The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-06-03
-'-'.-l.l-1asir'1
THE BEAUTIFUL
MISS MERRIAM,
She Had a Surprise In Store For
the Man She Won.
By HARRIET LUMMIs.

had happened. SnE WAS ufeu OF near
ing that she was beautiful. From her
earliest recoliections 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
''ro be loved for your face is like
being loved for your fortune" Miss
Merriam conided 10 her journal.
"Beauty has wings just as truly as
riches. If man falls in love with
your complexion. what is be going TO
do when yon come down with the
smallpox? II / were pretty fool |
might be prefectly satisfied with things
as they are, but know I'm worth low
ing for mysef-if only they had the
sense TO find It ont"
Unfortunately for themselves Miss
Merriam's adorers never suspected her
peculiar views II there had been one
Of their number shrewd enough TO com
pliment her intellect instead of her
dimples and "a 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 1t an Is. ] wish might new
er hear ! 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 well
known watering place and seriously
injured Pictures Of the beauty appear
cd in all the leading newspapers OF
the country. with reference 10 her pos
sihle disagreement Miss Merriams
relatives when appealed 10 on this i'm
portant point refused TO say anything
10 relieve the suspense or 10 satisfy
the popular curiosity And the expla-
nation Of their reticence was apparent
when Miss Merriam made her appear
ance in society few weeks later.
Across the faaltless curve OF the girls
cheek ran an unsightly scar. scar so
aggressively prominent that it held the
attention OF the observer and made
him forgetfnl OF all else II seemed
likely that Miss Merriam was 10 have
her hearts desire and never again be
forced 10 hear chat she was beautiful
Lloyd HolIister 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
beautiful Miss Merriam, and see her
now Hard luck, isn't it,"
Hollster looked as directed He saw
sTali head regally carried. mass
OF tazzling hair and eyes that shot
violet lights from under their arched
brows. Then Miss Merriam nnrned her
head. and he saw the scar and nothing
else.
I'D be sorrier for her" the man at
his elbow went on, III she hadn't turn
ed down half the fellows in her set. I
guess she thought she was good for a
duke with that face Of hers. Introduce
YOU, did you says Why certainly, my
dear fellow"
1t was the innate chivalry of Hollis
ter's nature which had prompted him
70 ask the honor Of Miss Merriam's
acquaintance. He was as sorry for
the girl as he was disgusted with the
cold blooded comments OF the man
who had pointed her out to him. For
the first few moments OF their conver
sation he unscrupulously kept his eyes
away from her. He could not bear TO
witness the beauty in eclipse, and 30
fancied that she who had been so used
to reading admiration in the eyes OF
every man must vince at the pity
which tact could not conceal.
Presently he found that admiration
was getting the better Of his sympa-
thy. This quondam beauty was not
crushed by her misfortune She met
this thunderbot of fate's spite with a
gallant courage which quickened Hol.
listers pulses. Her easy gayety, her
apparent Inconsistencies of the pa
tlios of her situation. appealed to him
as no womans beauty had ever done
He made the discovery that Miss Mer
riam was brilliant if no longer beauti-
ful and that her cleverness. unlike
that Of many OF her sex. owed moth
ing to i'll nature.
In the months that followed he saw
a great deal Of Miss Merriam. 1t was
clear that the girls liking for social
pleasure remained nnaltered by the
change in her circumstances. She went
everywhere and to an appearances en-
ioyed herself IN spite Of the sudden
falling of in the number Of her admir-
ers. There had been a time when the
man who wished a word with the
beautiful Miss Merriam was obliged TO
fight his way through a double ring OF
black coats. but Hollister had no din.
Guilty in gaining her side whenever he
went Yet the deposed queen Of
hearts seemed so unconscious OF any
thing about her which called for sym
pathy that Hollister suppressed his