Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-07-20

her mothers surprise, she was escorted
on his lordshlp's arm to the refreshmen
room.
All her shyness was gone, as far a
Lord Pelham was concerned. She chat
ted away freely, not for momeut imag
lining in her simple little heart that b
y was critically considering whether sh,
was so very plain.
81 suppose she is was his menta
3 refection-''I suppose she is-and yc
I don't know. wish she'd look at me-
! She may have eyes under those lids"
But Lizzie was not yet sufficiently al
home with him to look at him. She
, answered his questions freely, and was
easily let on to give graphic descriptions
, of her home life; of the brothers who
leased her, and the sister, year or two
younger, who was longing to come out,
and who was such a regular beauty.
$50 fair, you know" said Lizzie, with
touching reflection upon her own dull
and freckled skin, "and with such love-
ly large blue open eyes"
"By Jove! thought Lord Pelham,
81 wish she'd look at me. I'd like to see
what her own eyes are like"
But this wish at least was vain. Not
even her gratitude shy Lizzie was
Overpowered with gratitude for all bis
attention-could give her courage to look
up at him.
He remained near her, chatting, till
the carriages were announced, and even
fingered to place her cape round her
shoulders, and bid quite cordial good
night to her parents but, after all, his
curiosity was not satisfied.
"And so Lizzie did dance" said her
elder brother next day. as the ball was
eagerly discussed.
"Dance p said her father, in high
good humor-"I should think so I!
Danced with Lord Pelham, above all I"
eyes," said Mrs. Morton, rehectively,
cit was very good-natured of him. I
heard him say something about COM
passion; he was sorry to see her lonely. !"
Lizzie herself was SO convinced that
this was the case that she was not the
least annoyed, only when she went up
stairs she staid moment longer than
usual before her glass, and, raising her
heavy lids, looked herself straight in the
face.
"He's very good-natured," she
thong ht, II wish were not so plain. -
Lord Pelham's curiosity about those
eyes was singular. He found himself
| specializing more unreasonably one the
subject, and wondering what color
would suit her face.
Almost any color, he was forced to adj
NIT, would do. The dull, sallow skin,
the Informed nose and wide mouth, no
eyes could wholly redeem them, and
probably the fringed eyelids were
compensation.
"Well, well, what did it matter? He
supposed they should not meet again.
Why should they? He did not intend
remaining in the neighborhood, and, had
he intended, he had no excuse for call
ing.
But they did meet. Somehow, on
Sunday morning, sudden and most
unwonted impulse seized Lord Pelham
to attend service in the village church.
He went in late, little embarrassed, if
the truth might be told, at bis own &C
ton.
He sat very quietly in the corner of
the pew to which the old verger con-
Quoted him, and only felt at home when
the droning choir began the Psalms.
Then he looked about, and soon caught
sight of Mrs. Morton's handsome face.
| "By Jove what pretty girl p he
thought, as his eye wandered past to
rosebud Of girl" the beauty" evil
IDENTITY, of poor Lizzie's tale-and next to
her sat his shy friend herself, the down.
cast lids more dropping than ever, the
dull complexion more ]eaden beside the
bright blue eyes and pink and white of
the pretty sister.
Still, Lord Pelham's glance rested on
the plain face of his earlier acquaint-
ance. The service seemed wonderfully
short, and when the congregation left
the chancel he found himself side by side
with Mrs. Morton.
"Going our way?" she asked, in The
porch; and SO, naturally enough, he &C
companied them homeward, even walk
ing through their park up to the very
door.
Mr.. Morton's in the conservatory, if
you care to join him." Mrs. Morton ven
trlred to say, her motherly heart all in
hutter; for here, she decided, was a
chance for pretty Rose.
And Lord Pelham did care, it ap-
peared, and had chat with the master
| Of the house, found sundry points OF in
terest in common, and even stayed for
the family dinner.
"Horribly unaristocratic he must think
us!' feared Mrs. Morton, as she explained
that the early dinner enabled the servants
to go to church.
Little Lord Pelham cared for her chat
ter; he was wholly occupied with the
face opposite to him.
In vain pretty Rose bridled and
blushed; III vain she peeped up at him
with her most bewitching air. He was
only conscious of one fact about her,
which was, that she snubbed her elder
sister.
So did every one else, it appeared to
him; for when Lizzie ventured the re-
mark-which she rarely did-it was gen.
orally met with: ooh, I dare say you
think SOL"
The neighborhood began to talk very
soon after this eventful Sunday in the
Morton's life. Lord Pelham remained
at his friend's-Sir Harry Wells'-and
came so often to the Lodge, evinced such
an interest in all Mr.. Morton's improve
actually invited the boys to his
manor for the September shooting-that
ne seemed almost like one OF the tam
lily.
One day in the early winter, when the
hedges were sparkling with hoarfrost,
and the roads were beginning to harden,
Lord Pelham took his familiar way to
the Lodge.
He was thinking as be walked along,
of many things about his intimacy there,
and his thoughts involuntarily turned to
Lizzie. He went back III his mind to
their first meeting.
II declare, he said to himself" "she
never gives me chance to see what
those eyes are like. And how they do
snub her at home, to be sure Well,
poor little thing |! she's worth hundred
times more than pretty doll Rose viii
ever be =