The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-01-30

ways nothing at ALL. AND she smiled,
though her breath was coming little
hard, and nodded polite dismissal.
In half an hour she came out of her
room clothed and in her right mind and
sought Miss Nancy. kissing her cheek,
she said:
81 feel very much better, Miss Nam
cy. am so sorry for all the trouble
and anxiety have given you. You've
been so good. shall never forget. Is
Patty up? Poor little Patty! must
go speak to her" Then from the door
way: "I've just had telegram from
Mr.. McGrath, Miss Nancy. He's on
his way to New York" And she dis
appeared.
And then Miss Nancy at that late
day learned the real aptness of the
worn old phrase about being torn by
conflicting emotions.
Between this time and that of Mr..
McGrath's arrival Beulah, after all
her storms, found herself moved to sit
down over her sketches in tender con-
temptation of the glories she was fore
going, the glories of personal aggran-
Eizement, though she never thought of
putting it that way. In the secret
chambers of her mind the phrase about
''all for love and the world well lost"
reiterated itself with pensive, sweet,
personal application, and she sighed
occasionally out of the fullness of her
joy Of sacrifice.
Meanwhile she was missing her
classes at the league, but it happened,
for wonder, that her name came up
between two of her teachers there in a
private discussion of their sorrows.
"Life would be more cheerful" said
one young man. 'if being d. F's didn't
seem to insure their turning their at
tention to art. They undertake it not
only when they've no eye and no feel
ing, but with broken matches for fin.
gers"
II don't think those are the worst"
said the other. "They don't get out
into the light to do much harm. l hate
'em worst when they've got the fingers
and nothing else and are ready pretty
soon to help fill the nav of the Philis-
tine. There's that Virginia girl point
ed out to you-Hunt's her name, l be-
lieve. She hasn't an atom of talent or
even real intelligence about her-no col
or-hopelessly bad in her drawing, but
she's got sort of superficial facility"
And he went on condemning Beulah,
whose self satisfaction had reused his
ire, to life that he declared below an
honest washerwoman's in dignity.
When Mr.. McGrath arrived, before
he had been in the parlor twenty min
utes he wanted to take Beulah out
walking, to the puzzled vexation of the
ladies who had vacated it for the low
ers' convenience. Beulah came to the
dining room, where the household was
assembled, as self possessed as ever
and asked Patty to go with her. Miss
Nancy could only snort feebly, so
cowed was She by all that had passed,
and when Beulah said that Tom was
most anxious to meet her, though he
was in something of hurry Just now,
and that he hoped to see her in an
hour or SO, when they all came back,
she put on mollified air and coun-
seled Patty to go.
While they We're putting on their
hats Beulah said as she carefully ad-
justed hers and, with her eyes on the
mirror, stuck in long pin:
'Patty, I don't think Miss Nancy
would be quite so horrid as to tell Tom
anything-to talk to him about things,
you know-do you"
"N-o-o," said Patty, staring at the
face in the glass. "I'm sure she
wouldn't"
81 reckon I'll just not give her much
chance" said Beulah abstractedly as
she put on her gloves.
When they returned, Mr.. McGrath
was introduced to Miss Nancy. He
was a tall young man with firm set
mouth, pleasant eyes and broad, soft
hat.
"Now I'll return the favor" he said
when his acquaintance with the lady
was properly established; 'I'll intro
duce you to my wife. Sit right down
here, Miss Nancy. You mustn't lay it
up against her if you think we haven't
treated you just right. 1t wasn't her
fault. You know you've got mighty
lot of influence over her, Miss Nancy,
and the truth is 1 wasn't right sure it
all worked my way-yes, know-and
I wasn't right sure she'd find me as
valuable in the hand as in the bush, SO
I just insisted that we get this busi-
ness fixed before we said anything to
you about it. feel bad about the pic
lures, too, Miss Nancy. I know you
were right about all that. 1 know you
were, but. you see, we'd got ourselves
into tangle before we knew she was
genius, and it was too late"- His
voice dropped into sad little affec-
tionate cadence as he fixed his eyes on
the floor. Then he looked up at Beu-
lah. 81 can't say I'm sorry, Miss
Nancy, but I'm willing to be a little
sorry for her, and I'll lay out to make
it up to her as far as can. If she can
paint any in Texas, she SHALL"
Beulah smiled, and as she smiled she
sighed little sigh.