The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-10-12
WOMAN WITH
A CONSCIENCE.
1t Was Too Nice For Practical
Purposes.

's'aFtSSJt5Sa'S
ITS a troublesome thing to have, is
a conscience abnormally developed"
Illuminated Olivia. Next to being COM
monsensible or trying to be dignified
there's nothing so likely to .""der one
ridiculous and unpopular almost
$ Wish it was possible nave ones con-
science shaved like a beard, or anpu-
tated like a corn, or pulled out like
defective tooth. Personally, I'm rath-
er tired of being perpetual slave to
the thing called conscience"
"Whnt's the matter now?" 1 queried.
You see, knew Olivia very well-have
known her since she was an infant in
arms, in fact-and l could read the
signs of her mental unrest. knew she
had been Opening her mouth and put
ting her foot into it" once more, as the
Irishman said. Olivia is rather unfor-
tunate that way always. If there's
any tongue trouble going anywhere,
she's pretty sure to pick it up some
how or other.
"Oh, it's nothing new-at least not
more than a half a dozen new brain
pangs or conscience palms." she replied.
81 have merely been e1ecting-rather
sadly-upon the dolefulness of possess
ing conscience in good working order
when such an article is distinctly and
decidedly out of fashion and when one
doesn't know how to control it in the
least"
A dear ''e girl is Olivia, all the
more lovab perhaps, because of the
inconsequen which is naturally hers.
She "rambb on sweetly," as her sis
ter says of when conversing with
her intimates-just thinking aloud. l
knew should get to the bottom of her
latest trouble presently if only didn't
interrupt and send her off on another
track at tangent, so l merely smiled
sympathetically and waited in silence.
"When | was a child" she sighed
presently, II don't believe l was a bit
popular, although | think most people
liked me. And | know | didn't have
half the fun some of the other girls
did, and all because my conscience was
'bloated,' as my older brother said.
81 never left my Sunday school les
son unlearned or my music lesson I'M
practiced because | wanted to go violet
hunting or coasting Saturday after
noon," she continued, with sigh 81
was too conscientious for that. And |
always owned up to the mischief I'd
done and refused to share In the tri-
fling consequences of the mischief
hadn't done for the very same reason.
When | became tritle older, | passed
low in many an examination because
wouldn't make use of borrowed Ian
guage or look at my books the very last
thing. A little later | earned unpopu-
larity among my fellows because
never would say was glad to see any
one when could not say so honestly"
And now
"And the worst of it all is that |
don't believe l ever was or ever will
be one bit the better for all these con-
science troubles" was the commence
ment of the next 'ramble," for the
sake of which she left the previous one
unfinished. "As little child worrying
over my Sunday school lesson I GER
tainly sinned just as much on the side
of spiritual pride and childish 'puffed-
upedness, as | would have done on
the grounds of neglect of duty had
enjoyed my Saturday afternoons as the
other children did. 1t is an open ques-
ton if I wouldn't have been a really
better girl had l sometimes kept still
about my own small wrongdoings as
well as tacitly owned up to a few
which hadn't committed. The slightly
pharisaical attitude of mind came
strongly into play again over the 'eX-
am. pads | wouldn't borrow and tho
crib knowledge l would have none Of,
and. although | never did say | was
glad to see any one falsely, I've strain
ed the truth and cracked my con-
sciences funny bone many time try
ing to think of some other convention
ally pleasant thing to say. And now
"Well. what is it?" pressed her, de-
termined to fathom the trouble at last
"What has happened 'nowY"
But she merely shook her head
mournfully and rambled on.
ITS a point of conscience with me-
! always has been, to look at all things
from both sides, and In consequence,
many time I've looked at q, given
question from both sides of the fence
until I've impaled myself upon it and
have wrIthed under the knowledge
that people thought was sailing with
the wind, and so on.
"'You run with the hare and hunt
with the hounds, don't your girl said
to me last week, and, mean as she was,
l understood just how she thought it
was true. And yet was only follow
ing out the dictates of my abnormal
conscience and trying to be just.
"Another girl last week asked me If
the powder on her face showed, and
when l said yes she fairly hated me.
My conscience didn't allow me to say
no, and 1t never occurred to me until
long afterward that might have