, until the light came
hack into its eye and it began to chirp n
few feeble notes of gratitude.
81 can make u poor bird thank me-"
thought our Bess. "evcn il | nm 50 ugly
that Mary Bell refuses to play with me! y
And when the sun went down in great
sea OF golden sky, Ugly Bess crept to her
little bedside happy, Tor the robin had flown
warbling to its nest, and tho butterfly was
poisug itself on tho lilies by The doorstep,
and the rose buds, ircslenened by dew and
cooness, wero expanding their crimson
folds upon the bough she had watered and
tied up.
al have done some good in Gods world,
to-day" thought ugly Bess. as she said her
evening prayers, and went to sleep on her
little feather pillow.
And the moon mounted her pearly car,
and rode out into the heavens, and the
stars shone brightly into the blue, and all
the spirits and fairies who inhabit glen and
field and lonely woodland path came out
into the soft delicious light that streamed
through the moving leaves.
"What have we to do tonight, sisters?"
said the Fairy Queen. in voice so soft that
mortal ears would have fancietl it musical
zephyr signing through the moonlit vale.
And the Fairy Of the rose spoke out, all
robed in pink pctals-
"Fairy Queen, ask boon for little
mortal called Bess"'
And the rose.fairy told how Bess had
succored her in her hour Of need and trial.
.It is WELL" said tho Queen. "What
gift shall We accord to her?"
~rhe color Of my soltest bud to glow in
her cheeks" said The rose.lsiry and the
Queen granted it. SO Bess, fast asleep.
bad cheeks more beautiful than the pink OF
the sweetest rose that grows.
Then the butterfly presented himself be-
fore the throne Of crystal dewdroIs and
pearl.
~, too, crave a gif, Tor little Bess'"
"Wbat shall il I've, Butterfly" demanded
the il,dulgent Queen.
"I would have the gol'l of my wings TO
shine among her locks, until they shall be
faircr than the sunshine"
..lt is accorded thee" said the Queen.
And all at once, l'ess's ugly hair, lying
sprcud an, over the cottage pillow. became
Ious. shining cnrIs Of gold.
Mex, a robin AuItsrc'l into the Fury
Cour,, drowsy FROM his unusual wakein''
ness, for Mt this hour he was usually last
asleep in his nest among the pink apple
blossoms.
.what will you have, friend Robin =
nid tho Queen, as he folded his pinions at
her feet. Accordingly ihs Robin told his
story, and asked u Fairy blessing lot the