The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-01-23
SING SUN, %, 1903. NC

doubted their admiration-their ad-
miration of her for making the pic
lures. She was quite astute enough to
feel that the admiration of the things
themselves was not always a sponta-
neous burst. 1t did not disturb her that
many of her friends suffered a little
disappointment with themselves over
the dullness of their sensations before
real hand paintings. She realized that
the tradition Of their value remained
mistaken.
Mrs. Garner looked at the last draw
ing and then leaned back and gazed
with emotion upon Beulah-Beulah
looking so pleasant and simple behind
the collection of her complete works.
"Its very wonderful-wonderfu
Mrs. Garner murmured, shaking her
head slowly and thinking of more
things than one.
Beulah smiled sweetly.
''And it makes you very happy, does
it, dear?'
Beulah detected a thread of curiosity
in the question that she resented, but
she still smiled as she rose with the
works on her arm and said:
''Yes, indeed, Miss Molly. 1 could not
be happy without my art" Aud Miss
Nancy nodded her approval.
Life went on serenely in our house
hold for several months after this.
Southern visitors continually dropped
in, and all, like Mrs. Garner, were
treated to sight of Beulah's produc-
tions. Miss Nancy called for them If
no one else did, and she was apt to
give an awe inspiring hint when Beu-
lah was out of the room as to the sacri-
fees the girl had made for her arts
sake. After awhile change began to
show in Beulah. She worked harder
than ever, she painted early and late,
and she grew more and more silent,
and on Sunday, when she could not
paint, more and more restless. She
was no longer content to hide her sto-
ry book in her lap for solace while she
dutifully and patiently sat and pre-
served the look of listening through
long chapters of jeremiah read aloud
'I'm afraid, Beulah, my child" said
Miss Nancy solemnly one morning,
stopping and laying her open book
upon her lap-"I'm much afraid you
are letting your delight in an earthly
gift and your love Of an earthly art
draw you away from your interest in
things eternal"
Beulah had been fidgeting from one
window to another after having three
times found excuses for leaving the
room. Now she still stood at win
dow and answered without turning
around, "Im afraid 1 am, Miss Nam
cy." But afterward she sat down and
remained quiet through the next chap
ter, though sustained by no other dis
traction than her own thoughts. To do
Beulah justice, she was always willing
to do as much through one chapter.
That, she said, she had been raised to.
Miss Nancy had not expressed her
fears fully. What she said to Beulah
was what she said to herself, but
down in the depths of her being lurked
a faint uneasiness that she did not ac-
knowledge. 1t was very annoying, the
way one person and another began to
remark that Beulah was not looking
well; that she was losing flesh. How
could she look we'll when even after
dinner at home she got out paper and
charcoal and fell again upon the work
that had occupied her all day? Genius,
Of course, often did burn itself out in
that way, but she had always felt that
she had reason to hope Beulah was
better balanced. She was so far shak-
en- out of her usual noble poise as to
protest GROSSLY several times against
so much work, but one night after one
of these seedlings she heard the girl
walking up and down in the drawing
room till 3 o'clock in the morning, and,
instead of the sense of intolerant out
have greeted such performance, an
odd forbearance fell upon her. After a
month, in which Beulah's appetite and
color did not improve, Miss Nancy got
a letter in which, among other bits Of
gossip, she read: "Mary has had let
ter from her nephew from San Anto-
Mo, and he says he has heard that
Tom McGrath is courting a girl in
Houston; that people think it will be
match"
Miss Nancy's heart lightened. If you
will believe it, she thought to herself
that now Beulah's pride would come
to her rescue and make her forget q
man who lad so soon forgotten her.
This hope was her first admission to
herself of her fears, and you see from
it that Miss Nancy had exalted ideas
as to the offices and possibilities of
womanly pride and also that she had
the usual feminine and profound at
tachment to the most romantic ideal Of
nstancy-cOnstancy under the most
discouraging circumstances-for men.
She meditated on how easily and light
ly to put before Beulah the base fickle-
ness Of the discarded one, but the
more she thought about it the less she
knew how to do 1t. If ever there was
an old maid in every fiber of her being,
it was the hearty, wholesome, large
minded Miss Nancy, and consequently
her theories of love and love affairs
were Of the most assured, definite,