The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-20

noo oAPcCVcu IeslSIanC6 or stubborn
refusal TO move When they reached
the corner and took the car, it was
nearly full of people going up town.
Virginia was painfully conscious of the
stare that greeted her and her compan-
ion as they entered, but her thought
was directed more and more to the ap-
preaching scene with her grandmother
What would Nine. Page say when she
saw Loreen?
Loreen was nearly sober now, but she
was lapsing into state of stupor. Vir-
ginia was obliged to hold fast to her
arm. Several times she lurched heavily
against Virginia, and as the two went
up the avenue curious crowd of peo-
pie turned and gazed at them. When
she mounted the steps of the handsome
house. Virginia breathed sigh of re-
lief, even in the face Of the interview
with her grandmother, and when the
door shut and she was in the wide hall
with her homeless outcast she felt equal
to anything that might now come.
Nine. Page was in the library. Hear
ing Virginia come in, she came into the
hall. Virginia stood there supporting
Loreen. who stared stupidl,' al the rich
magnifcence of the furnishings around
her.
"Grandmother" - Virginia spoke
without hesitation and very clearly
II have brought one of my friends
from the Rectangle. She is in trouble
and has no home. I am going to care
for her little while.''
Nine. Page glanced from her grand
daughter to Loreen in astonishment.
"Did you say she was one Of your
friends?" she asked in cold, sneering
voice that hurt Virginia more than any
thing she had yet felt.
eyes; l said So" Virginia's face
flushed, but she seemed to recall the
verse that Mr.. Gray had used for one
OF his recent sermons, "a friend of pub
licans and sinners. Surely Jesus would
do this that she was doing.
'Do you know what this girl is?"
asked Nine. Page in an angry whisper,
stepping near Virginia.
II know very we'll. She is an out
cast. You need not tell me, grand
mother. l know it even better than YOU
do. She is drunk at this minute. But
she is also a child of God. have seen
her on her knees repentant, and have
seen hell reach out its horrible fingers
after her again, and. by the grace of
Christ, l feel that the least I can do is
to rescue her from such peril. Grand
mother, we call ourselves Christians.
Here is a poor, lost human creature
without home, slipping into a possible
eternal loss, and we have more than,
enough. I have brought her here and
shall keep her."
Nine. Page glared at Virginia and
clinched her hands. All this was con-
trary to her social code Of conduct.
How could society excuse such famil-
iarity with the scum of the streets? ?
What would Virginia actions cost the
family in the way Of criticism and the
loss Of standing and all that long list of
necessary relations which people Of
wealth and position must sustain to the
leaders of society," To Nine. Page So
ciety represented more than the church
or any other institution. 1t was pow
er to be feared and obeyed. The loss of
its good will was loss more to be
dreaded than anything. except the loss
Of wealth itself.
She stood erect and stern and con-
fronted Virginia fully reused and de-
termined Virginia placed her arm
about Loreen and calmly looked her
grandmother in the face.
You shall not do this. Virginia.
You can send her to the asylum for
helpless women. We can pay all the ex
per2es. We cannot afford for the sake
OF our regulations, to shelter such a
person.
"Grandmother. do not wish to do
anything that is displeasing to you.
but l am going to keep Loreen here to-
night and longer if l think it is best -
''Then You can answer for the conse-
quences. | DO not stay in the same
house with a miserable - Nine. Page
lost her self control. Virginia stopped
her before she could speak the next
word
"Grandmother. this house is mine.
1t is your home with me as long as you
choose to remain, but in this matter /
shall act as fully believe Jesus would
in my place. I am willing to bear all
that society may say or Go. Society is
not my God. By the side Of this poor,
lost soul 1 do not count the verdict of
society as Of ar.y value
81 shall not remain here. then. said
Nine Page. She turned suddenly and
walked to the end OF the hall She then
came back and said, with an emphasis
that revealed her intense excitement
and passion
"Iou can always remenlher that you
have driven your grandmother out of
your house in favor OF drunken wom-
an. y Then, without waiting for Vir-
ginia to reply, she turned again and
went uD.st9irs..