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Beverly of Graustark

Beverly of Graustark

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Chapter 1 BEVERLY CALHOUN

Word Count: 3139    |    Released on: 29/11/2017

ndants, if there is virtue in the fitness of things and the heredity of love. While intrepid frontiersmen were opening the trails through the fertile wilds west of the Alle

se. His sons and daughters became solid stones in the foundation of a commonwealth, and his grandchildren are still at work on the structure. State a

ever made flags, bandages and prayers for the boys in gray. When the reconstruction came he went to Congress and later on became prominent in the United

tlessly into the passing hosts, and masculine Washington looked humbly to her for the balm that might soothe its pains. The wily god of love was fair enough to protect the girl whom he forced to be his unwilling, perhaps unconscious, ally. He held his impenetrable shield between her heart and the assaults of a whole army of

d loyal friends. Women as lovely as they have no reason to be jealous. It is only the woman who does not feel secure of her personal charms that cultivates envy. At the home of Gr

how to take care of itself. Being quite heart-whole and fancy-free, she slept well, ate well, and enjoyed every minute of life. In her blood ran the warm, eager impulses of the south; hereditary love of case an

dies from Boston who were too old to marry, too penurious to love and too prim to think that other women might care to do both. There were times, however,-if she were excited or enthusiastic,-when pretty Beverly so far forgot her training as to break forth with a very attract

ps were red and ever willing to smile or turn plaintive as occasion required; her brow was broad and fair, and her frown was as dangerous as a smile. As to her age, if the major admitted, somewhat indiscreetly, that all his children were old enough to vote, her mother, with the reluctance born in women, confessed that she was past twenty, so a year or two either way will determine Miss Beverly's age, so far

, the wife of Grenfall Lorry received the news which spread gloomy disappointment over the entire social realm. A dozen receptions, te

a conflict with Axphain. It did not require a great stretch of imagination to convince her that the Lorrys were hur

in Graustark, a guest at the royal palace. The original arrangements of the Lorrys were hopelessly disturbed by the late news from Count Halfont. They were obliged to leave Washington two months ear

ten to the princess's boudoir to ask questions, and Beverly just as frequently made tearful resolutions to leave the household in peace-if such a hullaballoo could be called peace. Callers came by the dozen, but Yetive would see no one. Letters, telegrams and telephone calls almost swamped her secretary; the footman and the butler fairly gasped under the strai

er hat was the picture of cruel neglect. For three solid hours she had stubbornly withstood Yetive's appeals to remove her hat, insisting that she could not trust herself to

fessed Yetive, plaintively. "He was born to annoy pe

ed stoutly. "He wouldn't be such a trouble I'm sure. We

y; that's the difficult part of it," said Yetive,

e him or whatever it is that you do to mur

the reverse, if he is correctly quoted by my uncle. When Uncle Caspar sent an envoy to inform Dawsbergen respectfully that Gr

was so courteous about it. He must be a very

been driven from the throne-and from the capital, in fact-is quite different

go back with his army

d Beverly, fro

he is finding it extremely difficult to keep from being ann

United States can produce at a day's notice. "What good is a ridiculous li

rgen has a standing army of ten thousand excellent soldiers. With

e," cried Beverly, who ha

erritory. To recapture him means a perilous expedition into the mountains of D

I fancy it's much better fun kicking up a rumpus on the outside than it is kicking one's toe

it all. To hear him talk, one would think that Prince Gabriel has no show at all. He kept me up till four o'clock this morning telling me that Dawsbergen didn't know what kind of a snag it was going u

ings," admitted Beverly, "even though they co

strated Yetive. "Oh, dear, I wonder what they are doin

ght until both sides have talked themselves out of breath? We shall have six

y of looking at things," cried the princess.

ts the other fellow see the seri

try much bigger and more powerful than A

p, I reckon,-even we southerners who know what it is to be whipped. The idea of

h all the months that are to come. You would be such a help to me-such a joy. Nothing would seem so hard if you were there

s an excellent pair of

loyally and

I wouldn't dare cry when he was looking, but I could boo-hoo all day if you were t

added. "Don't you remember what you did at-" and then she recalled the stories that had come from Graustark ahead of

make me feel like a-a-what is it

? Never!" exclaimed

incess could not refuse to see them. Beverly Calhoun reluctantly departed, but

*

y days. There was an air of depression about the place that had its inception in the roo

her soberly straight ahead of her, "Just as soon as we get to Edelweiss, the whole affair will l

n," she said, simply. He leaned over and kissed her hand, smi

om. She stopped just inside the door, clicked her little heels together and gravely brought h

ldierly dignity. Her hearers stared at the picturesque recruit, and Halkins so far for

from Lorry's lips. The eyes of the princess

home." She gracefully slid into the chair Halkins offered, and broke into an ecstatic gigg

erstand that the major had promised to let her visit friends in the legatio

Petersburg if Aunt Josephine was still of a mind to go, too. You see, Auntie was scared almost out of her boots when she heard there was prospect of war in Graustark, just as though a tiny little war like that could make any differe

etive, rushing joyously around th

really isn't a hundr

cried Beve

don't expect to come to Edelweiss if we are fighting. We couldn't

ours can ever hope to be," cried Beverly, resentfull

rip?" asked Lorry, returning her handclasp and looki

dmitted Beverly, a

know," he suggested. Yet

thing about it," cried

him, you kno

o anything so mean

You're not

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