Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-09-02
A FEMININE IMPULSE.

The small number of people awar,
of the existence of Miss Dorothy Max
we'll were divided into two sections
There were those who considered he
life most enviable; there were other.
who deemed it highly reprehensible
But as Dorothy herself was ignoran,
alike Of envy or condemnation she con
tinued to live in the charming and adj
mirably appointed Georgian house il
Kensington, and in pleasant environ.
ment created by lavish but intelligent
expenditure on the part of the Marquis
of Bewdavon. For some years she had
been mistress Of Belper Lodge, yet her
life was extremely dull Lord Bew-
davon was busy man both socially and
politically, and a close friend Of his
father, the aged Duke of Strathwayte-
a circumstance SO singular that it was
constant source of comment among
his contemporaries. Consequently, at
first he was frequently away from Lon
don for weeks together, either filling
political or social engagements, or stay
ing with his father, who never left the
country, and as Dorothy had no friends
and no companions save the faded
widow Of military officer whom Bew-
dayon had engaged as her chaperon to
accompany her to the play when he
was otherwise engaged, the comfort and
pleasure of her life were marred by its
loneliness.
Dorothy had an overwhelming re-
spect for Lord Bewdavon, but she did
not love him, and this in the earlier
days Of her conquest had given her sin
blacker tinge in her own eyes. A ma
tive oleverness, added to acute feminine
perception. had shown her that Bew-
davon had none Of the characteristics of
the average man who enters lightly
upon irregular unions. Morally, per-
haps, he was neither better nor worse;
mentally he was incomparably superior
Mere beauty and platitudes wearied
him, and when Dorothy discovered the
gulf that lay between their intelligences
she set herself diligently to bridge it
over Bewdavon's devotion to politics
"a devotion he had inherited from
long line of ancestors-gave Dorothy
her opportunity, and during his many
absences a string of masters occupied
her days, hard study her solitary even
ings. One day, by the merest chance,
Bewdayon stumbled upon a pile of
books dealing with abstruse questions,
with history, philosophy and political |
economy, their margins covered with |
notes in Dorothy's neat handwriting
a handwriting that bore evidence of the |
class from which she had sprung.
How this woman loves mel'' he said |
to himself, his eyes growing dim as he
turned over volume after volume. At |
hat moment Dorothy entered the room,
md. seeing the books strewed around
lin, hesitated. II have never pene-
rated into your sanotum before" he
aid, pointing to the many evidences of
Ter plodding. 81 sincerely wish I had.
Have you been wading through all
hese books to please me?"
Dorothy faltered. His immediate con-
fusion that she had been educating
erself for his sole benefit filled her
With vague irritation.
"I-I wished to understand you bet
er, she stammered.
"You have succeeded in making me
Understand you." he answered, kissing
er reverently.
From that day they ingensibly drift
into close friendship, and often as
Dorothy sat by Bewdavon, steadily
elping him with his many researches.
nd filed with admiration for his
larvelous sympathy and broad outlook
pom life. she would cry bitterly to her.
If: "Why cannot I love this man?
by cannot 1 love himp" And so the
avs passed, the woman endeavoring to
life the impulses of her heart by Sc !
ere study, the man glorying in her
sauty and her intelligence, until the !,
uke of Strathwayte fell dangerously
This illness may last for months"
Id Bewdavon, as he was leaving
3lper Lodge, land I cannot be away .
ON him. Go abroad; Dorothy, with >
rs Vane''
GLOW could help you then?.. she II
ked, terror Of strange places and 4
oples suddenly taking possession Of u
+. There is much I can do for YOU
stay here. - 81
"But it will do you good. You need "
change he protested. III
"We will compromise, she said, OF
liling. II will go to Brighton''- ps
And be thoroughly idle, y he con- nj
1ded, patting her cheek. "You have
Ell working too hard"
At the end of fortnight Dorothy re- 10
med, hurrying the meek Mrs. Vane ye
otestingly from the delights of the sy
tel, the victim Of restlessness that or
her no peace. Soon after her return XII
Belper Lodge she was one afternoon
scanning the pages Of magazine,
en- her eye fell upon an illustration be
the interior of large draper's shop. CIR
rose abruptly, filed with sudden III
ire for her old life-to smell the ii
lal scent Of new calico, to see the +;
g line of flaring lights over each
inter-, to hear the ripping of cloth.
conversation of the tired shopgirls.
morles of her girlhood surged through -
L-~~. L.