Beulah.
by Augusta J. Evans.
CHAPTER I.
A January sun had pa.s.sed the zenith, and the slanting rays flamed over the window panes of a large brick building, bearing on its front in golden letters the inscription "Orphan Asylum." The structure was commodious, and surrounded by wide galleries, while the situation offered a silent tribute to the discretion and good sense of the board of managers who selected the suburbs instead of the more densely populated portion of the city. The whitewashed palings inclosed, as a front yard or lawn, rather more than an acre of ground, sown in gra.s.s and studded with trees, among which the sh.e.l.led walks meandered gracefully. A long avenue of elms and poplars extended from the gate to the princ.i.p.al entrance, and imparted to the Asylum an imposing and venerable aspect. There was very little shrubbery, but here and there orange boughs bent beneath their load of golden fruitage, while the glossy foliage, stirred by the wind, trembled and glistened in the sunshine. Beyond the inclosure stretched the common, dotted with occasional clumps of pine and leafless oaks, through which glimpses of the city might be had. Building and grounds wore a quiet, peaceful, inviting look, singularly appropriate for the purpose designated by the inscription "Orphan Asylum," a haven for the desolate and miserable. The front door was closed, but upon the broad granite steps, where the sunlight lay warm and tempting, sat a trio of the inmates. In the foreground was a slight fairy form, "a wee winsome thing," with coral lips, and large, soft blue eyes, set in a frame of short, cl.u.s.tering golden curls. She looked about six years old, and was clad, like her companions, in canary-colored flannel dress and blue- check ap.r.o.n. Lillian was the pet of the asylum, and now her rosy cheek rested upon her tiny white palm, as though she wearied of the picture-book which lay at her feet. The figure beside her was one whose marvelous beauty riveted the gaze of all who chanced to see her. The child could have been but a few months older than Lillian, yet the brilliant black eyes, the peculiar curve of the dimpled mouth, and long, dark ringlets, gave to the oval face a maturer and more piquant loveliness. The cast of Claudia"s countenance bespoke her foreign parentage, and told of the warm, fierce Italian blood that glowed in her cheeks. There was fascinating grace in every movement, even in the easy indolence of her position, as she bent on one knee to curl Lillian"s locks over her finger. On the upper step, in the rear of these two, sat a girl whose age could not have been very accurately guessed from her countenance, and whose features contrasted strangely with those of her companions. At a first casual glance, one thought her rather homely, nay, decidedly ugly; yet, to the curious physiognomist, this face presented greater attractions than either of the others. Reader, I here paint you the portrait of that quiet little figure whose history is contained in the following pages. A pair of large gray eyes set beneath an overhanging forehead, a boldly projecting forehead, broad and smooth; a rather large but finely cut mouth, an irreproachable nose, of the order furthest removed from aquiline, and heavy black eyebrows, which, instead of arching, stretched straight across and nearly met. There was not a vestige of color in her cheeks; face, neck, and hands wore a sickly pallor, and a ma.s.s of rippling, jetty hair, drawn smoothly over the temples, rendered this marble-like whiteness more apparent.
Unlike the younger children, Beulah was busily sewing upon what seemed the counterpart of their ap.r.o.ns; and the sad expression of the countenance, the lips firmly compressed, as if to prevent the utterance of complaint, showed that she had become acquainted with cares and sorrows, of which they were yet happily ignorant. Her eyes were bent down on her work, and the long, black lashes nearly touched her cold cheeks.
"Sister Beulah, ought Claudy to say that?" cried Lillian, turning round and laying her hand upon the piece of sewing.
"Say what, Lilly? I was not listening to you."
"She said she hoped that largest robin redbreast would get drunk and tumble down. He would be sure to b.u.mp some of his pretty bright feathers out, if he rolled over the sh.e.l.ls two or three times,"
answered Lilly, pointing to a China tree near, where a flock of robins were eagerly chirping over the feast of berries.
"Why, Claudy! how can you wish the poor little fellow such bad luck?" The dark, thoughtful eyes, full of deep meaning, rested on Claudia"s radiant face.
