The Portland daily press., 1875-01-11

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.sBless me, child, she said, cit is Walter
GRAY, who lives on the next farm, or rather
owns it, and lives in New York. did not
know he was al home"
The days flew by on golden wings; every
one seemed more happy than the last. l
took an apronful of peaches and book, and
Law down in the hammock under the elm tor
a law time one morning. / was scarcely set
tied when heard auntie calling me, and then
steps coming near to me. l raised myself and
who should be with her but that Walter
Gray! He laughed heartily on recognizing
in nv aunt's niece the "water-nymph," but
soon made me feel at home by his courteous
ard merry manner. He had come over to
see if he could buy a COW of uncle, and over
the merits of butter and milk we grew quite
friendly. Auntie would have him stay to
lunch, and tried to enact the country girl,
and be as awkward as possible. Two or
three times I almost betrayed myself by
some unguarded remark; but by dropping
my fork, upsetting my milk, and knocking
my chair over when I rose, managed to
seem ill-bred enough to suit my coarse frock,
absent collar, and tumbled hair.
To my utter establishment, Mr.. Gray
asked me to go to picnic at the school
house the next day. While l was staring,
first at him, and then at myself in The glass,
Aunt Hetty quietly said, ''She will go with
pleasure" l was ready to beat her, but be-
yond few muttered words, I said nothing
until he was gone. Then made few re-
marks to her which made her look so sorry,
that kissed her and promised to go peace
ably.
made myself look as countrtied as posi-
BILE, next morning, and my looking-glass told
me that l was no longer even passable. Mr..
Gray made no remark about my appearance,
except to ask if the glasses were absolutely
necessary, and on my gravely assuring him
that they were, he helped me into the car
riage, and away we went. How / enjoyed
the glances the girls gave me, and their evil
dent contempt for my dress and manner!
found myself alone with Mr.. Gray, toward
the end of the afternoon, and we sat down
on the moss at the foot of tree for what
called a good talk. His manner had been
perfectly kind and courteous, and he had
done everything in his power to make me
forget the difference between myself aud the
pretty country girls had met. After a lit
tie forgot my part, and letting the glasses
fall UNDECIDED in my lap, pulled off the yell
low cotton gloves l had worn all day, and
lying backward, clasped my hands above my
head, contentedly. After minute he
said:
maggie Thorne is entirely thrown away
on that old man. What life for a bright,
fair woman to live, shut away ia that quiet
house, tft4Is+sLst
Following his glance toward the house on
the other side of the road, l lazily an
swered.
oImperial Cesar dead and turned to clay,
Might stop hole to keep the wind away"
| The look of utter amazement ON his face
| was too funny as he gasped out:
''Miss Lorlei, what are you? Hideous and
| lovely at the same time, an uneducated coun-
try girl firing Shakespeare at me in thai
| style. You wear these green glasses all the
| time, and yet l have noticed you can see
much farther and better without them. You
have the most exquisite hand | ever have ey
| er seen. aud your feet are large enough for g
man. You bow like all empress, and tumble
| over your dress the next minute. l can't
understand you" 1900.
kept my face through all his speech; anG
| then gave him answer, pulling on my gloves
81 don't know what you mean by Shakes
| peare, and you need not insult my feet;
| can't help their size. What made you bring
me, if only to tease?" And without further
ceremony lett him more mystfied than ev.
er.
I saw him very often in the next two
months, and learned TO like him very much
for his kindness to my awkward SELF How
much 1 liked him [ scarcely knew, until g
letter from mamma came, saying that sum
mer was long over and people were growing
very curious as to my whereabouts. With q
| cold, sick feeling at my heart, 1 took the let
| ter in my hand, and went through the or
| chard to the place where had played ''Lor.
| lei'' for the benefit of Walter Gray. Bitterly
| / regretted my masquerade, for thought he
| could never be brought to like the red-haired,
clumsy, girl he had pitied and been kind to.
| lay on the grass crying, holding in my
hand some of the dead leaves lying all about
| me, and thinking how like my own hopes
| they were. How long lay there do moi
| know, till some one dropped on the grass be
| side me, and cool, soft hand held my OWL.
| "Crying! water-nymph % and before
| knew it found myself close held by two
strong arms, and a dear voice speaking to me-
| "Your aunt says you are going away, Lor
| eli; going away to be educated, and taught
| many things it is right tor you to know.
| dare not let you go, little one, until l ask i
| you will think of yourself as my own Lorei
| and try to become as graceful outwardy as
| your pure, good heart and natural abilities
will let you. have learned to love you very
| much, and you will let me hope, will you
not?'' t.4 ~
For all answer, lay quiet, looking up in
his face, and thinking how nice it was and
fearing to break the spell by showing him my
real self.
"Do you Ike this awkward, ugly, clumsy,
red-hared girl ?"I finally managed to ask,
with long-drawn breath of satisfaction.
''Stop the adjectives," he answered, clos
ing my mouth gently with caress (and how
glad was my mouth was pretty)! eat times
you are more graceful than any one ever
saw, and as for the hair,-'
sat up eagerly, and asked:
''You like yellow hair, don't you?"
"Yes," he said, wondering at my eager
look aid manner. H*
''Turn your head away, and promise not
to look" l said, turning his head so that he
could not see me.
81 PROMISE" came the voice was waiting
for. With trembling hands took out the
pins, unfastened the elastic which held my
red wig, and pulling it off, turned his face
toward ne. He looked as though he had
seen ghost, and stared at the red hair in
mute astonishment. Hft
eyes, it's mine," said, answering his
look; and pulled one of the short curls
hanging over my eyes. "And can dance
and sing, and play the piano, and 1 love
Shakespeare l could get no further, for
reasons lovers can perhaps explain and when
an hour after. in my pretty white rLffles aud
womanly finery. crept into the sitting room,
found aunt Hettyl talking to Walter, and
gravely kiss her hand as he came toward me.
When saw the light in his eyes as he looked
at me, for.the first time in my lite 1 thanked
God for my glorious beauty.
There was a grand time when I went
home, and fer while my unfortunate APP
pearance'' ceased TO be the general theme of
conversation.
My first nx'ety, when nurse brought me
my little Fannie to look at, was whether she
was pretty. l need not have troubled myself.
Her nose is fiat, her mouth is wide, and only
her blue eyes and sunny temper keep her
positive plainness. She has relieved me from
all fear of perpetuating the 'Lorleis. "-AL
dine for January.