Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 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 Prescott's 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 feel confident that Ralph Curtis,
with his dark, southcrn.looking beauty,
and his impulsive, reckless ways, is by
far dearcr 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 sopar-
ate chord of congeniality. don't know
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 twiit paths of the great lawn which
compassca the luxurious summer-house
where Sara Prescott lives" Perhaps you
will end by hating them both, Sara"
81 cannot tell And yet that seems
impossible
"Very we'll" answered Grace;
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"
So Grace presently takes her depart
u.e, and sara is left to hold converse
with her own thoughts, while she begins
a 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 a passion
for her has recently grown to rposses'
both Ralph Curtis and Walter Crosbic
-. how each has become almost aggres
sive, Of late, in his fierce request iol
some final answer to his eager hopes, and
how the more that either pleads the
more absolute and complete has been hel
indocision, her doubt, her perplexlty.
No, she cannot make UP her mind
! Allow that she is mentally monstrositl
OF womanhood allow that nobody haI
ever been precisely in her unsettled con
dition; the fact exists all the same, tha
she loves two men at once, and has NJ
power to choose between them.
Suppose they should have some deadl!
quarrel on her account. Nothing i
more possible They have grown tc
hate each other; of that fact Sara feel
quite sure. They are living at the sam,
hotel, and are now constantly throw
together Sara shudders now when sh,
remembers what evidences she has haC
of fierce temper each possesses. oh
why cannot she be like other women
Why must sne suffer so keenly from
what seems nothing but her own gros
stupidity and silly irrcsolution.
Just at this stage of Sara's thoughts
the sound of loOtstep directly benin,
her meets the young girls ear. Sh
turns, and in the vague dark, sees Wal
ter Crosbie's tall, commanding figure
and fair, Saxon face. He begins speak
ing with brusque suddenness; Sara
Miss Prescott have come to bid yo
. good.by,'
She clasps both hands together in a
abrupt burst OF surprise.
" You cannot possibly mean it?'
81 do. | am tired of being playe
fast and loose with, from day to day"
$ "You are not going" she answer
calmly, after a little silence, and whil'
: they we're walking on. al know b
I your tones and your manner that it
only rusc. You are not going until
3 give you a final answer"
+ And for Gods sake" Walter blur
J. forth, "when is that final answer cominj
There are times, Sara Prescott, when
feel like believing that no more beartle
coquette than yourself ever drew breat
d and that you are no more for me thG
9 your are for Ralph Curtis"
II "Pardon me, ! think that heard n
is name mentioned"
None other than Ralph Curtis hir
IS self who spoke these words.
IT The vague halt-lights has now yieldt
to the Frightening glimmer OF full, s
h perb moon, whose silver globe hangs mi
way between horizon and zenith, beaut
t fully pendant in the STILL blue, breez
II less sky.
Ralph Curtis, having Just emerge
d from behind dark barrier of tall ,heaN
shrubbery round which the road wind
= stands facing Water Crosbie and Sar
e his black eyes and olive brown counte
# ance fully visible TO them both. u
der his dark moustache there plays
bitter cynical smile.
y Sara utters little scream of disma
% Glow unexpected" she faltcrs; Al
a then there is a silence among the tri
r, which lasts until Walter Crosbie hasti
y breaks it,
in every unexpected" he exclaim
le "and yet, after all, scarcely inoppt
10 tune. | for one am glad it has happenC
m 1t gives me, at least, the opportunity
d. asking you in Mr.. Curtis presence, NJ
e. Sara, how much longer you desire Il
absurd masquerade shall continu
With whom--to make a sort of opigrs
ID out of the situation (while he laugh