The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-28
NOT THE PRETTY MISS puRDY
IIIarper's Weeklyl

TITS inoOnCeivable TO me, mamma,
said Miss Blanche, show any woman
with spirit can make such an exhibition
of herself: but the fact is, Lily never
had o particle Of spirit. Even q worm
will turn sometimes when it's trod
upon, but | believe any one could tram
pie the vitals out Of Lily and she'd
never murmur. The worst OF Il Ia, she
spolls my plans, and It's too bad. when
she hasn't the shadow of a chance her.
self, that she will persist in acting the
part of dog In the manger. | should
think, considering the self.sacriflcing
and uncomfortable role she's chosen
for herself, tho fact of securing her idol
in the family would hold some charm
for her: but the ridiculous display she
makes Of her unrequited affection 10
gradually bringing to ruin all Our avail.
able prospects"
Miss Blanche tossed the gg.shells
from her fingers, and looked about her
In disdain upon the comfortless break
faBt.room and itB appurtenances. The
house which the Purdys occupied had
been rather an imposing one some years
since, but the burden of unpaid taxes
and assessments had broken it's once
high spirit, and It's ohiefand only charm
now lay In the parlor door. Poor Mr..
Purdy had long since given up all idea
or redeeming the place from Its legal
bondage; and indeed, as the mortgage
was long overdue, It began to DO ap-
che property was slipping out Of his
hold. He consoled himself with the
prospect Of legal squabble with the
mortgage, and as Mr.. Purdy was law
yer himself, and he held one of the
town offices, he thought his chances
were good for another year. In the
mean time, perhaps, something would
turn up; and unConsciously his thoughts
reverted to the extraordinary charms
OF the eldest daughter, Blanche. He
was scarcely to be blamed for this, as a
great many thoughts ran in the same
happy direction. SO alluring were
these charms, 30 blue were her eyes,
so golden her hair, 50 perfect her lips
and the pearls within, 50 vivid her
color, so 1.-THE and graceful her form,
so shapely her feet and hands, she was
known far and near as "the pretty
Miss Purdy." Then she could talk so
well, and could smile so archly, and
dance, and row, and swim, and skate,
and sing, and play, 50 divinelyl Nobody
thought of doing without the pretty
Miss Purdy indeed, Ii was generally
conceded that the teacher of the Bible
class, Mr.. Henry Howe, meant to secure
her as q permanenCy for the town Of
Seabrook and its vicinity. He bod been
known to strongly object to tho title of
''the pretty Miss Purdy," and was really
the most available party that could do
away with 1t. She was rather cold and
Couuettish and shy, as became her eX-
allied position, but nobody but fool
would refuse to proffer Of the fine house
and landed property, and handsome
person, majestic manners, unbounded
perquisites in trade and in society, that
belonged to Mr.. Henry Howe. The
pretty Miss Purdy was not fool, by
any means, so this magnificent man
and this lovely, engaging woman were
drifting together in this natural fitness
OF things, when a queer-aimost an alb
Surd-obstaCle presented itself.
The younger sister Of the pretty Miss
Purdy fell hopelessly in love with Mr..
Howe. 1t seemed like a joke at first,
Mics Lilly was so young; she had scarce
ly reached her eighteenth year, and had
just entered society. Then she was so
plain, SO. hopelessly plain! 1t was such
q misfortune, the folks OF Seabrook said,
to name girl Lily, till you could form
some idea Of what her complexion would
be: and dear mel how very murky and
dark and thick and turbid was the skin
OF poor Lily Purdyl And her hair was
so abundant and straight and heavy, it
was almost impossible to arrange il be-
comingly, when it was irrevocably fast
ened to the head in that way; it was so
much more easily manipulated when
untrammeled by these natural ties. She
had fine eyes, to be sure, large and
dark; but what were eyes in a case like
this! She was little and dumpy and
dull; and then just think Of the disad-
yantages the poor child labored under.
To be known, in contradistinctiont to her
sister, as not the pretty Miss Purdy.
When the gossips Of Seabrook were
descanting upon the success or failure
Of this or that entertainment, it was so
natural to say, Miss Purdy was there
NOT the pretty Miss Purdy, but that
plain little sister Of hers, you know"
1t was sad for the poor child, very sad:
and, to crown all, she must go and fall
desperately in love with Mr.. Henry
Howe, the richest, handsomest, alto
gether the finest man in the place. At
hrst her passion was set aside as the
foolish, rather forward preference Of a
child. Mr.. Howe had been visiting
nounced in his attentions than the other
suitors Of Blanche, and gradually gravi-
Eating to the position OF sutton; this
OF course rendered his footing in
the household an easy one, and
his bearing to the younger sister
was gentle and encouraging and famil-
lar, as was natural under the circum-
stances. 1t began to be apparent
that Lilly chung to his presence pertina-
ciously-too much so altogether for the
comfortable American custom of letting
young people arrange their matrimonial
affairs for themselves. Blanche en-
deavored in vain to get rid of this
stumbling block to her progress; hints
and Winks and froWns and little er-