E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Kerry Tani,
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LOVELINESS
A Story
BY
ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS
"Be my benediction said, E. B. Browning. |
BOSTON AND NEW YORK
HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY
The Riverside Press, Cambridge
1900
THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE BY
SARAH S. STILWELL
COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS WARD
AND HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND CO.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
For the smoke of their torment ascendeth.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| Page | |
| Loveliness | Frontispiece |
| The maid stood looking idly about | 14 |
| "Till Loveliness comes home" | 20 |
| Through the bending shrubbery | 40 |
LOVELINESS
LOVELINESS.
Loveliness sat on an eider-down cushion embroideredwith cherry-colored puppies on a pearlsatin cover. The puppies had gold eyes. Theywere drinking a saucer of green milk. Lovelinesswore a new necktie, of cherry, a shade or twobrighter than the puppies, and a pearl-gray, or onemight call it a silver-gray jacket. He was sittingin the broad window sill, with his head tipped alittle, thoughtfully, towards the left side, as theheads of nervous people are said to incline. Hewas dreamily watching the street, looking for anyone of a few friends of his who might pass by, andfor the letter-carrier, who was somewhat late.
Loveliness had dark, brilliant eyes, remarkablyalert, but reflective when in repose. Part of theircharm lay in the fact that one must watch for theirbest expression; for Loveliness wore bangs. Hehad a small and delicate nose, not guiltless of anaristocratic tip, with a suspicion of a sniff at the[Pg 2]inferior orders of society. In truth, Loveliness wasan aristocrat to the end of his tongue, which curleddaintily against his opalescent teeth. At this momentit lay between his teeth, and hung forward asif he held a roseleaf in his lips; and this was thefinal evidence of his birth and breed