Beulah

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: " Oh, Miss White ! she is not able to carry a heavy child always in her arms," expostulated Mrs. Williams. " Yes she is. I will venture to say she looks all the better for it at the month's end." The last sentence, fraught with interest to herself, fell upon Beulah's ear, as she passed through the hall, and an unerring intuition told her " you are the one." She put her hands over her ears to shut out Miss Dorothea's sharp tones, and hurried away, with a dim foreboding of coming evil, which pressed heavily upon her young heart. CHAPTER II. The following day, in obedience to the proclamation of the mayor of the city, was celebrated as a season of special thanksgiving, and the inmates of the asylum were taken to church to morning service. After an early dinner, the matron gave them permission to amuse themselves the remainder of the day as their various inclinations prompted. There was an immediate dispersion of the assemblage, and only Beulah lingered beside the matron's chair. "Mrs. Williams, may I take Lilly with me, and go out into the woods at the back of the Asylum ?" " I want you at home this evening, but I dislike very much to refuse yon." " Oh! never mind, if you wish me to do anything," answered the girl cheerfully. Tears rolled over the matron's face, and hastily averting her head, she wiped them away with the corner of her apron. " Can I do anything to help yon ? What is the matter ?" " Never mind, Beulah; do you get your bonnet and go to theedge of the woods—not too far, remember; and if I must have you, why I will send for yon." " I would rather not go if it will be any trouble." "No, dear, it's no trouble; I want you to go," answered the matron, turning hastily away. Beulah felt very strongly inclined to follow, and inquire what was...