A LADY who in her girlhood was discouraged by her lack of beauty, but lived to become a leader of society, with hosts of sincere and loving friends, told the following story of the incident which gave her hope and inspired her to usefulness:— "If I have been able to accomplish anything in life, it is due to the words spoken to me in the right season, when I was a child, by an old teacher. I was the only homely, awkward girl in a class of exceptionally pretty ones, and, being also dull at my books, became the butt of the school. I fell into a morose, despairing state, gave up study, withdrew into myself, and grew daily more bitter and vindictive. "One day the French teacher, a gray-haired old woman, with keen eyes and a kind smile, found me crying. 'What's the matter, my child?' she asked. 'O madame, I am so ugly!' I sobbed out. She soothed me, but did not contradict me. Presently she took me to her room, and, after amusing me for some time, said, 'I have a present for you,' handing me a scaly, coarse lump, covered with earth. 'It is round and brown as you. "Ugly," did you say? Very well. We will call it by your name, then. It is you. Now, you shall plant it, and water it, and give it sun for a week or two.' I planted it and watched it carefully; the green leaves came first, and at last the golden Japanese lily, the first I had ever seen. Madame came to share my delight. 'Ah!' she said, significantly, 'who would believe so much beauty and fragrance were shut up in that little, rough, ugly thing? But it took heart when it came into the sun.' It was the first time that it ever occurred to me that, in spite of my ugly face, I too might be able to win friends, and to make myself beloved in the world."—Selected.