The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-12-23


at the rows of books, that he had been
introduced to company of refined peo-
pie, who by their sympathetic compan-
ionship invited him to come again.
" | did not imagine there was so much
that is interesting in such books" he
said naively to Miss Elwood, who felt
pardonable thrill of satisfaction at the
remark.
"Now for the pictures" she said:
where would you put this Madonna?"
Hal, who really had artistic feeling,
gave his opinion, and was soon engaged
in an animated discussion as to the best
light and the grouping of the various
pictures, manifesting an interest in the
subject by intelligent questions, which
drew from Clara quite lecture on art,
travel, history, and mythology, opening
to the interested boyish mind wonder
full new world, of which he determined
TO know more.
AT last but one picture remained-one
which had not yet been turned to the
light. AS he took ii up, Hal was sur
prised to find it a gaudy advertisement
of brand of cigars, illustrated by the
picture of coquettish, Electrically
attired girl. He looked at Miss Elwood
questioningly, and she looked at him
in the same way.
"Don't you like it?' she asked.
He hesitated moment, and then re-
piled. " 1t might do for boys room"
"Then v by not for girls room?"
oh, girls want things nicer than
boys"
"Nicer? In what way?"
9" oh, like Madonnas and flowers"
You mean cleaner and purel?"
Yes, that's it. 1t doesn't matter so
much if boys are little rough, you
know"
Doesn't III" asked Miss Elwood,
soberly. sit always seems strange to
me that boys expect girls to be so par
ticular about their books, their pictures
and their girl companions, and yet be
willing to associate with boys who are
not particular in regard to themselves.
1t does not seem consistent, does it?"
Why, no, it doesn't" Hal said,
thoughtfnlly; "but | never thought of
it in that light. If l had sister,
know l wouldn't want her to 90 with
lots of boys l know"
Did you ever wonder if some other
boy might think that about you? That
ought to make you careful to be worthy
to go with other boys sisters, shouldn t
ii? You think you wouldn't want your
sister to have such picture as this in her
room, so L will not have it in mine. 1t
shall go into the fire with those books.
And you wouldn't want your sister to
smoke. Do you think she would want
you 10 smoker"
Hal shook his head; but, after a
pause, said" 1t isn't as bad for boy to
smoke as for girl, is it?"
I'D like you to answer that que stion,
yourself, Hal"
1t doesn't look 80 bad"
"That is because you are not accus.
toned to seeing girls smoke; but you
must remember that looks are not al
ways measure of right and wrong.
Would you respect me if smoked?"
"Oh, no, indeed. But L can't imagine
you smoking"
q &" Well, Hal, can imagine you smok-
ing, for l have seen you; and l feel
about it much as you do in regard to
me. But now our work is done, and we
will go to the restaurant for good din
ner, which / think we have both
earned. Shall we go to the White
Swan or to Benson's?"
"The White Swan Why, Miss Ell
wood, that is a saloonr'
But there is a ladies' entrance to
the dining-room, is there not? You
would not hesitate to go there without
me; why not 60 with me?"
Halls face was all afame. Miss
Elwood," he said, "you have way of
showing a fellow himself that makes
him feel ashamed of things that he bad
thought right enough before. 1 al
ways thought that boys might do things
that girls ought not to do, and yet be
good emo gh for the girls to &c W, b
but, when you talk with me, l don't
feel that way. ] feel as if / ought not
to do anything girl ought not to do"
g You want to be a good, true man."
said Miss Elwood, with tender ear
nestness; "and the way to accomplish
it is to begin by being a good, true boy.
| want to help you; may II"
A cordial hand clasp was Halls only
response, and Clara was too wise to
press the matter further. The two
went to Benson's for dinner, and the
deep friendship inaugurated by the
mutual helpfulness of the week was
continued through years of association;
and to-day, Hal Forrest, pure hearted,
Christian man, attributes his salvation
to Clara Elwood's wise experiment.
Mary A. Allen, NJ. d., in Union Signal.