The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-12-27

said Virginia.
The driver started the 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 "You
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 good deal Of
the Rectangle
where does she liver" asked Vir-
ginia.
No one answered. 1t occurred TO Vir-
ginia afterward. when she had time TO
think it over. that the Rectangle showed
a delicacy in its 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. grasp In doing it she
nearly threw Virginia down.
''You shall not touch mel Leave mel
Let me go TO hell That's where ] be-
long The devil is waiting for me See
himl" she exclaimed hoarsely She
turned and pointed with shaking fin
ger ut the saloon keeper The crowd
laughed
Virginia stepped up to her and put
her arm about her
"Loreen. she said firmly ''come
with me You do not belong TO he'll
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 liver she
asked She knew the evangelist board
ed somewhere near that tent.
A number Of voices gave her the di
rection
Come, y",',r want you to go
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 chung TO Virginia as
before she ha6 repulsed her
So the two moved on through the
Rectangle toward the evangelist lodg-
ing place The sight seemed TO impress
the Rectangle seriously 1t never took
itself seriously when it was drunk. but
| al g. tl.,t q
tie 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
fri the society circles up town sup
pHr-sng her was another thing. The
Rectangle viewed it with soberness and
more or less wondering admiration.
When they reached Mr. Gray board
ing place, the woman who answered
Virginia $ knock said that both Mr.. and
Mrs. Gray were out somewhere and
would not be back until o'clock
Virginia had not planned anything
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
ho1 81. NJ 1oco
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 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
consigned to strangers in some hospital
or house of charity2 Virginia really
knew very little about any such places
of refuge. AS a matter of fact, there
were two or three such institutions in
Raymond, but it is doubtful if any of
them would have taken n person like
Loreen in her present condition. But
that was not the question with Virginia
just now. "What would Jesus do with
Loreen?' was what Virginia faced, and
she finally answered it by touching
Loreen again
"Loreen, comet You are going home
with me. We will take the car here at
the corner. "
Loreen staggered to her feet and, to
Virginia $ relief, made no trouble. She
had expected resistance 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 APP
preaching scene with her grandmother.
What would Nine Page say when she
saw Loreen?
Ioreen was nearly sober now Init cha