The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-07
CHAPTER XVII,

L
'Do not disturb yourself, dear Lady
Ailsa," said Mrs. Carew. Il am come
only TO recite short history to you, and
when l have done so. l shall go away.
PRAY do rot move / will sit here by
your side. Beltran, my dear, L should
feel easier if your hand were in mine.
He went at once to his mothers sioe
and took her hand; then, while all three
looked at her in silence, her face changeo
slightly. the color varied. She looked
half shyly, half boldly at them as sne De-
gan:
81 was never quite like other women
dear Lady Ailsa; lacked their prudence
and their calculating wisdom. l have
| greater failings, but think, also greater
| virtues and greater genius. IL you iook
| upon me as you would upon other women
YOU will never understand me, ana tnere
| will be a terrible misconception. MY name
you see / am beginning at the oegin-
| ning-was Grace Carew,. and beatri1'
looking at her lover, wondered why ms
face flushed and his lips quivereo WIN
sharpest pain.
with a great show of attention. MITE
Carew smiled, and nodded at her son.
81 know what you are thinking OF
Reltran.r she said. you must listen pa,
tiertly. My father was not an arust,
sba continued. '.nor can l tell you whence
have my love Of color; my passion I0i
art certainly came not from MN. Us
was a doctor, but ne'er-do-weii. can
not remember that he ever remained In
one town or city more than two years. ne
voc very cleyer-wonderfully clever-bui
he was anything but steady. DE wouio
wr;te a treatise that would set the fac
ulty at loggerheads, and then fooilsni1
spend the proceeds. You pust unoer
stand that this cratic life OF his DID no
| in the least interfere with my education
| I was kept in fashionable school IN New
} | York until l reached my sixteenth year
l and then my father sent me letter ask
9 Ing me IL would like to go to Peru W.T.
e him. We went to Peru togetner' an
! there I met my fate.
D 81 wish for my own sake, continue
Mrs. Carew, that l had picturesqu
Z love story to tell you. unfortunately
J. mine was a most commonplace wooins
We did not take home at Lima-tn
e city In Peru where my father hoped TO q
/ SO well-but we lived at large moi
II there: and there also lived an Engns
II l man. q young man, sieiH anu
e, reputed to be rich. At that time w
, yery enthusiastic about art. l began
evince a decided talent for sketcnli
faces. NV father was delighted about
and said that if could have lessons fro
good master l should make plenty
;" money afterward. He had no money
p nay the master, but the stern, silent you
OF Englishman offered it to him as ioaI
only as a loaA--to be repaid when
In finished my course of lessons.
2" II do not want to trouble you with
lot of details; but my father was pleas
10 that should be able to earn money.
he was grateful to the young Engllsnm
an and asked him to dine with us; and WI
rk the first reserve was broken down
father and his young benefactor Deca
great friends. His character bad Q W
," derful charm for the young Englishm
After time he was quite at home
on us: he liked to spend his evenings In
m rooms; he talked great deal to me, I
l was SO young. so blithe Of spirit, SO .
Mt DIV in my art that talked gayiy eno'
on | to him.
II never thought seriously about
HE but suddenly he asked me to marry
/ was utterly Indifferent. My only ans
to him was that had no tipe to u
of getting married. He must have