The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-01-22

Il is alxsys comfort to know that
there is some one within reach. I
went back softly TO the drswing.room.
She was still lying Oh the sofs, quite
motionless and quiet, no longer painting
as che had done. When I looked at
her closely I saw tbst she had dropped
asleep: The light Of the lamp was full
on her face, and yet she had dropped
asleep, being, as I suppose, completely
worn'out. 1sav her face then for tho
first time, and it startled me. It vas
not 4 face which you could describe
BY any Of The lighter words Of admir-.
at1oo as pretty Or handsome. 1t was
simply the most beautiful face I ever
saw in my life. 1t was pale and worn,
cod looked almost like death lying
back 10 that attitude OF utter weakness
on the velvet cushions and, though
the eyes we're closed, and the effect of
them lost, it was impossible to believe
that the lovejiest eyes in the world
could have made her more beautiful.
She had dark hair, wsvy and slightly
curling upon the forehead; her eye.
lashes were very long and dark, aud
curIed upwards; her features, I think,
must have been perfect and the look
Of pain had gone from her face;
she was as serene as if she had been
dead.
WIS very much startled BY this:
SO much 80 that for the moment I sank
down upon chair, overcome by con-
fusion and surprise, and did not even
shade the lamp, as had intended to
do You may vondsr that should be
so much surprised, but then you must
remember that great beauty is not COM
mon anywhere, and that to pick it out
Of the ditch, as it we're, and find it
thus in the person Of one who might
be mere vagabond and vagrant for
aught you could tell,. was very strange
and startling. It took away my breath;
and then, the figure which belonged to
this face formed 90 strange a contrast
with it. lzkno~, as everybody else
does, that beauty is but skin deep;
that it is 90 sligo Of excellence, or of
mental or moral superiority in any way
that it is accidental and Independent
Iof the character Of its possessor as good
family is or anything else you are born
to: l know all this perfectly we'll;
and yet feel, as l suppose everybody
else does, that great beauty Is ont of
place in squalid surroundings: When
l, saw the worn and dusty dress, the
shawl tightly drawn across her breast,
the worn shoes that peeped out from
below her skirt, L felt ashamed: It
wac absurd, but such was my feeling :
l felt ashamed of my good gown and
lace, and fresh, ribbons. To think
that /, and hundreds like rue, should
deck ourselves, and leave this creature
in her dusty gown! My suspicious
went out Of my mind in moment.
Lsstead of the uneasy doubt whether,
perhaps, she might have Accomplices
it made me blush to thick l had
dreant of such thipg] waiting out
side, ! began to feel indignant with
every body that she could be ia such a
plight. Reinhardt's wife How did
be dare, that mean, Insignificant man,
to marry such q creature, and to- be
cruel to her after he had married her!
/ started up and removed the lamp,
shading her face, and I took my shawl,
which was ny best shawl, an: Indian
one, and really handsome, and covered
her with it, did i'll can't tell why
with a feeling that was making her
little compensation. Then I opened
one of the windows to let in the air,
for the night was sultry ; and then I
put myself into my tavorite chair, and
leant back my head, and made myself
as comfortable as I could to watch her
till she woke. 1 should have thought
thas great hardship little while be-
fore, but'I did not think it hardship
| now. I had become her partisan, her
protector, her servant, in q moment,
and al for no reason except the form
of her features, the look of that sleep.
lug face. T acknowledge that it was
absurd, but still | know you would
have done the same had you been in
my place. 1 suspected her no more,
had no doubts 10 my mind, and was not
the least annoyed that Mary had gone
to bed. 1t seemed to me as if her
beauty established 40 Immediate rela-
tionship between US, somehow, aud
made it natural that I, or any one else
who might hsppeo to be in the way,
should give up our own convenience
f3r her. 1t was her beatty that did it,
nothing else, not her great want and
solitude, not even the name by which
sne had adjured me her beauty,
nothing more. I do not defend my.
self'for having fallen prcstrate before
this primitive power T could not help
it, but / don't attempt to excuse my.
SELF: "
I must have dozed in my chair, for
I woke suddenly, dreaming that some
one was standing over me, aud starting
at me-s kind Of nightmare. I started
With little cry, and for the first mo-
ment I was bewildered, and could not
think how I got there. Then all at
ouoe, l saw her, aud The mystery was
solved. She had woke, too, and hy
on her side on the sofa, looking intent.