Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1881-06-17

; Nu' % haiVely tnat no one could hav
suspected any desire for unmeaDin
I compliment
Her simplicity amused Lord Pelham
vastly. He glanced at her little mn
conscious face aud after seconds hest
tation asked, in manner that put he
quite at ease
would you mind telling me wbv
Are pretty girls such enviable things -
Il think they are" said Lizzie: "Tr
so tired of being told how plain | am
every one seems to think / can help Il
and l can't You know"
"No" said Lord Pelham. 81 sun.
pose not, you weren't consulted about it,
were you? Well, never mind. Miss
Morton, I'll tell you something to com.
tort you I've got plain sister, and |
love her better than both the others put
together" and he looked so kindly at
her even with little amused smile on
his lips, that Lizzie's reserve melted
quite away.
"ls size married p she asked, in hope
full tone.
married Yes, indeed, married the
very first season she came out, and such
a plain little body you did never see ?"
"How did she manage it ?" asked Liz
zie in a tone OF amazement.
Lord Pelham fairly laughed he
little girl, amused him vastly.
ooh" he said, at last, ssI suppose
somebody was wise enough to know
that beauty is only skin-deep and my
sister jamie had an angels soul"
Lizzie sighed again; then, with re-
newed outburst of confidence, she said !:
81 don't think beauty is only skin
deep. ! think it's heart-deep. l 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 [ were
you" he said, after pause. CRY and
put it out of your head. There are
plenty of things beside beauty you can
have. Don't you sing, or play ?"
81 sing a little" said Lizzie. "But
please don't tell any one. / am so
afraid Lady Wells viii ask me"
81 won't betray you" said Lord Pol
ham, more and more amused.
This naive little girl was something
new in his world. There was some.
thing 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
child confded to his care.
"Poor little girl, he was thinking t,
himself. 'Is she so very plain ?"
He had really. scarcely noticed hei
| hn1 oSlra1 q Is
sion for her loneliness with no interei
in her personally whatever. She ha
amused him, though. He smiled agai
as lie recalled her naivette.
After an interval his thoughts recu
red to her.
"By Jove I" he thought, "I'll tax
her for some refreshment."
And very much to her amazemcut
and her mothers surprise, she was cs
corted on mis- lordship's arm to the re
freshment-room.
All her shyness was gone, rs far a
Lord Pelham was concerned. She chat
ted away freely not for a moment ina
ginning in her simple little heart tina
he was critically considering whethe
she really was so very plain.
81 suppose she is, was his mental rt
I fection-"I suppose she is-and yet
l don't know I wish she'd look at mt
, She may have eyes under those lids"
But Lizzie was not yet sufficiently ,
l home with him to look at him. ST.
answered his questions freely, and W.
easily led on to give graphic descrjl
tions of her home life; of the brothe
! who teased her, and the sister, year (
! two younger, who was longing to con
out, and who was such a regular beaut,
$50 fair, you know" said Lizzie, wit
a touching reflection upon her own du
; and freckled skin, "and with such low
r by Jove =. thoHsht Lord Pelham
: 81 wish she'd look at me. I'd like I
:. see what her own eyes are like"
But this wish at least was vain. Nc
even her grattude-and shy Lizzie W.
: overpowered with gratitude for all h
Z attention-could give her courage
, look up at him.
= He remained near her, chatting, ii
= the carriages were announced, and eve
> fingered to place her cape round h
shoulders, and bid quite cordial Goo
night to her parents; but, after all, h
8 curiosity was not satisfied.
d "And so Lizzie did dancer said h
: elder brother next day, as the ball w
a a eagerly discussed.
u "Dancew said her father, in his
" good humor-'I should think Sc
Danced with Lord Pelham, above all
,, Eyes ;" said Mrs. Morton, refectiv
: ly, ''it was very good natured of hir
= | heard him say something about cor
- hn 10 lr-.
lonely"
Lizzie herself was so convinced tn
. this was the case that she was not Il
least annoyed, only when she went IL
= stairs she staid moment longer thi
If usual before her glass, and, raising h
u heavy lids, looked herself straight
: the face.
u ''He's very good natured, she thong
II wish | were not so very plain"
u u Lord Pelham's curiosity about tho
- eyes was singular. He found himse
speculating more unreasonably on Il
= subject, and wondering what col
y would suit her face.
= Almost any color, he was forced
u u admit, would do. The dull, sallow ski
! the Informed nose and wide mouth, ]
y eyes could wholly redeem them, al
j." probably the fringed eyelids were
~ ~ compensation.
u n Well, we'll, what did it matter? ]
y supposed they should not meet agai
. Why should they? He did not into
If remaining in the neighborhood, al
10 had he intended it, he had no excu
~ for calling.
in But they did meet. Somehow,
tz Sunday morning, sudden and mC
unwonted impulse seized Lord Pelhi
e. to attend service in the village churt
He went in late, a little embarrassed,
81 the truth must be told, at his o
TX action.
n He sat very quietly in the corner
the pew to WHICH the old verger CO
Iy, Quoted him, and only felt at home VIII
at the droning choir began the PsalI