The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-15

laugh at every word or two, "you have
succeeded In your loudly expressed wish
and made veritable 'Lorlei of your
SELF"
"Did you hear me ?" I asked, feeling
for the first time little shy, and rising
slowly to my feet. He saw that could
not come out of the water in my bare
feet, and laughing still, he answered:
eyes. But I fear you will continue
water-nymph until I am gone, SO
goodbye" And as suddenly as he had
come, he disappeared.
I put on my shoes, and made the best
of my way back to the house. Aunt
| Hetty laughed at me when I told her of
my adventure, but stared when I de-
scribed the man.
"Bless me, child" she said, Sc it is
Walter Gray, who lives on the next
farm, or rather owns it, and lives in
New York. I did not know he was at
home"
The days flew by on golden wings
every one seemed more happy than the
last. took an apronfnl of peaches
and book, and lay down in the ham
mock under the elm for lazy time one
morning. I was scarcely settled when
I heard auntie calling me, and then
steps coming near to me. raised my
self, and who should be with her but
that Walter Gray! He laughed heartily
on recognizing in my aunt's niece the
water-nYmph," but soon made me feel
at ease by his courteous and merry
manner. He had come over to see if
he could buy COW of uncle, and over
the merits of butter and milk we grew
quite friendly. Auntie would have him
stay to lunch, and I tried to enact the
country girl, and be as awkward as pos
sible. Two or three times I almost be-
trayed myself by some unguarded re-
mark; but by dropping my fork, up
setting my milk, and knocking my
chair over when I rose, I managed to
seem ill-bred enough TO suit my coarse
frock, absent collar, and tumbled hair.
To my utter astOnishment, hIr. Gray
asked me to go to a picnic as the school
house the next day. While was star
ing, first at him, and then at myself in
the glass, Aunt Hetty quietly said,
"She will go with pleasure. I was
ready TO beat her, but beyond few
muttered words, I said nothing until he
was gone. Then I made a few remarks
to her which made her look so sorry,
that I kissed her and promised to go
peaceably.
I made myself look as countrifed as
possible, next morning, and my looking
glass told me- that I 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 awav we went. How en-
ioyed the glances the girls gave me,
and their evident contempt for my dress
and mannerI I found myself alone
with Mr.. Gray, toward the end of the
afternoon, and we sat down on the moss
at the foot Of q tree for what called
good talk. His manner had been per-
fectly kind and courteous, and he had
done everything IL his power to make
me forget the difference between myself
and the pretty country girls I had met.
After little / forgot my part, and let
ting the glasses fall unheeded in my
lap, ] pulled off the yellow cotton gloves
I had worn all day, and lying backward,
clasped my hands above my head, con-
tentedly. After a minute he said:
" Maggie Thorne is entirely thrown
away on that old man. What q life for
g bright, fair woman to live, shut away
in that quiet house."
Following his glance toward the house
on the other side of the road, l lazily
answered:
" Imperial Cesar, dead and turned to clay,
Might stop hole to keep the wind away
The look OF utter amazement On bis
face was too funny as he gasped out:
"Miss Lorlei, what are you? Hideous
and lovely at the same time, an unedu-
Gated country girl firing Shakespeare at
me in that style. You wear these green
glasses all the time, and yet I have
noticed you can see much farther and
better without them. You have the
most exquisite hand have ever seen,
and your feet are large enough for
man. You bow like an empress, and
tumble over your dress the next minute. |
I can't understand you"
I kept my face through all his speech F.; |
and then gave him answer, pulling on
my gloves:
81 don't know what you mean by
and you need not insult |
my feet I can't help their size. What |
made you bring me, If only to tease ?"
And without further ceremony left |
him more mystifed than ever.
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 I liked him scarcely |
knew, until letter from mamma came, |
saying that summer was long over and |
people were growing very curious as to |
my whereabouts. With q cold, sick |
feeling at my heart, took the letter in
my hand, and went through the orchard |
to the place where I had played I" "LOr-
lei" for the benefit of Walter Grey. |
Bitterly regretted my masquerade, for
| thought he could never be brought to |
like the red haired, clumsy girl he had |
Ditied and been kind to.
I lay on the grass crying, holding in
my hand some of the dead leaves lying
all about me, and thinking how like my
0wn hopes they were. How long lay |
there I do not know, till some one
dropped on the grass by me, and cool,
soft hand held my own.
"Orying water-nymph ?" and before
knew it found myself close held by
jwo strong arms, and dear voice speak
ng to me.
"Your aunt says you are going away,
Lorlei +; going away to be educated, and
,aught many things it is right for you
20 know. I dare not let you go, little
one. until ask If you will think Of
yourself as my own Lorlei, and try to
as graceful outwardly as your
pure, good heart and natural abilities
will let you. have learned to love
7ou very much, and you will let me
nope, will you not ?"
For all answer, [ lay quiet, looking
Up in his face, and thinking how nice
t was and fearing to break the spell by
moving him my real self.
"Do you like this awkward, ugly,
clumsy, red-haired girl?" I finally
to ask, with a long-drawn
breath of satisfaction.
'Stop the adjeotives," ne answered,
'losing my mouth gently with a caress
and how glad ] was my mouth was
,retty)i cat times you are more grace
nj than any one I ever saw, and as for
he hair"
I sat up eagerly, and asked:
"You ike yellow hair, don't you ?"
eyes" he said, wondering at my
,ager look and manner.
"TUrn your head away, and promise
lot to look" I said, turning his head
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