The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-11-11
BEULAH'S LOVERS.
BY MAEY REED CRO,vELL.-

Beulah had managed to arrange for
an hour's relief from her arduOus du-
ties. and, In her own room, with lock-
ed door, was walking to and fro, rest
lessly up and down, now with quick,
nervous steps, now slowly, thought
fully, but always with that same
restlessness and utter unpeacefulness
that was new experience to her.
The great house was very quiet, for
Mrs. Sartoris had gone to hcrL own
room for her usual after-lunch sicsta.
The echildren-Fay -AIi.,non, md
Jack-were off, in tho sweet June
weather, In charge Of tho nursery
maid, attached to their little high
nesses, Fay and MignOn, aged 4 and 5,
respectively. -Fs..i. -a -.i!f! f'
And Mr.. .Alsager was-Beulah did
not know where, rs pacing the velvet
carpet of the elegant rooms, that Mrs.
SartOris did not think any too good
for her chiidren's resident governess,
Beulah's chesks famed or paled at
thought of him.
He was the "Uncle BERTHE" whom
the children alternately adorei and
tofinented. He was the handsome
bachelor brother of pretty Mrs. Sar-
torls, come to preside over West Lawn
since Mr.. SartOris's death, three years
before. A ricb,. nlasterful,. elegant
man, who bad fallen desperately III
love with the govcrness, and-been
accepted. by her twenty-four hours
before.
BeuIah had locked herself in her
room, daring, for tho first time IN
those twenty -four hOurs-yes, for the
first time since BERTHE Alsager had
first shown his ardent admiration,
three months beforc-to look matters
strnight in the face.
And she saw two undeniable facts
in that unshrinking, steaafast, stub
born gaze. One. that never again in
all her life would such wonderful
good fortune come to her as this that
Alsa.er had laid, with pleadings and
kisses at her feet twenty-four hours
before. To be SO rich, SO influential
socially, to lead such luxurious life,
not one girl-one poor, obscure girl
in teI>thousand would ever have had
such chaDce,v Besides, he was hand
some ami young, and she liked him
remarkably we'll.
But then that other fact-that when
Vernon had sailed, one year before, he
had taken her solemn promise to bc
fond of him, when he returned, loyal
and true, ready to be claimed by him.
When no returned-Juno "a and
to-day it was June %.
What was she to do?
She could not take counsel of her
own heart, because already, its true,
honest love had been set up III defiance
against luxury, ease and riches.
heart, true to her womanhOOd, Bertie
Alsager's declaration would never
have left his lips; but it was not
enough that she had not been true to
them, and now she was i'll a place
where there was to be terrible fight
between ambition and affection.
Tomorrow, Vernon would be there,
at West Lawn. He was not q man to
take her detection easily or quietly,
nor the sort of lover who could, or
preferred to, conceal his happiness
from all eyes.
Alsager would learn in half IN hour
how she had played fast and loose
with them both; Vernon would un-
derstand her treachery to him; and
which of them would forgive her2-
Rather whose anger, whose ill wishes
would she prefer to endure2
So this pretty, ambitious Beulah
walked up and down, up and-dOwn,
her brain whirling between the two
forces striving for conquest.
One word from her to either of
them would settle it all. One word
to Alsager, telling him she had been
mistaken in her own feelings-giving
up her pleasant position as goyerness,
with its cOngenial duties, its salary OF
5000 u year-going away out of the
luxury she enjoyed with every fiber
of her being. OF course, she could do
oil this, and thereby "settle" it all
with BERTHE Alsager. '
And-meet Pierce Vernon OH his
me-conling, alas! not as leal and
true as when lie left her, but still leal
aud true enough-to have overcome
ambition for his dear sake. s...
What should she do?
And, as if in answer. she heard her
name called from the lawn below, and
she saw Mr.. Alsager standing in the
shade, looking up at her windows.
awaiting her answer to his summons.
"Come, down.. Beulab, - for. Q little
while. want you in the library
All, he was handsome and bonfy to
see, and he could give her SO much, SC
much abe had ell her life hoped fol