Year: 1866

"Come, where did you pick up that home
ly little elf that was scrubbing the stoop
when / came in ?"


"Hush, Paul, she will hear you. She
came here one night almost frozen and in
starving condition, so mamma took her
in, and lets her work for her board. We
call her wild " Madge"


"a good name, upon my word. Why,
it's as good as dose of salts to look at her.
l am seriously inclined to fall in love with
her beautiful phiz. What would you ad-
wise me to do, co.,


of the poor child. So we will change the
subject if you please"


Paul Raynor was young man OF per-
haps twenty-five or three years, who, hav-
ing an abundant share of this worlds goods,
was inclined to ignore those less favored
by fortune, and consequently his proud and
overbearing manner rendered him disagree
able to those whom he termed his interiors.


That he was handsome we will admit
at least so thought Madge, as she watched
him come up the walk, his curly locks blow
ing in the wind. Very grand he looked to
her unsophisticated eyes, and she stepped
aside with feeling of awe as he passed,
stopping to listen to his voice as it sounds
ed through the open window of the room
above. But when she heard the first SEN
tence that passed his lips she stood spell
bound, drinking in every word he uttered !;
and very pale was that pale little face as
she turned again to her work, wondering if
she really was such an ugly little elf as he
called her.


When her work was done she quietly
slipped away to her little garret bedroom
and taking piece of glass that she had
found, from her pocket, eagerly scanned
the features before her, and truly they were
not very pretty.


She was, perhaps, fourteen years of age,
and though at first glance we would term
her decidedly homely, and aftera moments
study there was something peculiarly inter-
esting in that little face. Certainly the
ewes were too large and wild looking, and
as the wild orbs rolled hither and thither
they had a strange weird expression. The
features were small and pinched, and the
complexion what might be called muddy,
while very black, straight hair, cropped
close around her head, comprised the pic
ture that Madge was gazing at so earnestly,
and it did not please her apparently, for
with long drawn sigh she laid the glass
aside, and sitting down by the window
muttered:


"No, don't hate him for saying SO, for
he don't know how it hurt me; and besides
am Just as homely as he said. and worse,
too. But what of it! am only poor ser
want! Oh dear" she exclaimed. rising, /
wish might be somebody, and have peo-
ple to love me-and will, too!' she said,
bringing her little hand down on the win
dow-sill If am homely. | can be bet
ter than a mere drudge J" and in her child
ish face there grew look of high womanly
resolve, indicative of a high and noble in
tellect.


During his visits Paul seemed to take
special pains to worry and provoke poor
Madge, and many joke did he thought
lessly crack at her expense, never thinking
it worth his while to speak civil or pleas
ant word to the poor waif, till she grew to
shun him as she would o serpent ; and, to
cap the climax, the day before he was to
return home, as he was riding toward the
house on horseback, seeing Madge in the
ward and thinking it good time to show
his authority, he ordered her to open the
gate.


Why don't you run you ugly, whelp p
Take that for not obeying gentleman's or
ders with better grace p' so saying he gave
her q cut across the neck which made her
start and turn pale but in second the hot
blood mounted to her face, and her large
ewes flashed defiance as she watched him
out of sight, bis mocking laugh still ring
ing in her ears, when, with wall she sunk
into the tall grass, her little form convulsed
with sobs.


Nine years have passed away, and the
scene opens before us in one of the most
stylish palaces of our metropolis. 20 'g
The drawing-rooms are filled with wealth
and beauty in honor of the return, of the
hostess adopted daughter, after lengthy
soiourn in foreign parts
" Zounds Will, who is that splendid
girl surrounded by a group of gentlemen
yonderl Decidedly the handsomest woman
+ ever saw. She fairly takes ones breath
away and what an eye she has Superb
magnificent! But tell me who she is, / am
dying to know"


| '"Upon my word, Paul, you are rather
| fdgetty. / had an idea you were impreg-
nable to the charms Of womankind in gen.
eral" #
"Stop your nonsense, Will, and answer
me-"


why, that is our hostess daughter,
Miss Raleigh and don't wonder at your
admiration, for she is decidedly the hand
soonest woman of my acquaintance"
i "Can it be possiblel Why ] understood
she was mere foundling whom Mrs. Ra-
/ leigh had taken out of CHARITY"