Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 68: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

68 THE BEAUTY OF WILLARD’S MILL. “Do you admire her so very much ?” f “T never imagined any one handsomer, or more graceful.” Fletcher smiled perplexingly. “That's because your ideas of beauty have been formed on such models as those around you; your brother's wife, for instance—a fair,. plump, red- checked, good-natured young person; or,” he added, laugh- ing, “her mother—spare, angular, yellow-haired, and pink- faced, with eyes of no particular color, though sharp enough, and very pleasant.” “Mr. Harris, is it fair to ridicule my friends ?” “] haven’t ridiculed them. Come, confess, now—were not my criticisms just? I feel a certain admiration for Mrs. Frank Willard, and much respect for her mother, who seems to be an excellent woman. But, in an artistical point of view, neither could be called beautiful, certainly.” “Tf they appear in so ludicrous a light in your eyes, I suppose you laugh at my mother, too,” said Minnie, in a grieved tone. “You are wrong once more, foolish little Minnie. To say that your mother could now sit for a portrait to grace the gallery of Beauty, would be greatly flattering her, as I pre- sume you know. But any one can see that in her youth she must have been unusually pretty. And a person used to studying faces, as I am, can see in hers a soul above the meanness of her surroundings, and the evidences of a tried and patient spirit. She is what is called a superior woman ; and no disadvantages of place or dress can conceal her high qualities,” Somewhat appeased, and not a little curious, Minnie ven- tured a question : “ And father ?” “ You incline to get my opinion of the family. Well, since I volunteered so much, I can not refuse. Character, gener- ally, makes a man’s looks, if he have no peculiar form or stature; and no one would mistake your father for any but a whole-souled, honorable man. But I should say, if he has a fault, it is that of too great devotion to a favorite idea, amounting, in fact, to obstinacy. Am I not right, little Minnie ?” “ Yes, I think you are,” Minnie auswered, sighing uncon- comiicldooks.com