The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-10-27

are others as beautiful as l."
beautiful !" he exclaimed, turning
on her fercely. Gillian Grey, you
have sold yourself and your beauty for
wealth, rank-to the highest bidder
Have I loved you for beauty's sake
Never I knew that within that hard
shell of worldliness, which has fed it.
self on fattery of your beauty, there
lay a kernel of goodness and womanli-
ness, for which was content to wait.
Your beauty is your curse, and you will
find it out in time"
AS he took step or two away, she
stood up, her flushed face and burning.
eyes turned to him.
"Stay, Mr. Howell !" she said, haught-
lily; "what my beauty is to me concerns
myself alone. 1 thank you for your
good opinion of me- but don't require
it. You are incensed because L have
only done what the world approves,
what all sensible girls in my place
would do-chosen a man in good posi-
tion for myself. hope have free
will, Mr.. Howell"
He would hear no more. With q
mournful wave of his hand he rushed
away, through the crowded ballroom,
downstairs into the street. In the gray
dawn he left by the mail train for Liv-
erpool.
She stood motionless, where he had
left her. But only for a moment, and
then she started forward, stretching out
her fair, white arms, and cried, family,
"George, George! don't leave me.
Come back, my loyeI'
1t was no use. He had gone beyond
sound of her voice; and SO, with a
heaving sob, she sank on the seat and
buried her face in her hands.
Presently footsteps approached her.
"I have been looking for You every
where. What is it, Lilian?" And the
tall gentleman stopped over her.
"Nothing. I felt a little faint, my
lord"
He seated himself by her. Half an
hour after they entered the ballroom
again, where her various partners had
been searching for her right and left,
and had nearly gone crazy in their
search She was Immediately pounced
upon, but excused herself fulfilling any
more engagements that evening.
There was sad, fearful scene in the
ballroom that same night
The gorgeous chandeliers, pendant
from the ceiling, and adorned with gilt
tering lusters, shed q brilliant light
around from innumerable wax candles.
Suddenly, the vibration of q chandelier
from the dancing caused one Of these
candles to slip from its socket, and it
fell On lady sitting beneath it. But
the work of moment, and then the
feecy, white texture she wore was in a
and thither Notwithstanding in her
agony. The gay crowd Of dancers made
way for her, terror-stricken, as if by
magic, some calling for water, others
vainly endeavoring to escape in mortal
fear. One or two of the boldest then
watched their opportunity, flung hel
down and rolled her in huge rug, ex.
tinguishing the flames.
They picked her up and carried hel
away, chsrred mass of quivering, ago
nized humanity. Her groans and with
ing contortions were heart-rending, and
yet after days of doubt and internal
torture, and months of nursing, she re
covered-recovered in health, strength
body, in everything but one thing-hel
beauty was gone forever.
For thepoor sufferer was Lillian Grey
-Four years passed, and people said
that times were hard. Robertson &
Co., the great bankers of Bridgestoke,
had failed and brought 1uin on hun.
dreds of the confdlng householders ot
that town. Among these was Mrs. Gray
| l.,f l,a,S MI noI
had been a friend of her husband, and
after his death had offered to manage
: and invest her fortune for her. I'm
known to her, he had absorbed it into
his banking business, and after the fina
} crash had passed, scarcely sufficient
was retrieved to secure to her and hel
daughter a bare pittancs for life
Greatly was Mrs. Gray distressed wher
they were compelled to leave Burnham
J house and take up their abode in OBJ
scure lodgings in the town.
: Needless to say, after Lillian Gray's
: accident, nothing further was heard
| from Lord Whatsoever. He did not ever
trouble to inquire whether she recov
} cred or not. A great change came ovel
} her with their reverses of fortune anG
} finding that at times her mother
scarcely had the necessities of life, she
pocketed the remnants of her pride anc
started as music teacher. 1t was up
hill work at first, and she had to endure
many half-concealed sneers at hel
former arrogance, but she lived then
down, and after a while gathered {
decent little connection for herself.
But Mrs. Grey fell ill, and despite al
Lilian's endeavors it became a difficult
matter to provide the comforts for 6
ok person out of her slender means
She slaved all day at her various pupils
residences, and then set up half the
night, tending the invalid lovingly. Ant
: yet the rent went back, and the surly
landlord was inexorable, and if it were
not paid within three days out they
must go.
In this extremity Lillian bethoughr
of asking slight favor at one place
, where she attended. This was wher,
she taught the three children of
wealthy retired merchant, named Price
Nearly half the quarter had run; sh'
} would explain her dire necessity, anC
ask TO be accommodated with that ant
the remaining half quarter in advance
Modestly she stated her case to Mrs
Price, stout, forid-looking woman
i of rather coarse manners and appear
ance. But this worthy lady replied, witt
some show of surprise, that it was i'm
possible she could accede to Miss Grey