The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-05-19


When scarlet fever robbed her of her
curls and left straight mass OF pale,
flaxen hair in their place, she thought
only of tho temporary badness as an
! Inconvenience, and the care of the
straight hair less troublesome than the
curls. She did not heed the fact that
the same fever deprived her of her ex.
quisite complexion, and left a sallow,
colorless one in its place.
Her second teeth were uneven, and
not very white, though sound and
useful. She was graceful in figure,
easy in movement, refined in voice
and tone, lady in every impulse and
action, but Mrs. Grantley's first ex-
claimation was:
"Can this be Amy? How ugly you
have grownp"
The wordswere ungrscious, the tone
still more so, and the sensitive, loving
hoart felt as if heavy hand had
crushed all sweetness out of life. The
cod kiss, the few forced words of well
come, added to her pain, and, lifting
streaming eyes, she faltered:
az am so sorryl l will try to be
good !" like grieved child, harshly
reproved for fault. She did try to
atone for that involutarY crime, the
loss of her childish beauty, aud while
Mrs. Grantley mourned over it, spoke
often Of her bitter disappointment,
and vainly tried by every art of dress
to recall the lost charms, she yet felt
creeping into her heart day by day
love and respect for this homely girl
she had never felt for the beautiful
child.
Sometimes she sat and thought OF
Amy with wondering admiration, as
of some strange specimen OF humanity
that had never before crossed her path.
''She is like flower" she thought,
"that gives out its sweetest fragrance
when it is crushed. 1 have let her see
too plainly how she disappoints me,
and she is humbly conscious of my
chagrin, and yet she is SO tenderly
loving, SO anxious to please me, that 1
believe shall end by loving her as
we'll as if she we're beautiful. Leonard
Gresham says she is the loveliest wo-
man in society this winter And yet
| bhO 10 POolNlNOlN
And Leonard Gresham was not alone
in his opinion. To Mrs. Grantley's
amnzement, Amy was the centre of a
circle in society that looked beyond
beauty to find attraction. A circle
that hung entrsnced upon the pure,
highly cultivated voice that was al
ways at the service of friends circle
that found charm in conversation
that could touch higher topics than
dress or the merits of the latest prima
donna Mrs. Grantley made dress a
fine art, and Amy's toilettes we're per-
fection, while the intellect visible In
her large blue eyes and low, broad
brow, the sweetness of her smile,
atoned in a great measure for the want
OF beauty in face and complexion.
But her greatest triumph was not in
society. No praise there, no love Of
fered her by the many who sought her,
made her heart thrill as did Mrs.
Grantley's gradual admissions of her
power to win love.
Leonard Gresham, a man of whose
love any woman might be proud,
sought her for his wife, and when she
gently refused his suit she was far
prouder OF the adopted mothers pleas
ure than of the offer of one of society Is
most eligible parts.
"My darling, cannot spare you
: yet |" were words that echoed gladly
in her heart long after they were
spoken, with an emphasis that proved
they came from the heart.
fTiLo,o A;r,as ,vIop
dered If the pain the rejection OF
Leonard Gresham left in her heart
was not caused by deeper love than
, she had realized she felt when she gave
it, but the girls whole mind was bent
upon proving her gratitude to her
adopted mother.
1t was revelation to Mrs. Grantley
to find in so many ways her comfort
J and happiness increased after she once
allowed Amy to manifest her love. Ii
, was long time before this was accom-
! plished, for the girls sensitive nature
shrank from forcing her affection
where it was not needed. But, little
by little, the humble offers of service
dictated by intense gratitude became
daily duties, and the loving heart soon
5 found new avenues of devotion. Well.
! trained servants took every menial
i care, but no servant could make Mrs.
} Grantley's life overflow with new hap
I piness as Amy's devotion soon did.
: 1t seemed as if her heart would break
l with Joy the first time Mrs. Grantley
r drew her to her heart, kissed her lips
= and said, ferventlY;
"My darlIngl"
( No lover ever gave his beloved &
/ moment of purer, more rapturous de
e light than Amy experienced in thai
e hour. For two years after life flowed
t on in pleasant stream. Society be
T came secondary to home. "Deal
II mamma" became familiar title upoI
Amy's lips, and no mother was eyel
d more fondly loved than Mrs. Grantley
II by her darling"
h Then sorrow came in CHASTITY shape
}. Mrs. Grantley was attacked by can