The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-01-05
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

DEAol4 AMI
Beauty and the Beast Minnie
Stokes for Beauty who'll be the
Beast9" and Mrs. Lovejoy looked at the
group of eager children before her for
an answer.
Minnie had already stepped from the
ranks; and now there sprang to her side
boy some three years her senior, who
said: L will, Mrs. Lovejoy!"
"YouW do," was the laughing re-
sponse. "Stand over there, both of
you;" and the young couple joined the
ranks of performers, whose position was
assigned them.
"What are you doing2" cried merry
new conner was the center of q group
composed of all the children in the
room.
"Now, Lou, see how you've bothered
me. shall never get these children
sorted again in the world"
"But what was it2"
"My Clara is going to have tableau
party, and we are taking the fairy tales
to illustrate. I've found parts for
somc of the children, and sent them off
to that end of the room"
"Well, sort them out again; come,
I'll help you;" and, catching up the
book, the merry girl called name after
name from those written.
Beauty and the Beast; Beauty, Min
ME Stokes; Beast, Henry Wood. Oh,
Fan!" she whispered, chow could
you?"
"Chose it himself, my dear, was the
answer. GA good joke I call it"-and
Mrs. Loveioy took up the list again.
But LOUIS pitiful eyes, resting on the
children, did not mirror any of her
cousins mirth. Minnie and Henry were
standing in one of the window-niches,
talking earnestly, unconscious of the
soft blue eyes bent SO lovingly upon
them.
Minute was beautiful child of twelve
years, with brown curls and dark eyes,
perfect in form and feature. Henry had
the face of an angel, with the figure of
Caliban. He had been tall, we'll
developed boy for five years of his life,
when terrible fall had ruined his form.
His spine was injured, curving till he
was almost humpbaoked; his hip was
crooked, causing him to limp; and the
whole figure was twisted out of shape
and almost the semblance of humanity.
The face was lovely, blonde, waving
hair, large blue eyes, delicate features,
and an expression of perfect good hu-
Gor were its leading points of beauty.
Minnie, the pet of the whole town of
Fairwater, was the warmest champion
and friend of the crippled child of the
clergyman, the Rev.. Godfrey Wood.
She was the only, one that knew how
false was the. content the unselfish boy
professed to his sorrowing friends.
She alone knew how every Jest he made
upon his own deformity was q sword
thrust to his sensitive spirit and now,
as they stood in the window, she was
pleading with him to relinquish the
part he had chosen. But he was obsti-
nate the character would keep him at
her side, and he determined to take it.
At last oil were provided, and the re-
hearsals and dresses were the main bust
ness of all the little folks who were
counted in Mrs. CLARA Lovejoy's circle
of friends.
The birthday PARTY was complete
success. Never had Minnie looked love-
ier than when she knelt over the ex-
piring beast, whose false head and
shaggy coated figure her tender little
heart longed to hide from the curious
eyes looking at them. AS is often the
case, the names of the performers clune
to them ; and for many weeks Minnie's
nearG SWelleu pa1n1ully at nearing Henry
called Beauty's Beast; but at last the
tableaux and names faded away in new
interests among the young folks of Fair
water.
Years glided by, and Henry Wood
was ordained. He had followed in his
fathers footsteps; and Fairwater was
waiting to hear his first sermon before
he left them for the home and duties to
which he had been appointed.
Minnie, an 'heiress and belle, beauti-
fui beyond even the promise of her
childhood, was most anxious to hear the
first effort OF her old friend. Years of
study and humble seeking for the will
of the Master he he'd chosen, had set
their seal upon the pure, spiritual face
OF the young clergyman and, as he
stood up to face the friends of his life,
there was hushed awe went around the
church. The full white robes and hood
concealed the misshapen figure, and
only the fair face spoke to them Of the
boy they had watched grow from child
hood to youthful manhood.