The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-04-12
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THE BEAUTIFUL
MISS MERRIAM
By HARRIET IuMMIS
Copyright, 1905. by 7. c. Mcclure
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

sVNVVVVVVVVVVV
With Miss Merriam the incredible
had happened She was tired OF hear
ing that she was beautiful. From her
earliest reeollections strangers had ex-
claimed over her pretty face, and her
lovers one after another had hung the
variations ON the same theme. Miss
Merriam listened politely and found
herself extremely bored.
TO be loved for your face Is Ike
being loved for your fortune" Miss
Merriam confided TO her journal
Beauty has wings just as truly as
riches Ii a man falls in love with
your complexion what is he going to
do when YOU come down with the
smallpox: II were a pretty fool |
might be perfectly satisfied with things
as they are. but know I'm worth low
ing for myself-if only they had the
sense TO find IL out"
Unfortunately for themselves Miss
Merriam's adorers never suspected her
peculiar views. IL there had been one
OF their number shrewd enough 10 COM
pliment her intellect instead OF her
dimples and to have talked about her
sparkling wit rather than her spar
king eyes he would have found the
short cut TO her heart. As il was.
they were unanimous in deciding that
the aforementioned article had been
omitted from her composition. And
Miss Merriam expressed her displeas-
ure in the following paragraph in her
journal: Beauty. beauty. beauty. How
tiresome it all is. / wish l might
never hear l was beautiful again"
Rash prayers sometimes bring un-
welcome answers Not very many
days later the city was electrified by
the news that Miss Merriam had been
thrown from her automobile at a well
known watering place and seriously in
jured. Pictures OF the beauty appear
ed in all the leading newspapers Of
the country, with reference TO her pos
sible Disagreement. Miss Merriam's
relatives, when appealed TO on this i'm
portant point, refused to say anything
TO relieve the suspense or TO satisfy the
popular curiosity. And the explana-
ton of their reticence was apparent
when Miss Merriam made her appear
ance in society few weeks later.
Across the faultless curve OF the girls
cheek ran an unsightly scar. scar so
aggressively prominent that it held the
attention OF the observer and made
him forgetful OF all else. 1t seemed
likely that Miss Merriam was to have
her hearts desire and never again be
forced TO hear that she was beautiful.
Lloyd Hollister saw her for the first
time at one OF the opening functions OF
the season. a few days after his re-
turn from abroad. Notice that girl
over there" friend said. pulling his
sleeve. Last spring she was the beau
tiful Miss Merriam and see her now.
Hard luck. isn't it,"
Hollister looked as directed. He saw
small head regally carried, a mass
OF dazzling hair and eyes that shot
violet lights from under their arched
brows- Then Miss Merriam turned
/ her head. and he saw the scar and
nothing else.
I'D be sorrier for her." the man ai
4 his elbow went on, IF she hadn't turn
/ ed down half the fellows in her set.
l guess she thought she was good for g
| duke with that face OF hers. Introduce
l you. did you say; Why, certainly, my
l dear fellow"
Ii was the innate chIvalry OF Hollis
| ter's nature which had prompted hin
l TO ask the honor OF Miss Merriam's
| acquaintance. He was as sorry for th'
/ girl as he was disgusted with the cold
blooded comments Of the man who had
pointed her out to him. For the frs
few moments Of their conversation h,
1 unscrupulously kept his eyes away
l from her He could not bear to wit
l ness the beauty in eclipse. and he fan
cied that she who had been so used Il
| reading admiration in the eyes OF ever,
l man must Vince at the pity which tao
1 could not conceal.
Presently he found that admiration
was getting the better OF his sympathy
4 This quondam beauty was not crushe'
by her misfortune. She met this thun
derbolt OF fate's spite with a gallan
courage which quickened Hollisteri
pulses. Her easy gayety. her apparen
unconsciousness OF the pathos OF he
situation. appealed TO him as no WON
ans beauty had ever done. He mad
the discovery that Miss Merriam wa
brilliant il no longer beautiful. an
that her cleverness. unlike that O
many OF her sex. owed nothing to Il
nature.
In the months that followed he say
a great deal OF Miss Merriam. IL wa
/ aIaar that tho ufflsS Hl-Inu for anrfa
pleasure remained unaltered by TN
change in her circumstances. She wen
! everywhere and to all appearances er
joyed herself In spite OF the sudden fal
ing on in the number OF her admirer:
There had been q time when the ma
who wished word with the beautifr
| Miss Merriam was obliged TO fight hi
way through a double ring OF blac
/, coats. but Holllster had no difficulty I
|, gaining her side whenever he Wen
! Yet the deposed queen of hearts seen
ed so unconscious of anything abou
her which called for sympathy ths
Hollister suppressed his pity as IL
had been form of disloyalty, and af
er u time he no longer found this difi
, cult. He admired Miss Merriam tC
much to be sorry for her. In ever
quality of mind and heart she met b
ideal OF Tvha; woman should be.
for the. scar. he looked at il now vi
shriniingly. Whatever he did.
meant To act with his eyes open.
The night lie asked her 10 marry hil
they sat in Miss ~MerrIam's little
4 brary, Nh-re the aickering iixht of n