The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-01-17
Written for the American Union.l
HOmely and Handsome.
BY NJ. V.

went IN one direction and my brush in
another. To tell the truth, / was so
homely that was discouraged.
''There now, don't Susie, my moth
er said, soothingly, looking about her
for the abused articles of my toilet.
Don't do SO, child I'm sure you
look very well-very well, indeed
Very well, mother !" repeated, in
dignantly. Look at that head. :" l
exclaimed, pointing to the mirror.
"Welli
tits big enough for bushel bask-
ct !"
Daniel Webster had big head,
she said, affably.
80, yes, certainly. So did Squire
Brown have a big house, but it wasn't
a shed And my nose. MOTHERHOOD
at my nose," I cried, laughing in spite
of myself. it was SO queer. "Old
Judge Hobbs had a big nose, hadn't
ESQ big that he was. in danger Of
treaGing on it when he walked Poor
Hobbs ?"
"Why, child, don't !"
"And my mouth, 0, do look at my
mouth, now p
I'm sure it did look like a cavern to
me then, as laughed and stretched it
from ear to ear.
I'D ike to see the man who would
dare to kiss me- Blondin's feat of
walking across the Niagara would be
thrown completely in the shade by it
o, dear, dear, how homely l am r
Very evidently my mother did not
know what to do or say She was al
ways at loss how to act at such times.
But she looked at me, pityingly; and
in turn, / continued to look into my
mirror
"No, I'll never try again, mother,
never Never with that face - l ex-
claimed, after a pause. NO, don't at
tempt to console me; l can see Just
exactly how Hook. I know the breadth
of my forehead and mouth, the length
of my nose, and the color of my eyes
and hair.
Listen: forehead and mouth, ten
inches; nose, twelve; eyes and hair a
sickly brown. There it Is in nut
she'll Let father whisper this in the
ear of Mr. Lane, whom he Jokes me SO
much about, and see where his pretty
little plans VIII go to. Poor man, he
might just as well give it up first as
last.
You look Just as l did when I was
of your age, mother said, "and no one
thought Of calling me homely."
| locked up into my mothers face.
At that moment, with her wrinkled
cheeks and gray hair, she looked a
thousand times better than | did. Her
complexion was still fair and soft; her
eyes threw a kindly light over her
whole countenance. | drew a deep
sigh.
why, mother Lester !" / said le-
proachfully, IF you had been one half
as homely when you were a girl as l
am, my father would never have mar
RED you"
She shook her bead.
90, YES be would yes he would,
SUSIE she answered, tacitly admit
ting what she had denied before. ut
wouldn't have made any difference
with him
l smiled couldn't help it; but it
was one of those quiet. bitter smiles.
THAT Will do for logic, mother, l
said. "Now leave me, and I'll get
ready to meet fathers friend Mr. Lane
Dear chow / shall fascinate him -
l turned to the glass again as my
mother left the room. How I should
fascinate him Capital But there
was one good thing about it, didn't
care one way or another, SO there would
be no great disappointment in store
for me. / wouldn't Try to look even
commonly well, for the sake of pleas
inc him. | felt so cross and dissatis-
fed with myself that | was willing to
be made a scarecrow for the sake of
gratifying my spleen. SO | took my
comb and drew my hair straight be-
hind my ears, and twisted it into a
great coil at the back Of my neck. All
il had to recommend it was its smooth
ness. 1t was drawn so tightly that
nv SCALP was in danger of being lifted
tup. In this way l left it, innocent of
bow or ribbon. For dress | chose a
light gray, trimmed with sober folds,
without fringe or buttons. In 1T l
looked like severe Quaker lady. All
I needed to complete the suit was a
muslin cap and a white neck ker-
chief
oMy DEAR" my mother said, draw
ing in her breath, as she met me IN
the hall, just as was going into the
parlor, "your cousin Nellie ISM dress
ed So" she added, gently, as if afraid
O.: wounding my feelings.
I'm glad she is not, l replied,
quickly. my eyes flashing up little.
you look very neat" mother said,
slowly, looking me over from head to
foot. "But Nellie is in blue-her deep
blue with the heavy fringe and velvet.
Your father says she looks charming
! ly.'
Undoubtedly" l answered, feeling
nv heart grow as hard as rock.
will you go in with me ?"
We went i'll, and l was presented to
Mr.. Frederick Lane. | felt the hot
blood surge up into my face as his
deep. handsome eyes rested upon me.
But | bowed coolly, and seated myself
beside Nellie | wanted him to have