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

sighed Mrs. Morton, as she. discussed
her daughters future with her friend.
g A plain girl nowadays has no chance
at all.
And poor Lizzie Morton had learned
to consider her want of beauty almost in
the light of misdemeanor.
GA woman has no right to be ugly, :"
her father would say; and her mother
would glance at her own reflection In the
glass and murmur:
every odd that Lizzie takes after
neither her father nor me-"
SO 1t IS very easy to imagine that Liz
zie had looked forward to her first ball
with mingled feelings.
cit is very little matter after all.
what you wear, my dear" her mother
had said. "With your complexion any
thing viii suit equally well.
And yet, when Lizzie was dressed and
came down the broad staircase in her
white dress, with its trimmings of carna-
tions, and her crimson cape over her
shoulders, she was by no means alto
gether unloyely.
Her eyes had soft, mild expression,
and the little hesitancy and shyness
made her lower the heavly-fringed lids
which many beauty might have envied.
These heavy eyelids had been trouble
to her all her life. Her brothers had
ridiculed her for her sleepy look, and she
had been accustomed to hear sharp con-
trasts drawn between her mothers wide
open, large gray eyes and her own heavy
look.
So she followed her father in much
trepidation to the carriage, and her heart
beat high as, after their short drive, they
reached Brandon Hall, with it's blaze of
light and waiting servants and general
appearance Of festivity.
Mr.. and Mrs. Brandon were cordially
greeted by their friend, Sir Harry Wells;
and, being among the earliest arrivals,
and upon a footing of the closest in
timacY, Lizzie was claimed by the
younger members of the family and car
ried of to see the decorations In the
supper room.
She had Gime to recover some self
possession before the guests filled the
ballroom and dancing began.
Sir Harry's second son came up and
claimed her for the first waltz-he could
scarcely do less-but, that ordeal over,
she was left to sit quietly by her mothers
side
She had been sitting still for long
time, when suddenly her ear caught q
few words-something about "taking
compassion'-and she was startled q
moment after at hearing afew rapid words
OF introduction and finding a gentleman
standing beside her, soliciting the
pleasure of dance.
''Poor little girl how shy she is,
thought Lord Pelham to himself, as sbe
gave q faint response and rose from hel
seat. "Well, one must do good-na
tured thing once in while.
The good-natured thing did not prove
very unpleasant.
Lord Pelham's well-bred courtesy
placed Lizzie at her ease, and, much tt
her own surprise, she found herself chat
ting to him all about her home, he.
scarcely discarded school days, and Thu
very ball.
ct suppose, said Lord Pelham, 'syol
were very much excited about your frs
ball? [ remember when my sisters
came out what fuss there was It is
good many years ago, Cby Jove, the.
wouldn't thank me for saying thai
though, and every one thought they'(
take the town by storm. You can
guess, Miss Morton" he said, warming
to his subject" you can't guess how
pretty they looked. I can see then
now, dear girls How proud I was O
them both I really don't know which
was the prettiest,' he added rehectively
Lizzie sighed.
Why continued Lord Pelham, a.
If once started on his recollections he
found it difficult to stop, So remember
almost quarreling with my cousin be
cause Lily would dance the first waltz
with him How absurd it seems p
care they married?" asked Lizzie
timidly.
married Well-no," said Lord Pei
ham, reaectively, "and, come to thinl
Of it, it's odd too, that they haven't mar
ried, such pretty girls as they were"
81 thought, said Lizzie, impulsively
that pretty girls always married-at