Fair to Look Upon   By: Mary Belle Freeley

by

MARY BELLE FREELEY

With Original Illustrations by W. L. Dodge

[Illustration: "I HUMMED A GAY LITTLE TUNE FOR HIS BENEFIT."]

Chicago Morrill, Higgins & Co. Copyright: Morrill, Higgins & Co. 1892

CONTENTS.

A RIPPLE OF DISSENSION AND WHAT CAME OF IT, 11

THE STORY OF EVE, 19

THE ABRAHAM HAGAR AFFAIR, 29

ISAAC'S WIFE, 47

A WOMAN'S MONUMENT, 67

ANOTHER OF THE WOMEN OF OLD, 83

ALL NAUGHTY, BUT FAIR, 97

STORY OF SOME WOMEN AND A BABY, 107

ANOTHER OF "THE MISTAKES OF MOSES," 123

SOME MANAGING WOMEN, 135

ANOTHER GROUP OF THEM, 151

THE FAMOUS WIDOW OF MOAB, 163

HE GAVE IT UP TOO, 175

ILLUSTRATIONS.

I hummed a gay little tune for his benefit, Frontispiece .

He held my milk white hand in his, 13

Our first parents, 17

While Adam was idly, lazily sunning himself in the garden, 25

The Serpent did tempt me, 28

And the men watched to see her go by, 33

And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house, 37

Abraham entertaining the three angels, 41

And he sent Hagar and Ishmael out into the wilderness, 43

And Abraham went down to Egypt, 44

Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher, 55

I will go, 58

Two little boys played marbles, 59

Esau cheated out of his blessing, 62

And Rebekah was a woman, 64

And there came two angels to Sodom, 69

And Lot went out and tried to pacify them, 71

Lot's wife looked back, 75

Look not behind thee, 80

Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept, 87

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, 89

She hoped he would excuse her for not arising, 94

Put up his hands in welcome and said "Ah, goo! ah goo!" 115

And every kiss strengthened her determination, 119

They clasped hands lingeringly and said a soft good night, 129

Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, 132

What would'st thou? 139

She let them down from the window of her house, 143

She smote the nail into his temples, 145

Cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, 147

And she betrayed him, 149

Turned her pretty head aside and blushed, 170

And Boaz and Ruth were married, 173

And I said 180

A RIPPLE OF DISSENSION AND WHAT CAME OF IT.

[Illustration: (He held my milk white hand in his.)]

A RIPPLE OF DISSENSION AND WHAT CAME OF IT.

I was about to be married. My numerous charms and attractions had won the affections of a young man who was equally charming with myself.

We were sitting on a luxurious divan and he held my milk white hand in his. I do not make that statement as a startling announcement of an unusual occurrence, but simply as a matter of fact.

We had been conversing about the culinary and domestic arrangements of our future home when matrimony had made us "one flesh;" or, to use English, we had been wondering what under the canopy a good cooking stove would cost, when he asked suddenly and irrelevantly,

"And you will love me, always?"