Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-03-26
IN HIS STEPS,
"What Would Jesus DO?"
By CHARLES N. SHELDON.
CHAPTER VI

4 Be We therefore imitators of God, as beloved
children, and walk in love Christ also
loved you
When Virginia left the carriage and
II went to Loreen, she had no definite idea
NJ as to what she would do or what the
NJ result of her action would be. She sim
Nj ply saw soul that had tasted of the
M Joy of a better life slipping back again
vi into its old hell of shame and death,
M and before she had touched the drunken
IN girls arm she had asked only one ques-
M tion, "What would Jesus do?" That
VA question was becoming with her, as
N with many others, a habit of life.
VI She looked around now as she stood
NJ close by Loreen, and the whole scene
" was cruelty vivid to her. She thought
frst of the girls in the carriage
''Drive on. Don't wait for me- I 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-
4 ginia spoke it. She did not say any
81 Thing. The other girls seemed speech
81 less.
$50 on. cannot go back with you
A BALD Virginia.
Il One of the girls leaned little out of
m the carriage.
III Cant we-that is-do you want
NJ bur he1p2 Couldn't we''-
HI f'No, mol" exclaimed Virginia. ''You
III cannot be of any use to me-. -
VA The carriage moved on, and Virginia
was alone with her charge.
II She looked up and around Many
IA -, Ioa
They were not all cruel or brutal The
4 Holy Spirit had softened good deal of
the Rectangle.
"Where does she liver" asked vir-
ginia.
No one answered. It occurred to Vir-
ginia afterward, when she had time to
a 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
NJ from Virginia's grasp In doing it she
n nearly threw Virginia down.
"You shall not touch mel Leave mel
Let me go to hell That's where I be-
longl The devil is waiting for mel See
himl'' she exclaimed hoarsely. She
turned and pointed with shaking fin
MI ger at the saloon keeper. The crowd
laughed.
Virginia stepped up to her and put
her arm about her.
ELoreen," she said firmly, ''come
with me- You 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.
-:-ginia looked around again.
does Mr.. Gray ive?' she
hM. new the evangelist board
tt ;gNHsn9 0'''0 S''' '''' '--' III
''Come, Loreen. L want you to go
with me to Mrs. Gray's, she said, still
Excepting her hold of the swaying, trem-
bling creature, who still moaned and
sobbed and now chung 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. 1t 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
10 throw more or less dignity and i'm
portance about Loreen herself The
vent of Loreen stumbling through the
kutter dead drunk always made the
lectangle laugh and jest, but Loreen
taggering along with a young lady
rom the society circles up town sup
orting her was another thing. The
ectangle viewed it with soberness and
bore or less wondering admiration.
When they reached Mr.. Gray's board
hg place, the woman who answered
irginia' knock said that both Mr.. and
Irs. Gray were out somewhere and
Tould not be back until 6 clock.
Virginia had not planned anything
1rther than a possible appeal to the
trays either to take charge Of Loreen
br awhile or find some safe place for
er until she was sober again. She stood
ow at the lodging after the woman
ad spoken, and she was really at a loss
know what to do. Loreen sank down
upidly on the steps and buried her
ace in her arms. Virginia eyed the
liserable figure with feeling that she
ras fearful would grow into disgust.
Finally thought possessed Virginia
nat she could not resist. What was to
Under Loreen from going home with
err? Why should not this homeless,
FETCHED creature, reeking with the