The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-06-28

thought, as his eye wandered past 20 .
rosebud of girl" the beauty" evi
IDENTIFY, Of poor Lizzie's tale-and next e
her sat his shy friend herself, the down
cast lids more dropping than ever. the
dull complexion more leaden beside the
bright blue eyes and pink and white o.
the pretty sister.
Still, Lord Pelham's glance rested on
the plain face of his earlier acquaintance
The service seemed wonderfully short
and when the congregation left the chan.
eel he found himself side by side with
Mrs. Morton.
"Going our way ?' she asked, in the
porch; and so, naturally enough, he &C
companied them homeward, even walking
through their park up to the very door.
Mr.. Morton's in the conservatory if
you care to join him." Mrs. Morton ven.
tured to say, her motherly heart all in a
tiutter; for here, she decided, was chance
for pretty Rose
And Lord Pelham did care, it appeared.
and had a chat with the master of the
house, found sundry points of interest in
common, and even stayed for the family
dinner.
Horribly unaristocratic he must think
u.s." feared Mrs. Morton, as she explained
that the early dinner enabled the servants
to go to church.
Little Lord Pelham cared nothing for
her chatter; he was wholly occupied with
the plain face opposite to him.
In vain pretty Rose bridled and blush
ed; in vain she peeped up at him with
her most bewitching air. He was only
conscious of one fact about her, which
was, that she snubbed her elder sister.
so did every one else, it appeared to
him; for when Lizzie ventured a re-
mark which she rarely did-it was gen
orally met with: "Oh, l dare say you
think 80 I"
The neighborhood began to talk very
soon after this eventful Sunday in the
Mortons' life. Lord Pelham remained at
his friends Sir Harry Wells and came
so often to the Lodge, evinced such an
interest in all Mr. Morton's improvements
actually invited the boys to his manor
for the September shooting-that he
seemed almost like one of the family.
One day in the early winter, when the
hedges were sparkling with hoar-frost.
and the roads were beginning to harden,
Lord Pelham took his familiar wav to the
Lodge.
He was thinking, as he walked along,
of many things about his intimacy there,
and his thoughts involuntarily turned to
Lizzie. He went back in his mind to
their first meeting.
I" l declare" he said to himself, "she
never gives me a chance to see what
those eyes are like. And how they do
snub her at home, to be sure Well,
poor little thing she's worth a hundred
times more than that pretty doll Rose
will ever be %
He was walking briskly along, when
his attention was arrested by little figure
which, turning corner some distance
before him, was hurrying, almost running,
toward him.
"Why, by Jove!" exclaimed he, quick
ening his steps, "it's Lizzie. What can
be the matter?"
frightened face, clung 10 m" a, with pale,
"Oh, Lord Pelham J" she cried, ur.~...
lessly, "Pm so frightened Those horrid
men! l ran as hard as / could. They
actually spoke to me. There they come"
AS she spoke band of tramps turned
the same corner, evidently in high en-
joyment of her terror.
"They begged" explained Lizzie, "and
was so frightened. never was spoken
to in the street before. / never go alone
only Dame Brown is sick in the village,
and wanted to see me-"
Lord Pelham was very indignant. lie
at first thought he would expostulate
with the coming tramps but feeling how
undesirable it would be on her account,
he contented himself with placing her
little trembling hand on his arm, and cast
ing fierce looks at them as he passed.
"Never mind, Lizzie !" he said, when,
having turned the corner, they were out
of sight. You don't feel frightened now
do you p
And he stood still and took both the
little shaking hands in his.
"Oh, no :" said Lizzie, looking straight
up into his face, and then at last he saw
the eyes, the deep violet eyes, swimming
in tears, with their child-like look of trust
and dependence. 81 know you will take
care of me-"
"Lizzie p said his lordship, impulsive
ly-" Lizzie, want you to let me always
take care of you. Be my wife, Lizzie
my dear little wife"
"Oh - said Lizzie, drawing her hands
away suddenly. You can't mean it, l
am 50 Very plain ~
However, he convinced her that he did
mean it, and the world has long forgotten
that Lady Pelham was ever considered
" 40 plain"
"She has such lovely eyes, you know"
Mrs. Grundy says. The rest of her
face is of no Importance whatever