St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-02-26

but it will not be necessary to CALL
Agatha seemed to have consider
able curiosity about the new family
"How did this Mr.. Vittum make hi
money!" she asked her grandfather
81 do not know" replied the judge
"Most Of the suddenly acquired for
tunes in this country are the result
either Of accident or knavery."
Miss Rachel sa in silence. you had
seen her in The dim room, with its ele
CANT old ornaments and shabby mod
ern necessities, its sumptuous can
delabra and cheap kerosene lamp, its
rare China punch bowl and alright
stove, you would have felt that she
was the greatest contrast that had
ever come into the family. The old
lady wore a poor gown, and her
joints were distorted by the rheuma-
tism, but her snowy curls, her pierre
ing black eyes, her finely cut flea lures,
her high-bred air, and, more than all,
the color in her cheeks, which eighty
years had not taken away, made her
look like duchess, that is, if duch-
esses looked as they ought. Her
husband was an unusually handsome
man, though of milder type. He
had blue eyes and auburn hair. The
girls were not nearly so progresses
ing as their grandmother, but they
had a certain Mayhower beauty, es.
pecially Agatha.
But Miss Rachel-welI, Miss Rachel
was a mystery. How could she have
been born OF such distinguished par
ents and be herself so destitute of
personal attractions? Her ancestors
were not to blame, either. | am sure
Capt lchabod Steptiptoe OF Salem,
whose portrait hung over the man
tel, was a fine man in his day, with a
vigorous face and good fresh color,
As for Sir Benhadad Saltpepper OF
Portsmouth, whose painted visage
adorned the hall, it would have paid
you to walk mile even to behold
his canvas countenance and how
much more to see the real man in his
scarlet coat and lace rufiles. Lady
Mehetable, his spouse, was the belle
OF Rockingham county, as who
should doubt who had the privilege
OF gazing on that high roll of fair hair
and that swanlike neck encircled by
a string OF gold beads?
Perhaps the relct of Col. Michael
Peaseltree, whose truly awful coun.
tenance had been relegated to an OBJ.
scure corner in the upper hail. was
to blame for Miss Rachel's lack of
beauty. But no, Madam Hepsibah
Peaseltree was recalled as a very
well-favored woman by those who
had the privilege of her personal ac.
quaintance. 1t was simply the stern
expression and the gloomy back
ground that made the portrait freeze
your soul. Sternness was the quail
ity which had been completely left
out of Miss Rachel's nature. Oh, no
she certainly did not resemble NJ adam
Peaseltree.
Just why Miss Rachel was so un.
attractive cannot tell. To be sure,
the sculptured part of her face, il |
may so refer to the cheekbones, the
nose and general framework, was
too rude and strong; it needed
smoothing off and toning down;
while the painted part, the eyes, hair,
Ups, and complexion, was weak and
hull. That needed toning up; the
should have been laid on
with stronger hand. At allevents,
Miss Rachel was ugly after most
ordinary, commonplace fashion. If
YOU could have known her without
seeing her, think you might have
liked her; but as everybody had to
see her first, they had no desire to
know her.
lnearIy forgot Miss Rachel S crown
ny torture. | have said she was
lgly in a commonplace fashion,
which was true; but added to all
this was a certain mysterious family
LIKENESS, so that whenever YOU saw
Rachel you were reminded OF her
mother, and this indehnable sugges.
ion made the poor daughter at least
zen times palmer by contrast. Odd,
IS 1t not, that two people can look
alike, and yet one be beauty and
the other fright?
Miss Rachel thought she could
nave supported life il it had not been
or this family resemblance; but with
I, It was impossible to escape notice
Her relatives were always saying,
You will never be as handsome AS