Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-05-01

SkN/ were lull Oh cua-
y :::; :;::; :::; f.: ::'' ';:;:;:; ::::;;;:;
child Amy was?" Mrs. Grantley said,
"the prettiest OF all we saw, and we
were-how long, making selectlon!
''Dear me! cannot recollect,
said Mrs. Dinsmore. "We visited
every orphan asylum and home we
heard of, l know. Yes, Amy was
perfect little beauty"
"And was so careful in my dlrec'
ton Mt every school where l have
placed her that she should be watched
and prevented from getting freckled
or spelling her complexion in any
way, She has been most faithfully
cared for, aud now, my dear, when L
come home, expecting to find lovely
girl to introduce to society, l an
fairly stunned! Amy is positively
ugly" >, NJ,
Dinsmore, with Il sympathetic shud'
der.
"Of course, I must do my duty by
her," continued Mrs. Grantey, plain.
lively, "alter giving her the best edu.
cation money could procure and all
the tastes and accomplishments OF n
lady. cannot turn the child away
for what is really no fault OF her own.
OF course she would be beauty 1t
she could! But it is Il bitter dlsap'
pointment!"
And it was. Mrs. Grantley was q
woman of society, bound Up in the re-
quirements OF fashion, lady manager
for dozen or so OF popular chari'
ties, patroness for many benevolent
schemes, keeping open house for BALLS
parties. private theatricala and festivi.
ties of all kinds all winter, and lead
ing society in n great measure at
Saratoga, Newport and some other re-
sort of fashion all summer. A child
less widow, with large income, very
handsome, highly educated and re-
fined, she was very queen in her own
circle for many years. Then, feeling
that her own beauty was waning, she
resolved to give new charm to her
house, a new interest to her life, by
adopting child.
The first, the most essential. requis.
ite in her eyes was beauty; the next
intellect, and with these she also re.
quired child who was absolutely
friendless-one who would have no
unpleasant relations claiming ac'
quaintance at some future date, how
ever remote 1t was not easy to meet
all these con litions, but the child was
found at last; she was very fair, with
bloom like q peach blossom upon
each delicate check; she had fair, soft
hair that curled naturally, blue eyes
full of sweetness, aud delicate features /;
her feet and hands were OF aristocratic
proportions, and her figure slender
and graceful. A street walf, she knew
of no home beyond the asylum where
Mrs. Grantley found her, and had no
relative of whom she had ever heard.
There was no difficulty about the mat
ter, and Mrs. Grantley adopted the
child, calling her Amy Grantley, and
delighting to exhibit her in the dain-
tiest of costumes to her admiring
friends.
When Amy was twelve years old,
having proved herself m apt scholar
with good nursery governess, Mrs.
Grantley decided to go to Europe.
She left her adopted child in good
school, and corresponded with her
regularly, seeing with delight that the
child's mind AMI heart expanded and
showed cultivation and sweet, maiden
ly Eeauty rs her education advanced.
For seven years Amy remained at
school, conscientious student, de-
lighting in music, and showing always
q gentle, lovable disposition.
In her heart there was one shrine
wheye, next her God, was one object
of absolute worsbip-Mrs. Grantley.
! She had never been deceived regard
ing her own position, knowing that to
her adopted mother she owed every
pleasure and every advantage she en-.
joycd. Every action Of her life was
influenced by her gratitude. Loving
study for lis own sake, she threw fresh
energy into every accomplishment to
please h.r friend, her kind adopted
mother; she made music an absor rbing
pursuit, because Mrs. Grantley loved
music, and her teachers assured her
her strong, pure voice must give pleas.
ure to any true lover OF singing.
Year after year the strong hope OF
tcr lie was that Mrs. Grantley woul,l
soon return, and she might in some
way repay what she owed her. The
day the summons came to her TO meet
Mrs. Grantley in what was to be her
future home, the child was almost i'll
with excitement.
Educated by lady who considered
it duty to check any vanity in her
pupils, Amy had never given much
thought to her personal appearance.
When scarlet fever robbed her of her
curls and lett straight mass of pale,
flaxcn hair in their place, she thought
only of tho temporary badness as al
Inconvenience, and the care of the
straight hair less troublesome than the
curls. She did not heed the fact thai
the samc fever deprived her of her ex
quisi'e complexion, and left a sallow
co.orless one In its place.
Her second teeth were uneven, am
not very white, though sound ant
useful. She was graceful in figure
easy IN movement, refined in voic,
and tone, a lady in every impulse ant
action, but Mrs. Grantley's first ex
cls,matIon WAS: