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

w Will ! 60uNs
eff she onl y were not so very plain,
sighed Mrs. Morton, as she discusse
her daughters future with her friend
GA plain girl nowadays has no chanc
ut ALL
And poor Lizzie Morton had learne,
to consider her want of beauty almost il
the light of a misdemeanor.
GA woman has no right to be ugly,
her father would say; and her mothe
would glance at her own reflection in tn
glass and murmur:
Every odd that Lizzie takes aftej
neither her father nor me-. )"
So it is very easy to imagine that Liz
zie had looked forward to her first bal
with mingled feelings.
1T is very little matter after all
what you wear, my DEAR" her mother
had said: "With your complexion any
thing will suit equally we'll"
And yet, when Lizzie was dressed anc
came down the broad staircase in he]
white dress, with its trimmings of carna.
tons, and her crimson cape over hel
shoulders, she was by no means alto
gether unlovely.
Her eyes had soft, mild expression,
aud the little hesitancy and shyness
made her lower the heavily -fringed lids
which many il 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;
aud, being among the earliest arrivals,
and upon footing of the closest in
timacy, Lizzie was claimed by the
younger members of the family and car
ried Off to see the decorations in the
supper room.
She had time TO recover some self
possession before the guests filled the
ballroom and dancing began.
oA 1Id1I pcCCull sOu GALLO UP ana
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 a
few Notwithstanding about "taking
compassion she was startled a
moment after at hearing a few rapid words
of introduction and finding gentleman
standing beside her, soliciting the
pleasure Of dance.
Poor little girl how shy she u.s."
thought Lord Pelham to himself, as she
gave faint response and rose from her
seat. swell, one must do good-na-
tured thing once in while.''
The good-natrrel thing did not prove
very unpleasant
Lord Pelham's wen-bred courtesy
placed Lizzie at her ease, and, much to
her own surprise, she found herself chat
ting to him all about her home, her
scarcely discarded school days, and this
very ball.
II suppose, said Lord Pelham, "you
we're very much excited about your first
ball? [ remember when my sisters
came out what fuss there was! It is a
good many years ago, (by Jove, they
wouldn't thank me for saying that
though), and every one thought they'd
take the town by storm. You can't
guess, Miss Norton he said, warming
to his snbject-' you can't guess how
pretty they looked. I can see them
now, dear girls How proud I was of
them both I really don't know which
was the prettiest,' he added reaectively.
Lizzie sighed.
"Why % continued Lord Pelham, as
if once started on his recollections he
found it difficult to stop, {" I remember
almost querrcling with my cousin be-
cause Lily would dance tile first waltz
with him ! How absurd it seems!
Are they married?" asked Lizzie,
timidly.
"Married Well-no," said Lord Pei
ham, reflectively, land, come to think
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
"You-what ?" asked Lord Pelham,
rather amused at she aroused tone; then
as she shrank back into her shyness he
continued, laughing:
"Well Thought too, once, that pretty
girls always married-but they don't, you
see! Whv, half the old maids were pretty
girls once p
II wish I was pretty girl - said
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-
scio,ls face and after seconds hesitation
asked, in a manner that put her quite at
ease:
"Would you mind telling me why :?
Are pretty girls such enviable things ?"
81 think they are, said Lizzie; I'm
so tired of being told how plain I am,
every one seems to think I can help it;
and [ can't, you know"
"No" said Lord Pelham. II sup
pose not, you weren't consulted about it,
we're you? Well, never mind, Miss Nor
ton, I'll tell you something to comfort
you. I've got 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 sue married ?" she asked, in
hopeful tone.
"Married! Yes, indeed, married the
very first season she came out, and such
a plain little body you did never see p
"How did she manage it ?" 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.
"Oh, he said at last, I suppose some
qne was wise enough to know that beauty