The Osceola times., 1877-04-07
TERRIBLY DECIDED.


"Oh Sara, you are too absurd" And
pretty Grace Ashleigh laughs her pleas
antest laugh. "The idea of loving two
men at once, and not knowing which to
choose don't believe you at all"
Believe or not, Grace, just as you
please" is the soft serious voiced answer.
Those wonderful, deep hazel eyes Of
Sara Prescotts turn all their subdued
richness of color toward her friend whilst
she speaks, and every feature of her
beautiful face wears an impress of earn
est meaning.
at is true, Grace" she whispers !;
"true, true, true! There are moments
when I feel confident that Ralph Curtis,
with his dark, southern-looking beauty,
and his impu!siye, reckless ways, is by
far dearer to me. But a visit from
blonde barred, blue.eyed Walter Crosbie
changes everything. am just tossed
about in spirit from oae to the other.
Each seems to touch, with me, a separ-
ate chord of congeniaity. ! don't knew
how it will end. Here they have both
been lingering along at the hotel Grace,
paying me daily visits since the first of
last July
Perhaps" suggested Grace, after a
little silence while they walked along
the twilit paths of the great lawn which
compasses the luxurious summer-house
where Sara Prescott lives" Perhaps you
will end by hating them both, Sara?
I" cannot tell. And yet that seems
impossible
"Very we'll" answered Grace Il
must ask you to have my carriage or
dered around now, sara, notwithstand-
ing | should like to remain and help to
counsel YOU in your troubles; but please
remember that | have seven miles to
drive, and that mamma makes perfect
Rachel of herself if | stay out after
dark"
80 Grace presently takes her depart.
urc, aud sara is left to hold converse
with her own thoughts, while she begins
second, and this time a wholly solitary
stroll among the stately shrubberied
lawns.
Very gloomy and miserable those
thoughts are. She recalls, with a sense
of shrinking fear, how intense passion
for her has recently grown to possess
both Ralph Curtis and Walter Crosbie
- how each has become almost aggres-
sive, of late, in his fierce request for
some final answer TO his eager hopes, and
how the more that either pleads the
more absolute and complete has been her
indecision, her doubt, her pcrplexity.
No, she cannot make up her mind,
Allow that she is mentally monstrosity
OF womauhood allow that nobody has
ever been precisely in her unsettled con
dition; the fact exists all the same, that
she loves two men at once, and has no
power to choose between them.
suppose they should have some deadly
quarrel on her account. Nothing is
more possible. They have grown to
hate each other of that fact sara feels
quite sure, They are living at the same
hotel, and are now constantly thrown
together. sara shudders now when she
remembers what evidences he has had
of fierce temper each possesses. Oh,
why cannot she be like other women
what seems nothing but her own gross
stupidity and silly rresolution.
Just at this stage of Sara's thoughts,
the sound of footstcp directly behind
her meets the young girls ear. She
turns, and in the vague dark, sees Wal
ter Crosbie's tall, commanding figure,
and fair, Saxon face. lie begins speak
ing with brusque suddennes-: Sara
Miss Proscott-l have come to bid you
good. by
She clasps both hands together in an
abrupt burst of surprise.
" You cannot possibly mean it?"
" | do. am tired of being played
fast and loose with, from day to day"
" You are not going" she answers,
calmly, after little silence, and whilst
they were walking on. 81 know by
your tones and your manner that it is
only ruse. You are not going until
give you final answer"
" And for Gods sake Walter blurts
forth, "when is that final answer coming2
There are times, sara Prescott, when
feel like believing that no more hesrtless
| coquette than yourself ever drew breath,
and that you are no more for me than
your are for Ralph Curtis"
Pardon me, ! think that heard my
name mentioned
None other than Ralph Curtis him
self who spoke these words.
The vague half-lights has now yielded
to the Frightening glimmer OF full, SUI
perb moon, whose silver globe hangs mid
way between horizon and zenith, beauti.
fully pendant in the still, blue, breeze
less sky.
Ralph Curtis, having just emerged
from ! / dark barrier OF tall heavy
. ! which the road winds.
SatlSn 'lis 80 |
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