Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-10

tlOh lllhl kits NllOllu bc ItHItu III lR-
norance of the world is not only wrong,
but that such "A course is absolutely
sinful Why should "A girl be kept ig-
horant for years only to have her ears
suddenly Hssailed by such multiplied.
ty of terrible tales as must shock her
tudely? have no fear of anything
shat you may think proper TO relate to
us. l also would he much interested to
aearn your daughters history
81 am glad TO find woman who has
20 much sense" said Mr.. Mitchell "You
are fin de steele in the most refined
meaning of the phrase. My little girls
story is a sad one, though the sad
parts really happened before she was
old enough TO know anything. She is
Scally the child of cousin of mine.
lie met young creole in our old home
New Orleans. and persuaded her to
elopc with him The honeymoon last
ed long, but in time the young wife
was horrided to learn that her hus.
band had contracted "A previous mar
riage."
What! The man had married be-
fore and then had persuaded this girl
10 clope with him" exclaimed Mrs
Nan Cortlandt what villainy,"
In this particular instance it was
not as bad as IT seemed at the time
lie was the victim of an unscrupulous
woman who had married him while he
was intoxicated and then kept the mat
ter secret in order to blackmal him
in the event of his marrying subsc-
Guently. Her fiendlsh scheme succeed
ed only too well. The wife died. and
my cousin was finally driven insane
by his disgrace and grief"
as not that n sad Story?' said Mrs
Wan Cortlandt. but then. after ALL
thc girl brought much of her trouble
Upon herself"
"In what way" asked Mr.. Mitchell.
; you said that she elopcd did you
not
Eyes. What Of that
An elopement always implies mar
S)aee away from home and without the
consent of parents or guardians. and
therefore girl who olopcs proves her
self ungrateful ms well as selfish. She
Is ungvatcful because she ignores her
obligations TO those who have cherish
I'D and cared for her from childhood
She forGets the nights of anguish spent
by her bedside as they watched her
Through attacks of illness and how her
welfare was always their first consid-
GRAFTON. She forgets that those who
ihus have served her through life must
1svc love for her in their hearts and
shat such love creates an obligation.
Then. as have said, she is also selfish.
She meets "A man Of whom she can
sinow hut little, seeing him only when
1e is aiming to appear at his best She
IS attracted by the glitter and the
sheen of the metal. but how can she
form an accurate judgment of its pur-
w: But something about him fas-
GinateS her senses. and she mistakes
3hiS new feeling for love. He impor-
eun'S, and she yields. leaving home.
parents and real love behind to follow
this gnis fatuuS She may even have
romantic notions and imagine that she
Is doing praiscworthy action in sacri-
ficing herself. her conscience and her
home to prove the sincerity of her
love. Nevertheless there is nothing
hut selfshness in her act. She goes
to crafty her own desires. Oh, no!
Mr. Mitchell, have little sympathy
with women who so far degrade them
selves as to elope. There must be
something radically wrong in a girl
WHO would do so. Why. as much as |
love my daughter here | firmly believe
that We're she to attempt such a thing
] would
NO, no. mother! Don't say any
more, You do not know what YOU are
saying. Mother. mother, | love YOU"
This interruption was a surprise to
AIRS. Van Cortlandt, who could not
Imagine why Perdita should thus cry
out and then rush across to her, throw
ing herself at her feet hiding her head
on her shoulders and weeping bitterly
''Perdita, my child" said Mrs Van
Eortlandt, what does this mean?
Surely you cannot
She stopped, appalled, at the idea
(which was forced upon her.
Mrs. Mitchell, sitting beside Pordita
during Mrs Van Cortlandt's arguments
against elopements, had readily com
pretended how the words must affect
Perdita. Deeply sympathizing with
The young girl, she took her hand
within her own and pressed il tender
ly noting that it trembled greatly in
evidence of the nervous tension under
(which Perdita was endeavoring to con
trol herself Therefore. when the eli
max came, with that tneSSe which her
husband so much admired. she said:
Poor dear! Perhaps she is tired out.
Come, Roy! Take me into the con
servatory. l so much desire to see
Mrs. Van COrtlandt'S orchids"
Mr., Mitchell quickly OWNED his
%l1e'S intention and responded instant.
}y to her proposal Thus Colonel Pay
Ton was left alone with Mrs. Van Cort-
landt and Perdita 1t was a trying
moment for him, and it caused him
acute pain TO witness the suffering of
his own child and to know not only
that he could not claim parents
privilege, but that 1t was from his own
abandonment of this girl that the pres.
"nt scene had been made possible Yet,
81 not as her father, surely as an old
friend, he might offer her words OF
sympathy Therefore he raised her
tenderly and spoke TO her.
What is 1t. perdita? Why do YOU
weep? Has some one injured you?