Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-21

Nine, Page was in the library Hoar-
ing Virginia come ill., she came into the
hall Virginia stood there supporting
Loreen, who stared stupidity at the rich
magnifcence of the furnishings around
her.
"Grandmother" 49, Virginin spoke
without hesitation and very clearly
81 have brought one of my friends
from the Rectangle. She is in trouble
and has no home. | am going to care
for her little while.
Mime. Page glanced from her grand
daughter to Loreen In astonishment.
Odd 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; | 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 ISL"
asked Nine. Page in an angry whisper,
stepping near Virginia
81 know very well She Is an ont
cast You need not tell me- grand
mother | know it even better than YOU
do. She Is drunk at this minute. But
she is also child of God. | have seen
her on her knees repentant, and have
seen hell reach out it's horrible fingers
after her again, and, by the grace Of
Christ, feel that the least can do is
to rescue her from such peril. Grand
mother, we call ourselves Christians.
Here is poor, lost human creature
without home, slipping into possibl
eternal loss, and we have more than
enough. l 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 streets2
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 a 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-
penses. We cannot afford, for the sake
Of our regulations, to shelter such 6
person
Grandmother, do not wish to do
anything that is displeasing to you,
but | am going to keep Loreen here to-
night and longer if l think it is best -
Then you can answer for the conse-
quences. l do not stay in the same
house with 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 Won
4
shall act as ! fully believe Jesus would
in my place. l am willing to bear all
that society may say or do. Society is
not my God. By the side of this poor.
lost soul do not count the verdict Of
society "a Of any value
Il 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;
"Gou can always remember that you
have driven your grandmother ont Of
your house in favor of drunken wom-
an. Then. without waiting for Nir-
ginia to reply, she turned again and
went up stairs.
Virginia called for a servant and
soon had Loreen cared for. She was fast
lapsing into a wretched condition. Dur
ing the brief scene in the hall she had
chung to Virginia SO hard that Nir-
ginia' $ arm was sore from the clutch Of
the girls fingers
Virginia did not know whether her
grandmother would leave the house or
not She had abundant means of her
own, was perfectly well and vigorous
and capable of caring for herself She
had sisters and brothers living in the
south and was in the habit of spending
several weeks in the year with them.
Virginia was not anxious about her
welfare, so far as that went but the in
terview had been painful one to her.
Going over it, as she did in her room
before she went down to tea. she found
little cause for regret, however. "What
would Jesus dof" There was no ques-
ton in Virginia mind that she had
done the right thing. If she had made
mistake, 1t was one Of the Judgment
and not of the heart When the bell
rang for tea, she went down, and her
grandmother did not appear She sent
a servant to her room, and the servant
brought back word that Nine. Page
was not there. A few minutes later
Rollin came in. He brought word that
his grandmother had taken the evening
train for the south he had been at
the station to see some friends off and
had by chance met his grandmother as
he was coming ont. She told him her
reason for going.
Virginia and Rollin confronted each