"Oh! you need not think I am a bear, or a hawk, ready to swallow the darling little beauty alive! I would not have him lose a feather for the world; but I should like the fun of seeing him stagger and wheel over and over, and tumble off the limb, so that I might run and catch him in my ap.r.o.n. Do you think I would give him to our matron to make a pie? No, you might take off my fingers first!" And the little elf snapped them emphatically in Beulah"s face.
"Make a pie of robies, indeed! I would starve before I would eat a piece of it," chimed in Lilly, with childish horror at the thought.
Claudia laughed with mingled mischief and chagrin. "You say you would not eat a bit of roby-pie to save your life? Well, you did it last week, anyhow."
"Oh, Claudy, I didn"t!"
"Oh, but you did! Don"t you remember Susan picked up a bird last week that fell out of this very tree, and gave it to our matron?
Well, didn"t we have bird-pie for dinner?"
"Yes, but one poor little fellow would not make a pie."
"They had some birds already that came from the market, and I heard Mrs. Williams tell Susan to put it in with the others. So, you see, you did eat roby-pie, and I didn"t, for I knew what was in it. I saw its head wrung off!"
"Well, I hope I did not get any of roby. I won"t eat any more pie till they have all gone," was Lilly"s consolatory reflection.
Chancing to glance toward the gate, she exclaimed:
"There is a carriage."
"What is to-day? Let me see--Wednesday. Yes, this is the evening for the ladies to meet here. Lil, is my face right clean? because that red-headed Miss Dorothy always takes particular pains to look at it.
She rubbed her pocket-handkerchief over it the other day. I do hate her, don"t you?" cried Claudia, springing up and b.u.t.toning the band of her ap.r.o.n sleeve, which had become unfastened.
"Why, Claudy, I am astonished to hear you talk so. Miss Dorothy helps to buy food and clothes for us, and you ought to be ashamed to speak of her as you do." As she delivered this reprimand Beulah s.n.a.t.c.hed up a small volume and hid it in her work-basket.
"I don"t believe she gives us much. I do hate her, and I can"t help it; she is so ugly, and cross, and vinegar-faced. I should not like her to look at my mug of milk. You don"t love her either, any more than I do, only you won"t say anything about her. But kiss me, and I promise I will be good, and not make faces at her in my ap.r.o.n."
Beulah stooped down and warmly kissed the suppliant, then took her little sister"s hand and led her into the house, just as the carriage reached the door. The children presented a pleasant spectacle as they entered the long dining room, and ranged themselves for inspection. Twenty-eight heirs of orphanage, varying in years, from one crawling infant to well-nigh grown girls, all neatly clad, and with smiling, contented faces, if we except one grave countenance, which might have been remarked by the close observer.
The weekly visiting committee consisted of four of the lady managers, but to-day the number was swelled to six. A glance at the inspectors sufficed to inform Beulah that something of more than ordinary interest had convened them on the present occasion, and she was pa.s.sing on to her accustomed place when her eyes fell upon a familiar face, partially concealed by a straw bonnet. It was her Sabbath-school teacher. A sudden, glad light flashed over the girl"s countenance, and the pale lips disclosed a set of faultlessly beautiful teeth, as she smiled and hastened to her friend.
"How do you do, Mrs. Mason? I am so glad to see you!"
"Thank you, Beulah; I have been promising myself this pleasure a great while. I saw Eugene this morning, and told him I was coming out. He sent you a book and a message. Here is the book. You are to mark the pa.s.sages you like particularly, and study them well until he comes. When did you see him last?"
Mrs. Mason put the volume in her hand as she spoke.
"It has been more than a week since he was here, and I was afraid he was sick. He is very kind and good to remember the book he promised me, and I thank you very much, Mrs. Mason, for bringing it." The face was radiant with newborn joy, but it all died out when Miss Dorothea White (little Claudia"s particular aversion) fixed her pale blue eyes upon her, and asked, in a sharp, discontented tone:
"What ails that girl, Mrs. Williams? She does not work enough or she would have some blood in her cheeks. Has she been sick?"
