Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-12-22

Le1Cl0iy VI yOu1 DSduty, Iu6r6 lay kef
mel Of goodness and womanliness, 70
which [ was content to wait. You
beauty Is your curse, and you will fnC
it out IN time"
| As he took a step or two away. sh,
stood up. her flushed face and burnin.
eyes turned to him.
"Stay, Mr.. Howell!' she said. haught
lily; what my beauty is to me con
Germs myself alone. [ thank you 70.
your good opinion of me, but I dom
require it. You are incensed becaus,
L have only done what the world ap
proves, what all sensible girls in my
place would do-choose a man in gooc
position for myself. I I,.ope l have :
free will, Mr., HOWELL"
He would hear no more. With :
mournful wave of his hand he rushed
away, through the crowded ballroom
down stairs into the street. In the gray
dawn he left by the mail train for Liv
erpool.
She stood motionless, where he hac
left her. But only for moment, anC
then she started forward, stretching out
her fair, white arms, and cried. family
George, George! don't leave me
Come back, my love!"
It was no use. He had gone beyond
sound of her voice; and so, with q
heaving sob, she sank on the seat and
buried her face in her hands.
Presently footsteps approached her
II have been looking for you every.
where. What is it, LiIlian?' And the
tall gentleman stopped over her.
Nothing. [ felt little faint, my
lord"
He seated himself by her. Half an
hour after they entered the ballroom
again, where her various partners had
been searching for her, right and left
and had nearly gone crazy in their
search. She was Immediately bounced
upon, but excused herself fulfilling
any more engagements that evening.
< x
There was sad fearful scene in the
ballroom that same night.
The gorgeous chandeliers, pendant
from the ceiling, and adorned with
glittering lusters, shed brilliant light
around from innumerable wax candles.
Suddenly, the vibration of a chanelier
from the dancing caused one of these
candles to slip from its socket, and it
fell on a lady sitting beneath it. But
the work OF a moment, and then the
t1eecy, white texture she wore was in a
cloud of flame, and she rushed hither
and thlther Notwithstanding in her
agony. The gay crowd of dancers
made way for her, terror stricken, as if
by magic, some calling for water, others
yalnly endeavOring 10 escape in mortal
fear. One or two of the boldest then
watched their opportunity, flung her
down and rolled her in a huge rug, ex-
the flames.
They picked her up and carried her
away, a charred mass of quiyering,
agonized humanity. Her groans and
Wrlthlng cOntOrtious were heart-renG-
ing, and yet after days of doubt and
internal tortures, and months of nurs-
ing, she recOvered--recovered in
health, strength, body, in everything
but one thing-her beauty was gone
forever.
For the poor sufferer was Lillian
Grey!
!
-Four years passed, and people said
That times were hard. Robertson &
Co., the great bankers of Bridgestoke.
had failed and brought ruin on hun
treds of the confding householders of
that town. Among them was Mrs.
Gray, of Burnham house. Mr.. Robert
son had been a friend of her husband,
and after his death had offered to man
age and invest her fortune for her.
Unknown to her, he had absorbed it
into his banking business, and after
the final crash had passed, scarcely
sufficient was retrieved to secure to
her and her daughter bare pittance
for life. Greatly was Mrs. GRAY dis
dressed when they were compelled to
leave Burnham house and take up
their abode In obscure lodgings in the
town.
Needless to say, after Lillian Gray's
accident, nothing further was heard
from Lord Whatsoever. He did not even
trouble to inquire whether she recov-
cred or not. A great change came
over her with their reverses of fortune.
and finding that at times her mother
scarcely had the necessities of life. she
pocketed the remnants of her pride
and started as a music teacher. 1t
was uphill work at first, and she had
TO endure many half-conceaIed sneers
1t her former arrogance, but she lived
them down, and after a while gathered
4 decent little connection for herself.
But Mrs. Gray fell i'll, and despite all
Lllllan's endeavOrs it became a difficult
matter to provide the comforts for a
SICK person out of her slender means.
she shaved all day at her various pu-
pills residences, and then set up half
he night, tending the invalid lovingly.
And yet the rent went back, and the
'urly landlord was memorable, and if it
we're not paid within three days out
hey must go.
In this extremity Lillian bethought
If asking a slight favor at one place
where she attended. This was where
he taught the three children of a
Wealthy retired merchant, named
Price. Nearly half the quarter had
IN; she would explain her dire neces-
lty, and ask to be accommodated with
hat and the remaining half quarter in
.dvance
Modestly she stated her case to Mrs.
9rice, stout, forid-looking woman, of
ather coarse manners and appearance.
But this worthy lady replied with some
how of surprise, that it was impossible
he could accede to Miss Gray's request
that it was most unheard Of pro-
seeding, and where would her house
lold allowance be by the middle of the
e c1-c,.I. rr-;rl,.,l !.