The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-01-14
A SECOND LORLEI.

Unfortunately for myself and every
body who ever saw me, am very beau
tiful. II is not egotism to make that
remark, for / have had plenty Of mis-
haps on account Of my looks, and every
i'll that can befall a family has been laid
to the score of Franks terrible ap-
pearance." When ] was child every
thing ent wrong Once on ferry-boat
a young and lovely lady, petting and
talking to me, became so interested that
sbe quietly backed off the edge, and
only the presence of mind and daring
of her husband rescued her in very
damp and choking condition. Nurse
scolded, mamma raised her hands in
horror, and the lady gave me the name
of "Lorlei," which l have ever since
retained.
/ was continual source OF anxiety
lest I should be kidnapped by some
childless people, and made into cir.
cns-rider, or an heiress. My life was
miserable, with the gnard set around
me, to say nothing of dozen or two
toilets day, my hair to be combed
and brushed necessarily, and myself
kissed and fondled like a lap.dog. 1t
grew no better, later. My sisters hap
pened to be very plain, and | couldn't
help it ii 1 got all the invitations,
bouquets, and proposals, and they re-
cejved none. To make it worse, one OF
my admirers died of heart disease, and
left me the large fortune that should
have gone to his sisters /; and then they
loved me excessively, OF course
Ioombed my hair in tho most horrl-
Bile way / could invent, wore stiff col
Ia up to my ears, plain dresses of sober
color, made faces at myself IN the glass
by the hour, and all to no purpose.
NV hair would turn into the cunningest
little ringlets about my forehead, and
fall down in q 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.
couldn't have any girl-friends. for,
without meaning it, l captured their lov-
ers they grew jealous and called me
names; ard the attachment usually
ended in storm of tears and reproaches
on the one part, dismayed repentance
on the other. I couldn't have gentle
man friend, for, if single, he proposed
in a month, and if married, the wife
came to the rescue, and / got the worst
of it. I tried one plan, and you shall
have the result: I cut my hair Oft
nearly close, and mercy me II had
done the business. I was handsomer
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 I tried to think of. / took
Aunt Hetty into my confidence, one day
when she came to the city to buy seme
furniture for her country house, and
promised as soon as her sors started for
school, l would be with her to spend
the summer. made my preparations
81 cretly, and only on the day Of my de-
parture asked and received permission
to 20 unmatched and alone. Used to
my freaks, mamma asked no questions,
but gave me some advice-to "wear u
thick veil in the cars, not to take my
gloves of, and not to wink at any one. "
As though ever knowingly did wink
NY own sisters would not have known
The little brown mouse of girl that
sat SO demurely il 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 closely, well
down on the neck, and twining lovely
arouad my ears. A dress OF water
proof of the most ungraceful cul
and make, green glasses, shoes and
gloves two sizes too big, and with the
exception of mouth and complexion,
was hideous. Auntie would not believe
that it was myself, until had showI
her my eyes, and spoken to her severa
times.
There was not soul on the plact
that had ever seen me, except aunt ant
uncle and as they called me "Lorlie,
the servants never suspected that wal
the Frank Morrison they had heard 81
much of from the young masters
There were few neighbors, and l rathe
avoided them. For the first time II
my life was ugly, and consequent.
happy. rode the horses, sat on tn
! barny ard fence during tho milking, fe'
tho chickens, ate apples ard new butter
took long walks III the woods, and M
big feet and scarlet hsir never invited