National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-03-10

ELISE'S VANITY.

Tire vanity of the fair sex, il is said is
the -ame aye aS the sex itself. 4 clever
writer, in defending this trait of the fem
ac character, has said that II constitutes
.,- greatest charm; that without it the
,,l would lose hall its attraction and in
support OF this theory there is the old
IHut story of the German maiden his
ty which Is SO tender and pretty that it
.ly1rjlre-culng from the forgotten legends
,lthe lathcr-land
maiden lived on the banks of the
me with her father the miller. Now
t maiden, whose name was Elise, was
nt pretty, and she was cross and fretful
nC -aG sricVcd for her own lack of beauty
Ul thought that none would ever care
l. lor on account of the few graces Nature
lad given to her so she did not even try
mpIea,c and yet her heart was very large
Hi very kindly, She spent half her time
M Iout OF her looking glass lamenting her
Ianuc,> and thinking how impossible it
t. that Carl would ever learn to love
a.r while Gretchen, who was so fair and
pretty that she was called "The Daughter
>pnng," dwelt near her. Elise was not
.l,i for she had never tried TO gain love
>.talWavs fancied that it would be in vain
ID rudcayor to please, in vain to be kind,
and thoughtful and loving. When Nature
bead so sighted her, who could care for her
or taiah OF her, or he interested in her ?
"Ah she sighed one day, if could but
have Gfetchen's beauty. | should be the
.appie>t gir in the Fatherland, for then
-uulli not lear any rival and Carl, sunny
g.rcd Carl, might love me-" But Carl
u.yorcame near her now, and only thought
o. her r. eros, and frctful Elise, and wished
Gretchen had had less vanity with her
PRETTY face, and rather large heart in her
.m body.
One day--it was the time of the vintage |
Elise went down to the Rhine to bring .
D. water, and as she dipped her pals in the
ru wppIc> she saw her own face reflected. |
ami TUNED away wretched and discomfort
", She >at down on rocky stone and
watched the sunlight playing on the cas-
Nr@owncd hills and listened to the far-oii
>'"- of the workers in the vineyards; and
thought of Carl, who was there, and of
70, tcden, who was there also. "Ah, men
SIZE sighed, what gift is beauty ~
Elise, said a voice, and looking up she
>a' m old woman "a very old, dciormed
woman standing near to her. Elise
said, Il will tell you the secret of
beauty, and You shall obtain all that YOU
flor SO much. Go home and never look
DO glass, never see the reelection of your
'" lace IN the water, never once again
We on your own features and you will
"W metty-so pretty that all will won
at the change, and Carl--Carl will
earn to love you"
'on' ! will never see my face again as
'- a> live-never, never !" said Elise.
h.l ue You sure, quite sure ~
quite sure" replied the dame "but,
.''IHoer II yon once see your own face, ,
.'f ugimesS will return. Now, go home !
'' oe hight of heart and every day your c
'a. % beauty will grow less, and every l.
' more love viii hover around YOU" t
.bnt how shall know that it is true if
'..N not SEE my face p asked Elise. o
m you not tell by the altered manner o
" ,ao>e around you p said the dame. Il
"o. yes" said Elise; chow will watch q
tUWm." o
Elise went home with new and strange II
'DhnesN at her heart, happiness that a
'h2cd her nature and influenced every u
' COY her life, and made her amiable, and o
ana loving, and kind and consderate, " "
i .5 anxious to please and ready to serve l
nd help others. st
d. IeNently people began to remark the
W., a'lon IN the mller's daughter, and to IL,
"er how different she was from for Pl
"I J, and the maldens sought her out and a
'.NVu 10 her about their lovers, and the L
0'n' declared that Elise, the miller's &,
'I,tef was the incest girl that side of =
..r '"llile' and Carl learned to think how al III
IeIt she was from Gretchen, and he ~
~ .''u TO love her, and through the Faith vi
tIere was not so happy girl as w
use And all this time she never once m
~" Aer own face, but turned away her TO
"hen she dipped her pals in the IN
'n' and through all the miller's house IN
was not 10 be found looking glass le'
''l'Sed (ah, how much y to see herself pr
.,,I new garb of beauty but she remem- We
'he old woman's warning and con- to
Isred her desire.
~ 'hc spring time came her wedding pc
"ip early in the sweet fresh morning Sc
'N married TO Carl, and the Young III
eiS peeped out to see her face as she ne
~. ~ and the tender grass kissed her ur
b, Sne went along, and the birds sang fo
ord- 'ce'ing, and even to light feathery ag
,ri.l seemed to stoop over her head. as an
sr ~, ,oI ! 'heir shadowy hands they blessed tn
..T,.er ~, ner bridal day. All, happy Elise! be
60 "ou arr SO changedm said Carl. "Thy
,s 30 dIfierent from what Il formerly
IL does not seem to me that Il L n,