Beulah - Page 6/348

"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.

"Lilly, here are some chinquapins for you and Olaudy. I am going out

into the yard, and you may both go and play hull-gull."

In the debating room of the visiting committee Miss White again had

the floor. She was no less important a personage than vice president

of the board of managers, and felt authorized to investigate closely

and redress all grievances.

"Who did you say sent that book here, Mrs. Mason?"

"Eugene Rutland, who was once a member of Mrs. Williams' orphan

charge in this asylum. Mr. Graham adopted him, and he is now known

as Eugene Graham. He is very much attached to Beulah, though I

believe they are not at all related."

"He left the asylum before I entered the board. What sort of boy is

he? I have seen him several times, and do not particularly fancy

him."

"Oh, madam, he is a noble boy! It was a great trial to me to part

with him three years ago. He is much older than Beulah, and loves

her as well as if she were his sister," said the matron, more

hastily than was her custom, when answering any of the managers.

"I suppose he has put this notion of being a teacher into her head.

Well, she must get it out, that is all. I know of an excellent

situation, where a lady is willing to pay six dollars a month for a

girl of her age to attend to an infant, and I think we must secure

it for her."