Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-12-18
tion nor was she alone in bs, sr,-..,.,; :.
her child a IoyeIiness "PPhcOaaton Oi

tioh nor was she alone in her apnrec;at;o, of
her child's loveliness. "PPie0'A'iOn Oi
u She was the belle of the evening at Mrs.
IN honor Of whom the party had beer rnaSo
and to whom Louis Meredith was said 20 ne
amanced, could divide the honors of the belle.
| ship with him
Ii had been we'll known throughout the vii
rage that Beatrice and Louis had been en-.
gagged, and the fact Of their separation was
equaliy well watched, no look or gesture be-
trayed that she had been moved by the sun.
dering Of the tie
she was surrounded by admirers; she had
sniie ior tnis one, command for a second,
anu merry words icr others; and, as if attract
ed by some irresistible charm, Louis Mere
u..n novered near her-even when talking
with his afianced bride, Therese Benedict. be
ne1ru every word that fell from Beatrice's
lips, and saw her every motion.
His eyes flashed angrily as he saw her smi.
hng receiving the attentions offered her. and
contrasted her manner towards all with the
careless Good evening" with which she had
met him her cheek had not flushed AT his
greeting, her hand had not trembled in his
grasp, and he was piqued by her evident
indifference he was jealous, too, and almost
gnashed his teeth with rage when he saw
her apparently listening with deepest AFTER
ton to the haf-whispcred words of Ralph
Mercer, the only son Of their host-the wealth
lest man in the village
Louis looked at Beatrice, and then at The.
rese-the one poor village school teacher.
and the other the wealthy daughter of a dis.
tinguished lawyer-and he could but acknow-
iedge how Tar superior, in beauty, grace and
talent, was the humble teacher he had dis
carded to his sfianced bride.
bis eyes were opened. He knew that he
still loved Beatrice, and that without her mo-
ney Iherese would have been utterly indiffer-
ent to him.
He could bear il no longer. He stole, ss
soon as possible, TO Bestrice's side, and said a
few cutting words on her ooqustry and heart
lesSness.
She turned her large, flashing eyes full
upon him with look Of contempt.
Mr. Meredith forgets himself" she re-
pled coldly; his opinion is ltterly indiffer-
ent to me What right has he to criticise my
conduct?i
She waved her hand in token Of dismissal,
and be left her, with strange mixture Of love
and anger In his heart as he saw her again
the centre Of a circle of admirers-full of life
and animation. The hours few rapidly, and
when at last the gay company departed, Louis
saw, with bitter Jealousy, that Ralph Merser
was the devoted attendant of his discarded
beatrice; and he sought his home, angry with
himself and with the world.
The excitement of the evening was over,
and alone in her chamber, Beatrice thought
OF all that had passed. She had triumphed;
but, alas, what a hollow mockery had been
hidden under that gay exterior.
She had loved Louis Meredith with all the
ardor OF her passionate, but reserved nature,
and not so easily could she thrust him from
her; hence, the struggle to appear happy, and
deceive all about her. She longed to be away,
and night gladly she accepted a lucrative offer
to take charge of a school in the large town of
Montford, where she might escape the sight
OF Louis, the reports Of his approaching mar
rlage, and the Argus eyes Of the whole vii
lage.
Mrs. Lancaster made no objections "a the
proposed removal, and ere long Beatrice and
her mother left Langdon for ever.
TO BE Continued