New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-05
AN AMBITIOUS WOMAN.
A NOVEL.

NY EDGAR FAwCErr,
author of "a Gentleman or Le's"Te' "'P''''
Case &C.
TX.
sonhia consented to this plan, but only as
....,so,c.l maunuyre. She had determined that
Clars should ill precisely the position just prof
tvsd her and no other. By seeming to yield she ut
length won her cause. She was quite In earnest
.hout her wish for mental Improvement. Nor was
Claire. in spite of latter years passed under the
Gloom of toll. half as much at sea among the many
smart-bourd volumes of the library as she herself
had expected She had been. IN her day, diligent
.traaut. she found that she remembered this or
cha. famous writer as she examined book after
hook. Now and then celebrated name REQUIRED to
her with sharp appeal of recollection again she had
vivid sense of forgetfulness, and of ignorance as
wsl But she was of the kind who read swiftly
and retain with force. II was not long before she
had discovered certain volumes which guided and
At the same time instructed her, In Just that
literary dlrec ion needful for the task required by
her would-be pupil. great deal OF her
old intellectual method and industry soon came
back to herr she turned the PAGES of the many good
hooks stored on the shelves nearby with hand more
composed and deliberate; she began to see just what
SOPHIA wanted her to do. and realize her full capa
bilty of doing il.
Meanwhile week or more had passed. She was
now clad in appropriate mourning. She was one of
the family. Sophia, devoted and atfectionate, was
constantly at her side.
Now and then she said. with a nervous laugh.
"Pm afraid have never learned enough to be of
the least use TO you, Sophia, in the way you've pro-
posed"
But Sophia would smile and answer: "Oh. Pm
not afraid Claire dear. You'll get it all back again
pretty sooD"
She rapidly got it all back again. and great deal
more besides the morning readings began. Sophia
soon expressed herself as in raptures but 1t was
the teacher that charmed her far NOR than the
teaching
Claires life was now ono Of easy luxury She
walked rdrove with Sophia every after noon she
ate delicate food; she slept in a spacious
bed-chamber that possessed every detail of
comfort; all things moved along on oiled wheels;
the machinery of her life had lost all its cloggng
rust Greenpont began to fade from her thoughts II
grew a dim, detested memory Scarcely day passed,
however, without she defn itely recalled some incl
dent connected with her father Now that this soft
ness and daintiness surrounded her, the refine ment
which no adverse years could ahenate from his per-
sonaly became for her more distinct cOnce ption.
She realized how complete gentleman he had
been AT the same time, under these altered condi-
tions, her own taste for the superfne Diceties OF
cultivation increased with much speed. She was
like plant that has been borne back to its native
coil and cline from some land where 1t has hitherto
lived out as dwarfed and partial growth {; the
fohage was expanding, the fibre was strengthening,
the flowers were taking warmer tint and a richer
scent
She soon perceived that the Bergemanns moved in
set OF almost uniformly vulgar people, Many of them
seemed very wealthy. Nearly all of them dressed
handsomely and drove about in their private car
fiages. Not few OF them lived In fine adjacent
houses on The Avenue" as 1t is called. Sophia had
enumber of intimate friends. maidens of her own
age. who constantly visited her. She had admirers,
too, OF the other sex. who would sometimes call for
her Of an evening and take her 10 party, unaitend
cd by any ehaperone. She went, during the winter
months to numerous parties. She belonged TO an
organization which she always spoke of as "Our
sociable," and which met at the various homes of
it, female members. One evening u sOciabia" was
s gwen 81 the Bergemann mansion The music and
ing ana the house was effectively adorned with
flowers. Claire, because of ner mourning. abstained
Of course she met many OF SopGias and Mrs Bsrge-
manns friends. Only one of all the thrOng had
power pleasurably to interest her.
TON inns exceptional person was MI beverley Thurs
s,a having selected the volumes Of her mothers
y. Who bad meyer married. HIS figure was tall and
snapely; his face. usually grave, was
capable of much geniality. He had travelled,
read. thought. and observed. He stood rather high
"a the legal profession. and came, the maternal
side. Of somewhat noted family. He man aged the
large estate of Mrs. Bergemann and her daughter
anu solely ON this account was f,equent guest at
sne,r mouse. tie had one widowed sister, Of very
exclusive views, who possessed large means and
VINO placed great value upon her position as fash
ionaDie leader For several years this ladystI called
TX courtesy Mrs. Winthrop Van Horn had haugh-
uly refused her brothers urgent request that she
should leave card upon Mrs. Bergemann, though
several Thousand year resulted from his connec-
lion Will the deceased brewers properly But Mr..
Ihurston, while he succambed to the arrogant OBJ
ss,inacy " his sister, had employed great tact in
t Snnd'ng his profitable patrons to the awkward
years past by his polite intimacy with Sophia and
her mother. and ne had always felt lurking dread
10 M sney sno9d make sudden appeal for his aid
IN the way OF social advancement. But here he had
committed marked error. Mrs Bereemanp and
Seph'a understood nothing whatever about social
tented with their present places in socetv 2he IN
ner patrIcisn mysteries were quite unknown IA
them: Their Ignorance. in this respect. was "a.
rene bliss They believed themselves yaiuahlv i'm
pcrtant They saw 30 new heights TO gain.
Mr. Thurston bad long secretly smiled Mt THAR
eef-confdenee. lie was clever observer; he had
seen the world the BerRemanns were s0uetimes a
delicious joke to him when he felt III pprecatve
mood. AT other times the bouncing coltish man
pers OF Sophia and the educational deficiencies Of
nsF mother grated harshiy upon bis nerves. But
when Claire sntered the household he at once ex-
2eneneed a new sensation. he watched her In
quiet wonder. No points OF her beauty escaped his
trained eye. What he had learned Of her past
career made her seem 10 him remarkable, even
Rnenomenal. BY degrees an intimacy was esta'y-
.asnsd between them. At fret 1t concerned literary
sabjecis Claire consulted him about the books ap-
ylopnate for her readings with Sophia But they
talked OF other things, and occasionally these
Ss;ss took the form Of very private Nes-d-tS
100 coulo not crush spirit Of inquiry, Of inyesli
se syn ana OF valuation. far as concerned the
STTPe With whom they associated.
lsdss essaauenen distressed her more than the |
Ssss lie latter were often 90 full Of grace and
3s1ss ess that their loud talk. shrl laughter and
skSrw grammar could not wholly rid them Of |
Goo5 nut The gentlemen had no grace and slight
sns s y ~ an offset 10 their haphazard manners
otissso y. snem appeared to be quite uneducated
stksrs seula blend ignorance with Concert; still
sjdcs, .sfe ungallant and nngracious. and not |
~ ~ ompously boastful Of their wealth.
- (sj,s ssvh was ~ frst cautious ia his answers
eIsss T. ~ s.ncf searching questions. But by de-
Hsnd S,,s saow aside restraint; he srew to under
Is "a Wy 20 was thus INTERCEPTED,
"a nsefly s"rs w nsnlc.nt mooe Of talk that