Year: 1875

the country girl, and be as awkward
as possible. Two or three times I
almost betrayed myself by some
unguarded remark; but by drop
ping my fork, upsetting my milk,
and knocking my chair over when
I rose, I managed to seem ill-bred
enough to suit my course frock,
absent collar, and tumbled hair.


To my utter astonishment, Mr..
Gray asked me to go to pic mic at
the school-house the next day
While I was staring, first at him,
and then at myself in the glass,
Aunt Hetty quietly said, ''She will
go nth pleasure. I was ready to
beat her, but beyond few mutter
ed words, I said nothing until he
was gone. Then I made few re-
marks to her which made her look
so sorry, that I kissed her and pro-
, missed to go peaceably.


I made myself look as countrifed
as possible, next morning, and my
looking glass told me that I waa no
longer even passable. Mr.. Gray
made no remark about my appear
ance, except to ask if the glasses
were absolutely necessary, and on
my gravely assuring him that they
were, he helped me into the carriage,
, aud away we went. How I enjoyed
the glances the girls gave me, and
! their evident contempt for my dress
and manner! I found myself alone
with Mr.. Gray, toward the end of
! the afternoon, and we sat down on
! the moss at the foot of a tree for
what I called good talk. His
manner had been perfectly kind
I and courteous, and he had done
everything in his power to make
me forget the difference between
myself and the pretty country girls
I had met. After a little I forgot
my part, and letting the glasses
fall unheeded in my lap, I pulled
off the yellow cotton gloves I had
worn all day, and lying backward,
clasped my hands above my head,
contentedly. After minute he
said:


"NIaggie Thorneis entirely thrown
away on that old man. What life
for bright, fair woman to live,
shut away in that quiet house"


Following his glance toward the
house on the other side of the road,
I lazily answered.:


Imperial Cesar, dead and turned to clay,
Might stop hole to keep the wind away"


The look of utter amazement on
his face was too funny as he gasped
out:


"A1iss Lorlei, what are you? Hid
eous and lovely at the same time,
an uneducated country girl firing
Shakespeare atme in that style. You
wear these green glasses all the
time, and yet I have noticed you
can see much farther and better
without them. You have the most
exquisite hand I have ever seen,
and your feet are large enough for
o man. You bow like an empress,
and tumble over your dress the
next minute. I cant understand
you"


I kept my face through all his
speech; and then gave him answer,
pulling on my gloves:


Il don't know what you mean
by Shakespeare, and you need not
insult my feet: I can't help their
size. What made you bring me, if
only to tease?' And without fur
ther ceremony left him more mys.
tilted than ever.


I saw him very often in the next
two months, and learned to like
him very much for his kindness to
my awkward self. How much I
liked him I scarcely knew until a
letter from mamma came, saying
that summer was long over and
people were growing very curious
as to MY whereabouts. With cold
feeling at my heart, I took the letter
in my hand, and went through the
orchard to the place where I had
played "Lorlei" for the benefit of
Walter Gray. Bitterly regretted
my masquerade, for I thought he
could never be brought to like the
red-haired, clumsy girl he had
pitied and been kind to.


I lay on the grass crying, holding
in my hand some Of the dead leaves
lying all about me, and thinking
how like my own hopes they were
How long l lay there I do not know,
till some one dropped on the grass
by me, and a cool, soft hand held
my own.


''Crying! water-nymph?' and be-
fore I knew it I found myself close
held by two strong arms, and q
dear voice speaking to me.


"Your aunt says you are going
away, Lcrlei going away to be edu-