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

Beulah's home, county, and was now
visiting New York.
''She took great many sketches
home with her last summer" said Miss
Nancy, ''and everybody was aston
ished. l reckon a great many people
felt that it was great pity to see a
girl with gifts like that just settle
down into the ordinary humdrum."
''The duties of a wife and mother
began Mrs. Garner, with slightly agi-
tated solemnity. She was very humble
with Miss Nancy, but the ordinary
humdrum" was phrase that pro-
voked even her to turn to the arsenal
of platitudes for a weapon. She had
it in her heart to try to remind Miss
Nancy that the most important offices
of life were the very ones she had
never been called upon to fill.
But little could she cope with Miss
Nancy, who, secretly amused, swan
beneficently on with the conversation,
wishing to soothe the little woman's
feelings and without the faintest con-
ception of the malice of her intentions.
''The duties of wife and mother are
sacred, Molly. But without her art
Beulah, though sweet girl, might
likely enough be humdrum person. I
don't think she has the feeling for duty
that you have, for instance, and that
you always had, Molly. But her art
lifts her above herself. For a long
time she seemed to have less feeling
about her talent than her friends did,
but talked to her. l did that much.
l would not urge her one way or the
other about her marriage, but want
ed her to realize what great trust
gift like that was and to make her
choice solemnly. 1t isn't even as If
Tom McGrath were going to live in
Virginia. In Texas she will be out of
the way of instruction and of all those
associations that would stimulate her
and give her something to work for.
And, then, we know under the best of
circumstances'- Miss Nancy shook
her head and sighed. Despite ex-
pressed views as to its desirability in
her secret heart she really could but
look on matrimony as an abyss that
swallowed up many high hopes. In
her day she had put such deal of en-
thusiasm into teaching girls who-got
married.
$50 she made up her mind?" said
Mrs. Garner, with a suspended infec-
ton.
eyes, at last. Her pa and ma didn't
urge her one way or the other. I
think Mrs. Hunt herself would little
rather she had married-she's very
conservative, you know-but Mr.. Hunt
never wanted her to anyhow, and they
both felt the responsibility of the great
future there was before her. / reckon
she settled it just before she came
back And then it was that Miss
Nancy had admitted the harmonizing
of womans development and woman's
sphere to be great problem.
Presently Beulah entered. She was
just home from her work at the league
rooms and had a sketchbook under her
arm. Mrs. Garner got up to greet her
in little flutter of excitement.
"Oh, Beulah, you've become a great
woman since | saw you"
Beulah stopped a little to kiss her
and said serenely, ''I'm just beginning,
Miss Molly
Il so long to see some of your Won
derful things. You'll show me some,
won't you?"
'You are very kind; I'll be delighted
to-" said Beulah, and, excusing herself
a moment, she went to her room, laid
aside her coat and hat, ran a comb
through the dark curls ON her fore
head, powdered her face afresh, and
then, without loss of time, got out an
armful of sketches and studies from
the bottom of her wardrobe, and, smil-
ing and polite, walked back to Mrs.
Garner. She sat down beside her,
drew up chair to rest the pile upon
and showed them all to her, consclen-
tiously, one by one, telling her in the
meantime which were the hour
sketches and which had had a favor
able word from her teachers-telling,