Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-04
HOW BECAME THE FASHION.
AN ENGLISH STORY.

AN ENGLISH STORY.
1 was born beauty; from the time l
could talk and understand, it was in
stilled into me as fact. When l could
toddle about, some judicious person,
probably q nurse, gave me the name OF
Beauty" and it stuck to me ever after.
I don't think I was inordinately proud
of my distinction. although even in
childhood it makes n difference, but it
seems to me as l look back that my at
fractions wero made use of by my
brothers and sisters for their own
benefit. They were always sending me
to beg a holiday on the plea that Papa
won't refuse Beauty" or later on to get
leave to go to this or that place of amuse-
ment, for " Mammals sure to let Beauty
have her way"
It's a wonder wasn't quite spoiled.
but don't think 1 was; at least no
such accusation was ever made, even
when sisterly civilities were being inter-
changed. We were a large family
principally girls, all presentable except
my eldest sister. Matilda; she had no
looks to speak about, but she made 1t up
by a superabundance of brains-she
was the family headpiece, a sort OF
plateau to be relied upon on all state
occasions. She certainly was remark
able woman; her one idea was to push
ones self toward in life.
How angry she was when l married
Charley! She was at Gibraltar settling
my brother Edmund in bis appointment,
and l was Mrs. Redcar before she came
back. Charley was a captain with good
prospects of getting on. but Matilda
made him sell out and put his money
into a new company started to provide
Venice with tram cars; after that we
came up to town, because Matilda said
that with my beauty and CharleS's con-
nections London was the place for us.
We were sure to push our way; but
curiously enough, we didn't. Charley's
connections belonged to the Ply mouth
Brothers and Sisters, and my good looks
were quite thrown away on people who
wore poke bonnets. There was one
old man, a grand-uncle OF Charley's.
who had live in the regency days, and
said I was the image of Dolly Bloom
field, whoever she might be.
A year or 80 passed very quietly. and
then Matilda came up to see how we
were getting on. She was very indig-
nant when she found that We had made
no way, and scolded us toundiy for our
supineness.
"I have no patience with either Of
you," she said. with Beauty's looks
and the Redcar connection you ought
to be at the very top OF The tree" And
then we explained to her about the
Plymouth Brethren.
But there's Charley's godfath0s
wife; she has nothing TO say 10 trade OF
meeting houses, because I zee her parties
every week in the Aorxiag Pos, " said
my sister with q look which meant:
You can't impose on me; II Beauty
were only seen there she'd soon push
her way
Charley looked at me and I looked nj
Charley, and then we both burst out
laughing. 1t was a mortifying confes-
sion, but the truth was we had been At
Charley's wife's godmother's-no, ]
mean Chsrley's godfather's wife-more
than once, and nothing had come Of my
being seen there ".but the bills we had
pay for the dres I wore and the car
risge.
Matilda looked very glum when we
told her this. ''I don't zee what you
are laughing at." she said. Grossly. "Eo
one but TOOL would find amusement in
their own failure" This was very
severe. but Matilda was awfnlly put
out, and in the evening, when Charley
had gone 10 the "Rag" to have his
smoke, she spoke very seriously to me.
ST don't like the look Of thinEr, !" she
said. 81 shouldn't be ut All Surprised
If those Venetian tram shares don't come
70 much. The people there are 30 silly.
they prefer theseondo NJ. and If they 90
own where will ion bsF"