Year: 1875

Unfortunately for myself and every
body who ever saw me, am very beau
tiful. It is not egotism to make that
remark, for / have had plenty of mis-
haps on account of my looks, and every
Ill that can befall family has been laid
to the score of Franks terrible ap-
pearance." When was a child every
thing ent wrong. Once on a ferry-boat
a young and lovely lady, petting and
talking to me, became so interested that
she quietly backed off the edge, and
only the presence of mind and daring
of her husband rescued her in a very
damp and choking condition. Nurse
scolded, mamma raised her hands in
horror, and the lady ga7e me the name
of Sc Lorlei," which l have ever since
retained.


I was a continual source of anxiety
lest I should be kidnapped by some
chiIdless people, and made into a cir
cus-rider, or an heiress. My life was
miserable, with the guard set around
me, TO say nothing of a dozen or two
toilets a day, my hair to be combed
and brushed necessarily, and myself
kissed and fondled like a lap-dog. It
grew no better, later. My sisters hap
pened to be very plain, and I couldn't
help it if 7 got all the invitations,
bouquets, and proposals, and they re-
ceived none. To make it worse, one of
my admirers died of heart disease, and
left me the large fortune that should
have gone to his sisters and then they
loved me excessively, of course


I Icombed my hair in the most horri-
BILE way L could invent, wore stiff col
Lars up to my ears, plain dresses of sober
color, made faces at myself in the glass
by the hour, and all to no purpose.
My hair would turn into the cunniDgest
little ringlets about my forehead, and
fall down in a golden mass of curls just
at the wrong time. The neck above the
ugly linen no amount of sun could make
other than white and well-turned and
the clumsy dress hid form of the most
perfect mould-stately, smooth and
rounded as only healthy English girl
can ever hope to be.


1 couldn't have any girl-friends, for,
without meaning it, captured their low
ers they grew jealous and called me
names and the attachment usually
ended in storm of tears and reproaches
on the one part, dismayed repentance
on the other. I couldn't have gentle
man friend, for, if single, he proposed
in a month, and If married, the wife
came to the rescue, and got the worst
of it. l tried one plan, and you shall
have the result I cut my hair off
nearly close, and mercy me IL had
done the business. I was handsomer
than before looked a very picture
of mischief, my hair curled tighter than
ever, and my eyes would dance, spite of
all the sober books I read, and all the
sad things tried to think of. I took
Aunt Hetty into my confidence, one day
when she came to the city to buy some
furniture for her country house, and
promised as soon as her sons started for
school, would be with her to spend
the summer. L made my preparations
secretly, and only on the day of my de-
parture asked and received permission
TO go unmatched and alone. Used TO
my freaks, mamma asked no questions,
but gave me some advice-to "wear
thick veil in the cars, not to take my
gloves of, and not to wink at any one.
AS though ever knowingly did wink


My own sisters would not have known
the little brown mouse of a girl that
sat so demurely IL the car on its way to
Rockbridge. had ordered wig made
Of bright red hair, and it was a very
marvel IN its way. Short, crisp, fiery
curls covered my head closely, well
down on the neck, and twining lovely
around my ears. A dress of water
proof of the most ungraceful cut
and make, green glasses, shoes and
gloves two sizes too big, and with the
exception of mouth and complexion, /
was hideous. Auntie would net believe
that it was myself, until I had shown
her my eyes, and spoken to her several
times.


There was not a soul on the place
that had ever seen me, except aunt and
uncle and as they called me "Loriie,"
the servants never suspected that was
the Frank Morrison they had heard so
much Of from the young masters.
There were few neighbOrs, and rather
avoided them. For the first time IN
my life 1 was ugly, and consequently
happy. / rode the horses, sat en- the
barny ard fence during the milking, fed
the chickens, ate apples and new butter,
took long walks IN the woods, and my
big feet and scarlet hair never invited e
second glance from any one I passed.