The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-01-01
SELECT STORY.
A SECOND LORLEI.


on account of my looks, and every i'll
that can befall family has been laid to
the score Of Franks terrible appear
ance." When / was child everything
went wrong. Once on a ferry-boat a
young and lovely lady. petting and talk
ing to me, became so interested that she
quietly backed off the edge, and only
the presence of mind and daring of her
husband rescued her in a very damp
and choking condition. Nurse scolded,
mamma raised her hands in horror, and
the lady gave me the name of 'Lorlei, "
which 1 have ever since retained.
I was a continual source of anxiety
lest should be kidnapped by some child
less people, and made into circus-rider,
or an heiress. Ny life was miserable,
with the guard set around me, to say
nothing of dozen or two toilets day,
my hair had to be combed and brushed in
cessantly, and myself kissed and fon-
died like lap-dog. 1t grew no better,
later. My sisters happened to be very
plain, and couldn't help it il / got all
the invitations, bouquets, and proposals,
and they received none. To make it
worse, one of my admirers died of heart
disease, and left me the large fortune
that should have gone 10 his sisters;
and then they loved me excessively, of
course!
/ combed my hair in the most horri-
BILE way could invent, wore tiff collars
up to my ears, plain dresses of sober col
or, made faces at myself in the glass by
the hour, and all to no purpose. My
hair would turn into the cunningest lit
tie ringlets about my forehead, and fall
down in golden mass of curls just at
the wrong time. The neck above the
ugly linen no amount Of sun could make
other than white and well-turned; and
the clumsy dress hid form of the most
perfect mould-stately, smooth and
rounded as only healthy English girl
can ever hope to be.
1 couldn't have any girl friends, for
without meaning it L captured their
lovers; they grew jealous and called me
names; and the attachment usually end
ed in a storm of tears and reproaches on
the one part, dismayed repentance on
the other. / couldn't have a gentleman
friend, for, if single, he proposed in a
month, and if married, the wife came to
the rescue, and got the worst of it. l
tried one plan, and You shall have the
result: / cut my hair off nearly close,
a-d mercy NEIL had done the bust
ness. / was hfndsomer than before! I
looked very picture of mischief, my
hair curled tighter than ever, and my
eyes would dance, spite of all the sober
books l read, and all the sad things /
tried to think of. / took Aunt Hetty in
to my confidence, one day when she
came to the city to buy some furniture
for her country house, and promised
that as soon az her sons started for
school, l would be with her to spend
the summer. 1 made my preparations
secretly, and only on the day of my
departure asked and received permission
to go unmatched and alone. Used to
my freaks, mamma asked no questions,
but gave me some advice-"to wear a
thick veil in the cars, not to take my
gloves off, and not to wink at any one"
As though 1 ever knowingly did
wink!
MY own sisters would not have known
the little brown mouse of q girl that
sat SO demurely in the car on its way to
Rockbridge. I-had ordered wig made
of bright red hair, and it was a very
marvel in its way. Short, crisp, fiery
curls covered my head closly, we'll down
on the neck, and twining lovingly
around my ears. A dress of waterproof
of the most ungraceful cut and make,
green glasses, shoes and gloves two sizes
too big, and with the exception of mouth
and complexion, l was hideous. Auntie
would not believe that it was myself,
until I had shown her my eyes, and
spoken to her several times.
There was not soul on the place thai
had ever seen me, except aunt and un-
Gle; and as they called me "Lorlei," the
servants never suspected that | was the
Frank Morrison they had heard so much
of from the young masters. There were
few neighbors, and rather avoided
them. For the first time in my life
was ugly, and consequently happy. l
rode the horses, sat on the barnyard
fence during the milking, fed the chick
ems, ate apples and new butter, took
long walks in the woods, and my big
feet and scarlet hair neverinvited Sec
ond glance from any one passed. What
happy, jolly days they were to me, only
those who are blessed with too much
beauty and long to flee from the conse-
quences can imagine.
One morning took a book, and go
ing through the orchard, followed the
stream to a favorite nook, lay down, anc
laughed the pretty, musical laugh tina
was at once pleasure and bane.
laughed to think of myself in this ril
IN an opera-box; and looking at the wa
ter, 1 said, "Why not be real 'Lorlei
for while?" No sooner thought thar
done. Off came the clumsy shoes anC
knitted stockings, and holding my dres
up went splashing in the shallow wa
ters. stepped on a big stone; it rollet
with me, and l sat down costly in tn
middle of the brook, wet TO my waist
and my dismay finished by the hearties
laugh you can imagine. Looking at
part of the bank that l had not befor
noticed. saw gentleman, in sportin
dress, holding fishing-rod in one han
and waving the other at me in the mos
genial and pleasant manner. 1t Nigh
have been that my eyes did not mate
my hair; at any rate, fancied that h
stopped laughing rather suddenly, an
coming close down to the water stoo
cycling me inquiringly. l had been al
cry at first; but my usual sense of hC