Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-02-27

exquisite hand have ever seen, and your feet
arc large enough for q man. You bow like an
empress, and tumble over your dress the next
minute l can't understand you
kept my face through all his speech and
then gave him answer, pulling on my gloves
II don't know what you mean by Shakespeare,
and You need not insult my feet. l can't help
their size. What made you bring me, If only to
tease?' And without further ceremony left
him more mystihed than ever.
saw INN very often in the next two months,
and learned TO like him very much for his kind
ness to my awkward self How much 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 cold sick feeling at my
heart, took the letter in my hand, and went
through the orchard to the place where | had
played "Lorlie" for the benefit of Walter Gray.
Bitterly regretted my masquerade, for thought
he could never be brought to like the haired,
clumsy girl he had pittied aud been kind to.
lay on the grass crying, holding in my hand
some o! the dead leaves lying all about mo, AMI
thinking how like my own hopes they were. How
long lay there do not know, til some one
dropped on the grass by me, and cool, soft
hand held my own.
"Ciyiny water-nymph?" and before l knew
1t found myself close held by two strong armn
and dear voice speaking to me.
g Your aunt says you are gong away, LOrlei
going away to be educated, and taught many
things 1t is right for for yon to know. | dare
not let yon go little one, until ask il you will
think OF Yourself as my own Lorle and try to
become as graceful outwardly as yonr pure good
heart and natural abilities will let you. l have
learned to love you very much, nnd You will let
me hope, will you not ~
For all answer, lay quiet, looking up in LiH
face, and thinking how nice It was and fearing to
break the spoil by showing him my real self.
g Do yon like thH awkward, ugly, clumsy, red
haired girlY" | finauully managed to ask, with
II long drawn breath of satisfaction.
stop the adjectives," he answered, closing
my mouth gently with IL caresn (and how glad
was my mouth was pretty "At times you are
more graceful than any one 1 ever saw, and a.
for the hair"
sat up eagerly, and asked:
Z" You like yellow hair don't you p
Yes" ho said wondering ut my eager look
and manner
Turn your head away, and promise not to
look, | said, turning his head no that he could
not see me.
II promise" came the voice / was waiting
for. With trembling hands | tosk out the pins,
unfastened the elastic which held my red wig
and pulling it OF, turned his face toward me.
He looked as though lie had seen ghost, aud
stared at the rcd hair in my hand and the
golden on my head, in mute astoniAhment.
"Yes it's mine" said, answering his look
| and pulled one of the short curls hanging oveI
my eyes. "And can dance and sing and play
the piano, and | love Shakespeare !" l could
get no further, for reason lovers can perhaps
explain and when, an hour after, in my pretty
white ru1les and womanly finery | crept int
the sitting-room found Aunt Hetty talking te
Walter, and saw him gravely kiss her hand as he
came toward me. When saw the light in In
eyes az he looked at me- for the first time III my
life thanked god for my glorious beauty
There was a grand time when l went home,
and for awhile my "unfortunate appearance
ceased to be the general theme of conversa-
ton.
My first anxiety, when nurse brought me my
little Fannie to look at was whether she was
pretty. / noed not have troubled myself
Her nose is Hat, her mouth is wide, and
only her blue ewes and sunny temper keeps her
from positive plainness. She has relieved m'
from all fear OF perpetuatng the race of 'Lor
leis. THE Ahine.