The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-01-21

self.
"Did you hear me ? " I asked, feeling
for the first time a 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:
"Yes. But fear you viii 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 VIXEN told her Of
my adventure, but stared when I de-
scribed the man.
"Bless me, child" she said, 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 few by on golden wings :
every one seemed more hanrU Ehee the
last. I took an apronfnl of peaches
and book, and lay down in the ham
mock under the elm for a lazy time one
morning. was scarcely settled when
l heard auntie calling me, and then
steps coming near to me. I raised my
self, and who should be with her but
that Walter Grayl 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 a COW of uncle, and over
the merits of butter and milk we grew
quite friendly. Auntie wouId have him
stay to lunch, and tried to enact the
country girl, and be as awkward as pos
sible. Two or three times I almost be-
tFayed myself by some unguarded re-
mark but by dropping my fork, up
setting my milk, and knocking my
chair over when / rose, I managed to
seem ill-bred enough to suit my coarse
frOck, absent collar, and tumbled hair.
To my utter astonishment, Mr.. Gray
asked me to go to picnic at the school
house the next day. While I was star
ing, first at MIN, and then at myself in
tho glass, Aunt Hetty quietly said,
"She will go with pleasure" I was
ready to beat her, but beyond a few
muttered words, said nothing until he
was gone. Then I made few remarks
to her which made her look so sorry,
that 1 kissed her and promised to go
peaceably.
made myself look as countrifed as
possible, next morning, and my looking
glass told me- that was no longer even
BubbhBlCs ULIs NNLaT Lld4O liz 4G444hA n
| 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 I en-
joyed the glances the girls gave me,
and their evident contempt for my dress
and mannerl I found myself alone
with Mr.. Gray, toward the end of the
| afternoon, and we sat down on the moss
at the foot of a tree for what called a
good talk. His manner had been per-
fectly kind and courteous, and he had
done everything in his power to make
me forget the difference between myself
and the pretty country girls I had met.
| After little I forgot my part, and let
ting the glasses fall unheCded in my
lap, I pulled off the yellow cotton gloves
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 life for
a bright, fair woman to live, shut away
in that quiet house."
Following his glance toward the house
on the other side of the road, 1 Iazily
answered:
! Imperial Caesar, 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 ne 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 I have ever seen,
and your feet are large enough for a
man. You bow like an empress, and
tumble over your dress the next minute.
can't understand you"
kept my face through all his speech
and then gave him answer, pulling on
my gloves:
"I don't know what you mean by
Shakespeare, and you need not insult
my feet can't help their size. What
made you bring me, il only to tease p
And without further ceremony I left
him more mystifed than ever.
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 liked him scarcely
knew, until letter from mamma came,
saying that summer was long over and
people we're growing very curious as tc
| NY WuGLGduOuNHs W h4bn u COAAF e4NH
feeling at my heart, I took the letter IL
my hand, and went through the orchard
to the place where I had played "Lor
lei" for the benefit of Walter Gray
Bitterly regretted my masquerade, fol
Thought he could never be brought tC
like the red-haired, clumsy girl he haC
pitied and been kind to.
lay on the grass crying, holding II
my hand some of the dead leaves lylni
all about me, and thinking how like M,
own hopes they were. How long Ia!
there I do not know, till some ont
dropped on the grass by me, and a cool
soft hand held my own.
90 Crying water-nymph ?" and befOr
knew it found myself close held b,
two strong arms, and dear voice speak
ing to me.
"Your aunt says you are going away
Lorlei going away 70 be educated, an
taught many things it is right for yo'
to know. dare not let you go, httl
one, until I ask If you will think c
J Yourself as my own Isorlei, and try
} become as graceful outwardly as you
pure, good heart and natural abiltie
: viii let you. have learned to lov
! you very much, and you viii let N
hope, will you not ?"
: For all answer, I lay quiet, lookin
up in his face, and thinking how mic
, it was and fearing to break the spell b
: showing him my real self.
4 "Do you like this awkward, ugly
clumsy, red-haired girl?" 7 fnall
, managed tO ask, with a long-draw
D breath of satisfaction.
e "Stop the adiectives," he answered
closing my mouth gently with a cares
(and how glad I was my mouth wa
Q pretty)i cat times you are more grac,
f, full than any one ever saw, aud as fC
b the hair"
!. I sat mp eagerly, and asked
s HYou like yellow hair, don't you ?"
e eyes" he said, wondering at m
/ eager look and manner.
T "Turn your head away, and promii
e not TO look, said, turning his hea
!. so that he could not see me.
i ST promise" came the voice ",
d waiting for. With trembling hands
& took ont the pins, unfastened the elast
e which held my red wig, and pulling
y of, turned his face toward me. E
n looked as though he had seen q ghos