Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-07-20


girls always married-but they don't, you
see! Why, half the old maids were pretty
girls once!' rs
Lizzie, in sudden burst of confidence,
but so naively that no one could have
suspected any desire for unmeaning
compliment.
Her simplicity amused Lord Pelham
vastly. He glanced at her little uncon-
scious face and after seconds hesitation
asked, in a manner that put her quite at
ease: -s
"Would you mind telling me why
Are pretty girls such enviable things %
CT think they are, said Lizzie; "I'm
SO tired of being told how plain [ am,
every one seems to think can help it;
and I can't, you know
''No p said Lord Pelham CT sup
pose not, you weren' t consulted about it,
were you? Well, never mind, Miss Nor
ton, I'll tell you something to comfort
you. I've got q plain sister aid I love
her better than both the others put to-
gether, . and he looked so kindly at her,
with little amused smile on his lips,
that Lizzie's reserve melted quite away.
els she married 90 she asked, in a
hopeful tone;
"Married Yes, indeed, married the
very first season she came out, and such
a plain little body you did never see !'
Chow did she manage ?" asked Liz
zie in tone of amazement.
Lord Pelham fairly laughed-he
couldn't help it. This girl, this plain
little girl, amused him vastly.
| Sc oh - he said OF 1oct T c11,,,oco CON, q
one was wise enough to know that beauty
is only skin deep, and my sister jamie
had an angels soul.
Lizzie sighed again; then, with a re-
newed outburst of confidence, she said:
L don't think beauty is only skin
deep. I think its heart-deep. I would
| give all [ have to be pretty"
And as she spoke, such a wistful,
child-like look grew in her face that her
companion was touched.
81 wouldn't think about it if I we're
you, he said, after pause. ''Try and
put it out of your head. There are
plenty of things beside beauty you can
have. Don't you sing or play?"
''I sing a little" said Lizzie. s'But
please don't tell any one. I am so
afraid Lady Wells will ask me-"
81 won't betray you" said Lord Pei
ham, more and more amused.
This naive little girl was something
new in his world. There was something
about her, too, which reminded him of
his favorite sister, He Felt that jamie
would have liked her.
He took her back to her mother, feel
ing very much as if she were little girl
confded to his care.
"Poor little girl, he was thinking to
himself. els she so very plain ?"
He hadreally scarcely noticed her, had
asked her simply out of compassion
for her loneliness, with no interest in
her personally whatever. She had
amused him, though. He smiled again
as he recalled her naivette.
After an interval his thoughts REQUIRED
to her
"By Jover' he thought, "I'l take
her for some refreshment.
And very much to her arnazement, and
her mothers surprise, she was escorted
on his lordsh1p's arm to the refreshment
room. ~
All her shyness was gone, as far as
Lord Pelham was concerned. She chat
ted away freely, not for moment mag
lining in her simple little heart that he
was critically considering whether she
was SO very plain.
"I suppose she is, was his mental
refection-''I suppose she is-and yet
I don't know. I wish she'd look at me.
She may have eyes under those lids
But Lizzie was not yet sufficiently at
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, a year OF two
younger, who was longing to come out,
and who was such regular beauty.
$50 fair, you know, +" said Lizzie, with
touching reflection upon her own dull
and freckled skin, and with such love-
~ large blue open eyes,
"By Jove ~ thought Lord Pelham,
"I 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--and shy Lizzie was
overpowered with gratitude for all his
attention-couldg give her courage to look
up at him.
He remained near her, chatting, till
the carriages were announced, and even
hus3SISu W hSL cape IOuuO ISI
shoulders, and bid quite cordial good
night TO her parents but, after ali, his
curiosity was not satisfied.
''And so Lizzie Gid dancer said her
elder brother next day. as the ball was
eagerly discussed.
"Dance /" said her father, in high
good humor-"I should think so
Danced with Lord Pelham, above all p
I" Yes;" said Mrs. Morton, reaectively,
sit was very good-natured of him. ]
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
heavy sv, ids, looked herself straight IN the