Willmar tribune., 1899-10-04
In Il Ell STEPS.
7l1hat 1un,1ld Aes11s 1ln
q CHARLES II. . SHELDON.
by the Advance Publ ishing Go. Of Chicago.l
ny CHARLES II. i. I SHIELD
[CoNT1NUE1E:Dl] | j
CHAPTER VI

Ather, and the daughter against her mother, and
the daughter-in-law against her Inother-in.law.
hold. 5s 5 a% ( 5:$ S 5S
Be ye therefore imitators Of God, as beloved
children. and walk in love even q Christ also
loved you 3, Ssss5s $::z " II ;.
When Virginia left the carriage and
went to Loreen. she had no definite idea
as to what she would do or what the
result Of her action would be. She sim
ply saw a soul that had tasted Of the
joy Of q better life slipping back again
into it's old hell Of shame and death.
and before she had touched the drunken
girls arm she had asked only one ques-
ton, '''fWhat would Jesus dor That
question was becoming with her, as
with many others, a habit of life.
| She looked around now as she stood
close by Loreen, and the whole scene
was cruelty vivid to her She thought
first of the girls in the carriage. =.
''Drive on. Don't wait for me- l am
going to see my friend here home. - she
said, calmly enough. ..
The girl with the red parasol. seemed
to gasp at the word friend when Vir.
ginia spoke it. She did mot say any
thing The other girls seemed speech
less.
"Go on. cannot go back with you.
said Virginia
The driver started he horses slowly.
One of the girls leaned little out of
the carriage.
Cant we-that is-do you want
our help2 Couldn't we''-
"No, mol" exclaimed Virginia. lyon
cannot be Of any use to me.
The carriage moved on, and Virginia
was alone with her charge
She looked up and around Many
faces in the crowd were sympathetic.
They were not all cruel or brutal. The
Holy Spirit had softened a good deal Of
the Rectangle.
"Where does she liveP' asked Vir-
ginia
No one answered. It occurred to Vir-
ginia afterward, when she had time to
think it over, that the Rectangle showed
delicacy in it's sad silence that would
have done credit to the boulevard
For the first time it flashed upon her
that the immortal being who was flung
like wreckage upon the shore of this
earthly hell called the saloon had no
place that could be called home
The girl suddenly wrenched her arm
from Virginia's grasp. In doing it she
nearly threw Virginia down.
''You shall not touch mel Leave mel
Let me go to hell That's where l be-
long, The devil is waiting for mel See
himl'' she exclaimed hoarsely She
turned and pointed with shaking fin
ger at the saloon keeper The crowd
laughed.
Virginia stepped up to her and put
her arm about her
''Loreen." she said firmly. 'come
with me. Yoa do not belong to hell
You belong to Jesus. and he will save
you. Come.
The girl suddenly burst into tears.
She was only partly sobered by the
shock of meeting Virginia
Virginia looked around again
Where does Mr.. Gray live?'' she
asked She knew. the evangelist board
GU 6O1uc"ucIo uCdl LudL Gcut.
A number of voices gave her the d.
rection.
"Come, Loreen. 1 want you to 20
with me to Mrs. Gray's, she said, still
keeping her hold of the swaying, trem-
bling creature. who still moaned and
sobbed and now clung to Virginia as
before she had repulsed her.
So the two moved on through the
Rectangle toward the evangelist's lodg-
ing place. The sight seemed to impress
the Rectangle seriously. It never took
itself seriously when it was drunk but
this was different. The fact that one of
the most beautifully dressed girls in
Raymond was taking care of one of the
Rectangle's most notorious characters,
who reeled along under the influence Of
liquor, was fact astonishing enough
to throw more or less dignity and i'm
portance about Loreen herself The
event Of Loreen stumbling through the
gutter dead drunk always made the
Rectangle laugh and jest, but Loreen
staggering along with young lady
from the society circles up town sup
porting her was another thing. The
Rectangle viewed it with soberness and
more or less wondering admiration.
When they reached Mr.. Gray's board
ing place, the woman who answered
Virginia's knock said that both Mr. and
Mrs. Gray were out somewhere and
would not be back until 6 O. clock.
Virginia had not planned any ything
further than a possible appeal to the
Grays either to take charge Of Loreen
for awhile or find some safe place for
her until she was sober again. She stood
now at the lodging after the woman
had spoken, and she was really at loss
to know what to do Loreen sank down
stupidity on the steps and buried her
face in her arms Virginia eyed the
miserable figure with feeling that she
was fearful would grow into disgust. ".
Finally 3 thought possessed Virginia
that she could not resist. What was to
hinder Loreen from going home with
herr Why should not this homeless,
wretched creature, reeking with the
fumes Of liquor, be cared for in Vir-
ginia's own home. instead Of being
consign to strangers ID some hospital
or house Of charity Virginia really
knew very little about any such places
of refuge. As a matter Of fact. there
were two or three snch insti titutions il
Raymond, but il. is doubtful If any 81
them would have taken q person Like
ILoreen in her present condi ition. Bu1
M, 81 xrvr Z. ~, -, -: ~