The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-03-23
transformed,

Iessa was the name of little maiden
who had the misfortune to be very ugly :;
indeed, her face was SO rcpulsivc that no
one loved to look at her.
at is the face Of Mcdusa," said Carl,
the young artist, who roChncd across the
way.
"Poor thing | should think she would
want to bury herself" said the pretty
landlady.
Tcssn knew only too well why they all
Stunned her, and her heart was consumed
with hate and envy. "Why should others
be beautiful and SO plain 2" she said, gaz-
ing cnviously on the young faces that
passed her window and the more hate
there was in her heart the more rcpulsivc
grew her features.
One day while wandering in the woods
brooding moroscly over her own misfor-
tune, with no thought Of the beauty about
her; she came suddenly upon Il dwarf,
misshapcn and disfgurcd beyond anything
she had ever imagined in human form
For once she was happy she had found
someone more ugly than herself, and Il
laugh, icndlsh and cruel as Il hy ,a's rang
through the forest. But the dwarf began
10 weep.
"No wonder you weep" said Tcssa,
''wi,h such Il face and figure"
'Nay," said the dwarf sorrowfuly, 81
weep because have found sor.r one more
wrctchcd than myself" And as tho tears
streamcd from her eyes, her notified skin
grew white and soft and Tcssa saw with
amazcmcnt that the poor dcformcd creature
was actually becoming beautiful.
''What has changed you 80 ~ she cried.
cam changcd2 ~ asked the dwarf,
eagerly. cam beautiful again?"
eyes, so beautiful that hate YOU, "
answered Tcssu, regarding her with aston
ishcd and cnvious eyes.
NAY, do not hate me-" she cntrcatcd :;
cit was hate and envy that dcformcd me :;
it is pity that has broken the spell. Re-
jocc with me, and with all others who arc
beautiful and happy, and pity those less
fortunate tl:an YOURSELF and some time you
may be freed from the curse" AS she
spoke she vanished.
Then Tcssa went to her house AMI pom
dcrcd the words she had heard 1t was
hard advice TO follow, to rejoice in the
beauty and happiness OF those who scorEed
and Stunned her, but she determined to
make the effort. Hitherto she had spent
her time in idle rcpning,s caring only for
herself, but now shc resolved to DO some
thing for the comfort Of others, and remem-
bcring poor widow with family of
young children, living not far away, she
set herself to fashioning warm mits and
stockings for the little hands and feet.
"Ugly as I am, can create beauty for
others" she said, rs the pretty things grew
under her fingers, and the thought made
her glad.
AS time went on, all the poor and needy
In the ncighborhood learned to bless her,
and She half forgot her own misery in try
ing TO relieve the misery of those about her
One day as she was entering her gate u
beautiful child who was passing, slipped
and fell. Once she would have felt cruel
delight in the child's mishap, hoping that
the lovely features might be murrcd for
life, but now she sprang to help her.
GLOW good you are" said the little one,
putting up her lips for kiss, when Tcssa
had bathcd the bruised forehead and bound
it tcndcrly with soft linen.
"And you arc beautiful, said Tessa, re-
turning the kiss.
"And scare YOU, - said the child, quickly,
''as beautiful rs my own mamma"
cam 2" cried Tcssa, turning with eager
haste to the mirror, which for many a day
she had kept closely yelled that she might
mol see her own ugincss reflected, and lift
ing the drapcry, she bchcld fair, sweet
face, with tender, plying eyes. Then
Tessa, gazing moment to make sure that
this gloriticd face was her own, went down
on her knees and thanked God.