Beulah

In a sun‑lit brick building on the outskirts of town, the Orphan Asylum stands surrounded by elm‑lined avenues and a tidy lawn dotted with orange trees. Inside, three girls occupy the wide granite steps: Lillian, a cherubic child in a canary‑colored dress; Claudia, a strikingly beautiful Italian‑heritage girl with dark curls and luminous eyes; and Beulah, a pale, solemn figure bent over a needle and thread. Their quiet world is painted with the rhythm of play, whispered prayers, and the occasional bird song from nearby trees.

The narrative opens by inviting the listener into Beulah’s inner life, a girl whose delicate hands work tirelessly at sewing while her gray eyes reflect a weariness beyond her years. Though the other children frolic, Beulah carries a hidden sorrow that colors her interactions and hints at a past she keeps close‑mouthed. As the story unfolds, listeners will discover how the fragile bonds among the three girls begin to shape hope, rivalry, and the search for belonging within the asylum’s walls.