St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-06
AMBITION.
[By Martina Eileen Holahan.


Katherine Dexter was forty, and hand
some still. Sordld to the soul, she had,
long ago, sold herself to the highest
bidder. Now her greatest fear was lest
Genia, her half sister, who possessed
but half her years and twice her beauty,
would not follow suit.
Genia was ambitious-no one could
possibly doubt that; but, ugh! she was
SO incomprehensible! One never could
tell what she would do; one did not
even know whether she was laughing
at or with them half the time, which
was certainly chilling upon her many
suitors, one in particular. and that the
very one upon whose purse Mrs. DeX-
ter had set her desire.
Il do wish you would seriously con-
slider John Rudgeway," she said this
evening in particular. "YOu have
actually several wrinkles about your
eyes, and not much more time to fool
away before you make a settlement!o
Genia shrugged her white shoulders
under their lace chemisette, and
Consider John Rudgeway seri-
ously" she said, hooking infection
in her clear, sweet voice. MY dear
Katherine" profoundly. chow could L
possibly consider him otherwise. He is
the most serious material l ever con-
templated!'
Mrs. Dexter frowned and rose to go,
evening dress. Wise in her generation,
she knew when she had said enough On
one subject, and let it drop.
You are beautiful plague, Genia,
and | wash my hands of you," she said,
impatienty. after all my care and
expense, dare say you will fling your
self away Oh that pauper painter, Dick
Tracey, whose painting of you was re-
fused by the academy committee, and
crush yourself from good society for
ever"
The wrinkles about Genia's eyes deep
ened. Without turning. she continued
to carelessly stick the shell pins into
her fluffy golden hair.
"Mr. Trrcey is the best society in the
world-you should cultivate him, kath-
erine," she advised, reprOvingly; but
Mrs. Dexter swished herself out and
slammed the door behind her with very
ungenteel vigor.
Then Genla Wayne smiled at her own
reflection in the long mirror before her.
A beautiful reflection; but somehow
looking at it that smile died away from,
her carmine lips. They dropped at the
corners, and weary look, which the
world had never witnessed there, crept
into her proud gray eyes.
81 dare say she. is right unused the
girl aloud. "ItiiS about time was serl-
ouSly considering some One-and remem-
bering that can not afford to consider
a poor man."
She was the fairest and gayest woman
or fo 10 kon hot mir lint
'Alas beneath bodice gay full oft a
heart has bled.'.,,
And the heart alone guesses it's own
misery.
John Rudgeway was stout and pOmp-
Gus and ill-bred; yet tonight. remem-
berin8 her resolve and the silence of
her dressing room, Eugenia Wayne
smiled upon him. and other people
smiled at each Other-a mutual under
standing-and tall, slender young
man, with a strong, handsome face and
dark, eloquent eyes: lounged around the
alcove and gave vent to curses deep.
not loud, between his white teeth.
He almost uttered one aloud, though,
as Mrs. Dexter glided up and tapped
his arm with her jeweled fan.
Dick Tracey had never trusted her.
He had always somehow felt that while
she smiled upon, she could have crushed
him as obstacle standing in Genia's
way.
1T is an artists privilege to hide
away and dream in the corners, | sup
pose" she said, gaily. But you look
as if your dream were a nightmare, Mr..
Tracey. All, there is Genia. Did you
hear, by the way. that her future is set
tied, Mr.. Tracey?"
He looked her straight in the eyes
with his dark, mOcking ones.
81 had not heard BEFORE" he retorted,
''but if it is, | congratulate you, Mrs.
Dexter"
And with bow of mock courtesy, he
moved away. leaving her chagrined and
angry. where she had come to fling
down his throat the last atoms of the
bittereSt dregS of Fate.
Half an hour later, Miss Wayne saun-
tered with her escort across the grand
hall; but paused as the cry went up
that some one had been killed by run
away team, which he had tried to stop.
"Gad! it's Tracey, poor devil" some
one near her muttered. as limp form
with CHASTITY, blood stained face was
carried through the door.
Only few we're in the hall. Inside
the music still went on, and luckily,
Katherine Dexter did not see Genia
make fool of herself, as the former
expressed it afterwards.
To Genia 1t always seemed like a
dream. Vaguely she remembered to
have rushed from her escort. who would
have drawn her away, and flung her.
self on her knees beside the man whom
lately, because of his poverty, she had
intended to put from her life forever.
There is no eye-opener like the
shadow of death, and the girls remorSe
was terrible, so terrible that it brought
Dick Tracy back to his scattered senses
and happily saved his life.
His arm weakly lifted, his lips moved,
she bent her head and the people went
away and left them alone.
You are really the biggest fool,
Gena?" hopelessly exclaimed Genia's
dismayed sister, later on.
And Genia only laughed soft little
gurgle of a laugh, and shrugged her
shoulders, sublimely Indifferent to the
epithet.
II would rather be happy fool than
miserable sage, Katherine she re-
torted. 81 came so near being the later!
but. thank heaven! your pet porpoise is
still at large"