"No, madam, she has not been sick exactly; but somehow she never looks strong and hearty like the others. She works well enough.
There is not a better or more industrious girl in the asylum; but I rather think she studies too much. She will sit up and read of nights, when the others are all sound asleep; and very often, when Kate and I put out the hall lamp, we find her with her book alone in the cold. I can"t get my consent to forbid her reading, especially as it never interferes with her regular work, and she is so fond of it." As the kind-hearted matron uttered these words she glanced at the child and sighed involuntarily. "You are too indulgent, Mrs.
Williams; we cannot afford to feed and clothe girls of her age, to wear themselves out reading trash all night. We are very much in arrears at best, and I think some plan should be adopted to make these large girls, who have been on hand so long, more useful. What do you say, ladies?" Miss Dorothea looked around for some encouragement and support in her move.
"Well, for my part, Miss White, I think that child is not strong enough to do much hard work; she always has looked delicate and pale," said Mrs. Taylor, an amiable-looking woman, who had taken one of the youngest orphans on her knee.
"My dear friend, that is the very reason. She does not exercise sufficiently to make her robust. Just look at her face and hands, as bloodless as a turnip."
"Beulah, do ask her to give you some of her beautiful color; she looks exactly like a cake of tallow, with two gla.s.s beads in the middle--"
"Hush!" and Beulah"s hand was pressed firmly over Claudia"s crimson lips, lest the whisper of the indignant little brunette should reach ears for which it was not intended.
As no one essayed to answer Miss White, the matron ventured to suggest a darling scheme of her own.
"I have always hoped the managers would conclude to educate her for a teacher. She is so studious, I know she would learn very rapidly."
"My dear madam, you do not in the least understand what you are talking about. It would require at least five years" careful training to fit her to teach, and our finances do not admit of any such expenditure. As the best thing for her, I should move to bind her out to a mantua-maker or milliner, but she could not stand the confinement. She would go off with consumption in less than a year.
There is the trouble with these delicate children."
"How is the babe that was brought here last week?" asked Mrs.
Taylor.
"Oh, he is doing beautifully. Bring him round the table, Susan," and the rosy, smiling infant was handed about for closer inspection. A few general inquiries followed, and then Beulah was not surprised to hear the order given for the children to retire, as the managers had some especial business with their matron. The orphan band defiled into the hall, and dispersed to their various occupations, but Beulah approached the matron, and whispered something, to which the reply was:
"No; if you have finished that other ap.r.o.n, you shall sew no more to-day. You can pump a fresh bucket of water, and then run out into the yard for some air."
She performed the duty a.s.signed to her, and then hastened to the dormitory, whither Lillian and Claudia had preceded her. The latter was standing on a chair, mimicking Miss Dorothea, and haranguing her sole auditor, in a nasal tw.a.n.g, which she contrived to force from her beautiful, curling lips. At sight of Beulah she sprang toward her, exclaiming:
"You shall be a teacher if you want to, shan"t you, Beulah?"
"I am afraid not, Claudy. But don"t say any more about her; she is not as kind as our dear matron, or some of the managers, but she thinks she is right. Remember, she made these pretty blue curtains round your and Lilly"s bed."
"I don"t care if she did. All the ladies were making them, and she did no more than the rest. Never mind; I shall be a young lady some of these days,--our matron says I will be beautiful enough to marry the President,--and then I will see whether Miss Dorothy Red-head comes meddling and bothering you any more." The brilliant eyes dilated with pleasure at the thought of the protection which the future lady-President would afford her protegee.
Beulah smiled, and asked almost gayly:
"Claudy, how much will you pay me a month, to dress you and keep your hair in order, when you get into the White House at Washington?"
"Oh, you dear darling! you shall have everything you want, and do nothing but read." The impulsive child threw her arms around Beulah"s neck, and kissed her repeatedly, while the latter bent down over her basket.