Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-01-16

Young mcu whnSe favor they desired TO
win, were not unrequently indifferent TO
all their arts aud Establishments; and yet,
stranger still, rs it appeared To them, so
interested in Margaret. as to be emulous
of attention towards her.
Ii is not always that truth comes to
ears most concerned in hearing it.
Friends and neighbors see and talk about
our personal defects, pecuIiarities. and
hindcring faults, though we see them not,
and go on blindly indulgius them TO our
loss and injury. Mrgareis two elder sis
tsrS still thought themselves beautiful
winning. graceful beyond ali comparison
with their Cinderella, ss once they were
vain and heartless enough to call her.
They did no, recognize The fairy work
that. with slower :hau old lairy touches,
vet with more enduring magic, was trans.
forming her daily. But there were eyes
that could see while theirs were blind /;
aud It happened that. through the sense
ul hearing, they gained knowledge of
what their sight had failed to give. The
eldest. her name was Cordelia- over
heard the following conversation. 1t
wa> between two young men with whom
she had been long acquainted
II used to think her beautiful said
one ot them.
"Cordelit?" said tic other. Yes" p"
wa, the reply.
so did l." continued the other
Three ~ tour ears ago, when She aud
hrr sister inst came out, with The girlish
hioom upon them. thought them Two OF
the lo,olic>t creatures had ever seen:
bur. somehow. they have been fading, or
changing, ever since"
There j. nothing in them. said the
first speaker.
Not much, was the reply.
They dress elegantly, and have u
world Of sprightly gossip and small talk {;
but as TO culture of the heart or intellect,
have failed 10 discover the signs. !
WAS quite Smiiten with Cordelia at first
actually in love with her bright eyes and
iair lace-6ut | got over it long ago
Beauty j. very we'll in these love matters
but sensible m1r i apt 10 lonk II little
way beneath the surface. to scc what
kind oi foundation beauty is resting
upon Girls OF this class are well enough
to dance and nirl with; but Tor the
graver purposes ol malrimony none but
knsveS OF fools accept them
There are plenty Of knayes aud fools
about. said the friend
80 yes" said the other, las witness
the wretchcd marriages that are constant
" taking place There's fellow dane.
ing attendance on CordeIa now, who is
just weak enough 10 marry her Il, kind
of show. w.wife. He thinks her quecnly
OF course, ii the event comes oi. there
will bu another miserable couple added
to the list Both viii find themselves
disappointed"
by the way, said the other speaker,
breaking in upon his friend, no. ily.
''what do yoolhink OF the plinor s,stcr2"
"Marsaret?"-"Ycs. live ceased TO
call her plain" he said.
You would hardly call her beautiful.
continued his friend.
Il don't Anow." he said Il have
scen her when to call her beautiful would
bc nn error of language The fact Is,
Margaret has puzzled me aI times.
giant YOU that her features are not cut
after classic model. nor Is there what
we sometimes call style in he. face
She hasn't the duc complexion nor the
large liquid eyes OF her older .sters; and
yet her couCtenanco is 10 me lar more III
,ractive--it is so full OF mind and feeling
You forget. ~ you talk with her, The ma
tcrial lines of her face, in the beauty OF
thought that transIignres il. Do YOU
want higher style than this p
"And Yet" continued the first speaker,
Margaret was very lonely. There was
IA time when almost wondered at her
courage IN vcnluring to brave the com.
parison that must be made between her
and her sisters.
Yes said his companion, Il re.
member my first impression also; but ii
gradually wore ofl rs came To know
her The tact is. her beautiful soul shines
through the material veil, and You see
the light and loveliness within In the
case OF her sisters the order is reversed.
They have not, tear. beautiful souls"
The mantle they have 80 long worn
in PRIDE was the reply, is dropping
away from them, and if they Ito not see
to it, will tall upon the shoulders oil Mar.
garel. If were choosing u wife tIom
among these three sisters, | shouldn't
hesitate moment"
You would take Margaret" said his
friend. Yes" was the reply.
Not regarding mere beauty rs any
thing when put in contrast with excel
lence of character ?" added the first
speaker.
II am lover OF beauty" was tho re-
ply. whenever the beautiful is pre-.
sented. find myself constrained wor-
shipper. At first saw beauty only in
form and color. and was in constant
danger of accepting gilt and bloom for
enduring substance. Twice have been