The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1901-05-10

CHAPTER 1

mere, was RdZlnB lntehtly tOWhIu the us
tant shore OF old England. fast receding
from view. Near her fne-looking boy
Of fourteen was standing, trying In vain
10 gain look at the features shaded by
the gingham bonnet
At the sound OF his voice the little girl
started, aud without turning her head.
replied, Nobody wants TO see me, | am
so ugly and disagreeable."
Ugly, are your" repeated the boy, lift
ing her up and looking her fully in the
face. "Well, you are not very hand
some that's fact, but | wouldn't be sui
len about IT, Ugly people are always
smart, and perhaps you are. Anyway,
l like little girls, so just let me sit here
aud get acquainted"
Mary Howard was certainly not very
handsome Her features, though tolera-
bly, regular, were small and thin, her
complexion snllow, aud her eyes, though
bright and expressive, seemed too large
for her face. She had frequently been
told that she was homely, and often when
alone had wept, and wondered why she,
too, was not handsome like her sister
Ella, on whose cheek the softest rose was
blooming, while her rich brown hair fell
In wavy masses about her white neck and
shoulders. But If Ella was more beau
tifu than Mary, there was far less in
her character to admire. She knew that
she was pretty, and this made her proud
and selfish, expecting attention from all,
and growing sullen If it was withheld.
Mrs Howard, the mother OF these chill
dren, had incurred the displeasure Of her
father, a wealthy Englishman, by mar
rying her music teacher. Humby at her
fathers feet she had knelt and sued for
pardon, but the old man was inexorable
and turned her from his house. Late in
life he had married a youthful widow,
who, after the lapse Of few years died,
leaving three little girls, Sarah, Ella and
Jane two of them his own, and one a
stepdaughter and a child OF his wife's
first marriage. As a last request Mrs.
Temple had asked that her baby Jane
should be given to the care Of her sister,
Mrs Morris, who was on the eve Of EN-
barking for America. Sarah, too, was
adopted by her fathers brother, and thus
Mr.. Temple was left alone with his eld-
est daughter, Ella. Occasionally he heard
from Jane, but time and distance gradu-
ally weakened the tie Of parental affec-
ton, which wound itself more closely
around Ella; and now when she, too, left
him, and worse than all, married a poor
music teacher, the old mans wrath knew
no bounds.
But wen ses," said he-"we'll see
how they get on. I'll use all my influence
against the dog, and when Miss Elias
right cold and hungry she'll be glad to
come back and leave him."
But he was mistaken, for though right
cold and hungry Ella oftentimes was, she
only clung the closer to her husband
happy to share his fortune, whatever il
might be- Two years after her marriage
hearing that her father was dangerously
i'll, she went to him, but the forgiveness
she so ardently desired was never gained
for the old mans reason was gone. Faith.
fully she watched until the end, and then
when she heard read his will and knew
that his property was all bequeathed tc
her sister in America, she brushed the
tears from her long eyelashes and went
back to her humble home prepared tC
meet the worst
In course of time three children, Frank
Mary and Ella, were added to their mum
ber, and though their presence brought
sunshine and gladness, it brought alsC
an increase Of toll and care. Year Aftel
year Mr.. Howard struggled on, while
each day rumors reached him of the
plenty to be had in the land beyond tbs
sea; and at last, when hope seemed dying
out, he resolved to try his fortune in the
far-famed home of the weary emigrant
The necessary preparations for their voy
age were made as soon as possible, anC
when the Windermere left the harbol
of Liverpool they stood upon her deck
waving a last adieu to the few kline
friends who on shore were bidding them
godspeed.
Among the passengers was George
Moreland, whose parents had died somt
months before, leaving him and large
fortune to the guardianship Of his uncle
wealthy merchant residing in Boston
This uncle, Mr.. Selden had written fol
his nephew to join him in America, anC
It was for this purpose that George haC
taken passage in the Windermere HI
WAS Il lIuAht -ltdl leu DO1, ant
favorite with all who knew him. HI
was passionate admirer of beauty, anC
the moment the Howards came on boarC
and he caught sight of Ella, he felt ire
sistibly attracted toward her. Mary
whose sensitive nature shrank from thu
observation of strangers, eluded all hi.
efforts to look under her bonnet. Thi.
aroused his curiosity, and when he fol
lowed her addressed to her the remark
with which we commenced this chapter
At last, gently smoothing back her hair
which was really bright and glossy, h,
said, who told you that you were S,
ugly looking| The tears started t,
Mary's eyes, and her chin quivered a.
she replied, Father says so, Ella say
so, and everybody says so but mothe
and Frankly"
Everybody doesn't always tell tht
TRUTH" said George, wishing to admin
lister as much comfort as possible
You've got pretty blue eyes, nice BROW
hair, and your forehead, too, is broat
and high; now if you hadn't such mud
dy complexion, bony cheeks, little nose
big ears and awful teeth, you wouldn'
be such a fright!
George propensity to tease had com
upon him, and in enumerating the defect
in Mary's face he purposely magnife
them; but he regretted it, when he say
the effect his words produced. Hidin
her face in her hands, Mary burst into
passionate fit of weeping, then snatchin
the bonnet from Georges lap, she threy
It on her head and was hurryihg ava
when George caught her and pulling he
back, said, Forgive me. Mary. l coul
not help plaguing you a little, but I'll TT
and not do it again"
For a time George kept this resolution
but he could not conceal the preference
which he felt for Ella, whose doll-hk
face and childish ways were far NOR
In keeping with his taste than Mary
old look Whenever he noticed her a
all, he spoke kindly to her; but she kne'
there was a great difference between hi
treatment of her and Ella, and ofttime,
when saying her evening prayer, sh
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