The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-06-09
1 TRUE HEROINE.

"This would be jolly, Tom, If it
wasn't for that miserable shanty just
under our window, and those internally
noisy urchins across the street, and
Don't expect, my dear boy, to se-
cure all the beatitudes at . rental Of $40
per month";
And if you wasn't so everlastingly
bearish, and"
"What more, my dear fellow? Out
with il"
And if that shy daughter of the
landlady wasn't SO frightfully ugly"
"Well postscripted, Jack / knew
all along where the chief objection lay. !"
Upon my soul, Tom, 1 believe you
rentedth rooms Just because you thought
her looks would annoy me.
"You compliment me undeservedly,
my dear boy. ! had not that much fore
cast. But, now that you have suggested
it, I think will adopt new method Of
torturing you. The great Aristotle i'm
bued his followers with philosophy
while strolling about the groves and
thoronghfares OF Athens. Why should
not initiate the master Of the peripa-
tetic school, and make San Francisco
lodgings q means Of intoxicating moral
precepts upon your mind 2"
"Good enough, Tom. But not such
confoundedly-d isagreeable lessons, If
you please"
"All wholesome instruction, my dear
Jack, is distastefnl to the beginner
You will relish it more a. you advance. !"
"Never, Tom, never, il Miss Corbin
is an average specimen Of the studies
proposed in your new system Of object
teaching"
Don't speak so confidently, my dear
boy. The future is great gainsayer Of
thoughtless utterances. But, to inaug-
urate the course, the school will please
come to order. First class III moral phi
losophy, attention !"
Ready, sir"
why have you seen at to speak Of
the landlady's daughter as q drawback
to the j0llity Of our present location p
Because she is SO terrifcally hideous,
and because"
mo generalities, sir. Answer me
categorically. Exactness Of definition
was the great point for which Socrates
contended. She has lovely hair--brown,
sleek and tastefully arranged?"
"Yes."
blue eyes Of singular brilliancy and
gentleness
Yes"
"Fine eyebrows and lashes, and
beautiful mouth and teeth?"
"Yes."
IAN elegant figure girlish, but sym
metrical and well developed I'd
mirable hands and feet?
YES"
"Taste in dress, grace in bearing. and
progressing voice and mannerf"
YEA"
"Then go to! II the total Of thes,
be not loveliness, the world is . decep
ton"
"But, Tom, did you ever see any on.
80 fearfully pockmArked?
II put to my mettle, Jack, you know
never yielded the superlative to living
mAn. Miss Corbin's features have q sea
shell smoothness-a very gloss of finisl
compared with faces have seen.
have beheld countenances that resembled
. colander-yea, that were engrailed
and corrugated like mass Of conglom
crate. But, after all, it is only skin
deep. II the nature within be loneliness
these surface blemishes may become a
attractive to the eye Is a piece OF orna
mental fret-work.
81 grant you, Tom, that Miss Corbir
is homely enough to afford to be good.
Perhaps she is good enough to af
ford to be hOmely. At any rate, yol
we're not born the censor of her or any
body else's appearance. The face yor
dislike may be comely to others and t
the Creator. And, If not, remember
my dear boy, that ugliness US license
to exist in this world as we'll Is beauty.
And ! have right to express my
opinion Of it"
And may have . reason to regret
over doing 20. Thus endeth the first
lesson. The class is dismissed"
Tom was awfully cynical sometimes,
but We were the best Of friends. and
hked hmm Just Is well Is though he had
not been twice as old g I was, anG
crotchety and bald-headed beside.
We had chummed together for years
and took adjoining rooms in private
residence on Russian Hill. It was dur
ing the first weeks occupancy OF ON
new quarters, while smoking on til.
veranda and looking out upon the moon
Lit bay, that the foregoing conversation
occurred.
/ had never seen Tom 10 moved by ,
book as he appeared to be by volume h,
brought from the library one evening
He fidgeted, and wiped his bald head 8,
much, and uttered so many ex .lama
tions, that ! finally asked him what h,
had come across to agitate him SO.
A most affecting story, my dea
Jack. he replied, "most affecting"
IT must be, judging by your man
ner."
If it would not disturb you, shoult
like to read it aloud"
" ! shall be very glad to listen to it
Tom. My book is rather dry"
Excuse mo il / read it badly. I
was always difficult for me to get through
well with anything that affected me.
shan't even attempt the dialect will
which it abounds.
He cleared his throat, turned himsel
in his chair 80 as to face me, and reat
slowly, in nervous voice:
In one Of the outskirts of Edinburgh
where the homes OF the middle classes
mingled with the novels OF the poor tina,
Ind formerly occupied the site, lived !
family by the name Of Compton. The
husband was . builder. Though his
trade was fairly lucrative, the thrifty
wife let her spare rooms to dodgers. n
order to exc out his income.
They had m only child, daughter
named Annie, Is years old. Her unusu.
q beauty rendered her exceedingly At
tr.ctive. but she was everywhere more
beloved Tor TIE sweetness Of her dispo.