The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-20

"
and in endeavoring to set himself right be sim
ply made himself ridiculous.
There was no shyness about Richards he and
Lillian Foster soon struck up an intimate ac:;
quaDtance. Dick assumed to be witty, and
Lillian answered him with repartee, the instinct
for which must have been born witn her ASH
listened to her bandying word for word, regard
less of time or place or person., trembled Tor
the future that lay before her. r.t.I
Meantime the Christmas week passed over
without bringing us any invitations, and Rich
ard was preparing TO leave us. He was satisfied
with his positlon-so he said-and had hopes OF
a rise in his salary, though his employers he
termed ''stingy curmu0geons.p This was uttered
in my hearing, not in his fathers, and fancled
there was concealed discomfort not exactly IN
harmony with bis assertions of being satisfied
He lett home with but slight regret, and seemed
reioiced to get away. From this hour there re-
NAMED doubt IN my mind which constantly
strove to dispel and which his first letter after
his return did not at all dissipaCe.
The characters of the two girls who had fallen
across our path were not such as to satisfy my
eXacting heart for my daughters companion
ship, and before the Grst week had passed
reeretted that had asked them for month.
In Lillian Foster there were so many signs OF
deceitiul undeThand disposition. and in Lucy
Damer such passionate, impuslve, yet idle
nature, that dreaded the intercourse with my
girls which must take place during their visit,
and many times before the month expired |
heartily wished that they had never entered my
house.
Lillian and Janet went one morning for
walk. What was my astonishment to lind that
they had, on pretense of Lillian's wanting some
perfume, paid visit TO Mr.. May's shop! Janet
mentioned this when she returned, and pouted
because Mr. May had not asked them in to see
his sister.
Lillian thought it was very fortunate: she did
not Ike Old frosty y-face," as che had the rude
ness to term her.
l was silent from astonishment and anger
could not control the movements OF my visitor
girl though she was; but spoke to Janet, who
of hot rff har into As,N,, 10
90 again, as she thought Mr.. May had not been
very respectful to Lillian, who was always
talking OF him. Both Mary and Alice was pre-
sent when this conversation took place. Lillian
and Lucy were absent on q shopping expedi-
ton. Janet was older in quickness of fore
thought than her sisters, though in years the
youngest. thought it good opportunity to
| speak to all of them on subjecG which none
| but mother or near relative should enter upon
with young girls.
But how dld Mr.. May behave, Janet?" 1
| asked.
Il cen scarcely tell, mamma. Only think 1
| should have spoken out If it had been Alice.
| But Lillian says it is the way with all young
men; they like TO flirt with girls; she says it's
good fun flirting"
Truly, had brought the poison flower into
my house, and my girls would be the victims. l
looked at Alice; she turned red and pale by
turns. while Mary's eyes sparkled, and were
a turned inquiringly upon Janet
"Alice, Mary, Janet" exclaimed "bew
4 how you entertain such notions. 1t is desp
1 cable, cruel nature which asserts such things
How could Lillian have such ideas? ?"
II suppose by visiting as she does twice o
| year with some OF our old schooltellows,n said
| Mary. 'But really, mamma, l cannot see any
| harm in Lillans ways"
| "It is but the beginning of a bad end, Mary
| hope and trust that neither of you will evel
| know from experience what flirting means. L
| is destruction to girl. No man cares to marry
| a fiirt, whose modesty has exhaled, and whose
| purity is smirched by levity of manner. CIR
| courts 10 win contempt
Mamma! !" exclaimed Alice. "Oh! no, no
mamma, a girl never courts.n
"By what other name will you call it, Alice
girl who goes to shop and purchases things
she has no need Of on purpose to converse will
the man who serves her. pray what do you cal
| this ?" asked.
"But Lillian really required the articles she
| purchased, mamma" SAID Mary. "She rold me
so the day before she went to Mr.. May'sr
| POSSIBLY so. But do you think she would
have needed them so much if she could have
purchased them only from Miss MayN
| There was silence for q moment and no reply
| was given. 1t made me miserable rehectiul
how many pitfalls young girls are likely TO tai
| into without mothers watchful eye-pitfall
which to guard against requires provision
| almost omniscient.
TO be continued IN our aeIt isSue.1