The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-13
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"
"Beleve or not, Grace; just as you
please" is the soft serious-yoiced an
swer.
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 beau
tiful oval face wears an impress of
earnest meaning.
at is true, Grace" she whispers; true,
true, true There are moments when |
feel confident that Ralph Curtis, with
his dark, southern-looking beauty, and
his impulsive, reckless ways, is by far
| the dearer to me. But visit from
blonde haired, blue-eyed Walter Crosble
changes everything. l am just tossed
about in spirit from one to the other.
Each seems to touch, with me, a sepa-
rate 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 July"
"Perhaps," suggests Grace, after
little silence, whilst they walk along
through 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?"
81 cannot tell. And yet that seems
impossible"
every WE'LL" answers Grace; 81 must
ask you to have my carriage ordered
round now, Sara, notwithstanding that
should like to remain and help to counsel
you in your troubles; but please remem-
Der that | have seven miles to drive, and
that mamma makes a perfect Rachel Of
herself if | stay out after dark"
So Grace presently takes her depar-
ture. and Sara is left to hold converse
with her own thoughts, whilst she be-
gins second, and this time wholly
solitary, stroll among the stately shrub
beried lawns.
Very gloomy and miserable those
thoughts are She recalls, with sense
5 of shrinking fear, how intense a passion
: for her has recently grown to possess
both Ralph Curtis and Walter Crosbie-
how each has become almost aggressive
2 of late, in his fierce request for some
> final answer to his eager hopes, and how
S the more that either pleads the more
absolute and complete has been her in,
. decision, her doubt, her perplexity.
l Noshe cannot make up her mind. Al.
; low that she is mentally monstrosity
of womanhood; 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
g quarrel on her account! Nothing il
more possible. They have grown cor
daily to hate each other; Of that fac
= Sara feels right sure. They are living
! at the same hotel, and are constantly
=. thrown together. Sara shudders wheI
= she remembers what evidences she ha
had of how fierce a temper each pos
sesses. Oh, why cannot she be like othe
women? Why must she suffer so keen
!; ly from what seems nothing excep
. her own gross stupidity and silly irreso
d luton?
s Just at this stage of Sara's thoughts tn
i sound of footstep directly behind he
It meets the young girls ear. She turns
{, g and in the vague dark sees Walter Cros
+ bie's tall commanding figure, and fair
: Saxon face. He begins speaking will
brusque suddenness; "Sara-Miss Pres
cott-I have come to bid you goodbye.
o "She clasps both hands together in al
1t abrupt burst of surprise.
: "You cannot possibly mean it q
e 81 do. am tired of being played fas
g and loose with, from day to day."
,r "You are not going" she answers, calm
s, ly, after little silence, and whilst the.
,. were walking on II know by your tone
and your manner that it is only rust