The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-05-31
"KEEPING 1T DARK"
Harsh Consequences of One Trivial
Act of Deceit.

Harsh Consequences of One Trivial
Act of Deceit.
Irene Price was parting with a tall,
black-haired man, when Esther Gar
land met them, and Esther thought,
with thrill of girlish envy, how de-
lightful it must seem to be grown up
and admired. As the stranger turned
away, he murmured, Keep it dark !"
and then Irene, left alone, swung about
and caught Esther by the hand.
Just in time, Esther" she cried,
with curious excitement in her man.
ner. I've two hours ON my hands,
and two tickets to the basket ball
camel"
But have to go to choir practice"
protested Esther, surprised and fat
tered. She was only freshman in the
Wayland high school, and Irene was a
senior, handsome and popular.
Nonsense. You know those old
hymns by heart. think you're too old
for a children's choir, anyway. Oh,
come, no ones going to report you at
home If you do miss practice once, you
little saintr'
And the end of it was that Esther,
eager to see the game and dazzled by
Irene's attention, followed her into the
gymnasium.
Twenty-four hours later Mrs. Gar
land sat in her reception hall, facing a
reporter for the Herald.
MY business is simply this" he said.
Miss Irene Price, one of your daugh-
ter's schoolmates, eloped last night
with a. man of doubtful reputation
whom her parents had never even
heard Of. The theory is that she must
have been meeting him on afternoons
when she was supposed to be at the
Science Club or Literary Society In the
school building, and. as your daughter
was with Miss Price at the basket ball
game yesterday"
THAT Is enough" said Mrs. Garland,
rising. Il always know where my
daughter Is after school. She could
not have been with Miss Price, because
she went to the church for choir prac-
practice"
But, madam, she was seen"
"Here she is" interrupted Mrs. Gar
land, as the door opened. And she
added, with proud confidence, "She may
speak for herself"
Esther came in, followed by her lit
tie sister. Both girls flushed guiltily
when confronted with the question, but
neither hesitated.
Mother, l skipped practice, and
went to that game" Esther confessed.
"I've been ashamed every minute since,
and 1 meant to tell you all about II
tonight, truly / did!''
80 did / mean to tell, mother, "
echoed the little sister. II saw Esther
coming out of the game, and she said
to keep it dark, cause she was s'posed
to be at choir practice, and 1t was SO
nice to have those big girls think she
told me secrets"
Esther" cried her mother, her face
suddenly white "You didn't ask your
little sister to keep it dark'l"
Mother! mother!" sobbed the girl
forgetting everything except the suffer
ing In her mothers face. Il don't know
what possessed mel
That was enough. The reporter hard
ly waited to hear Esther deny all
knowledge of Irene Prices elopement
He had his story. and Esther Garland
read it in the next mornings paper.
1t was a sensational tale of corrupt
morals among pupils at the Wayland
high school, and 1t limited at scandal
involving the "best families" Irene
Prices elopement was declared merely
beginning of disclosures. Her close
confidante, Esther Garland, persisted
as yet, In guarding the secrets of bel
runaway friends. but she had already
confessed, with tears, that she herself
had made a deliberate practice Of de-
ceiving her mother as to her OWL
whereabouts after school hours.
Esther dropped the paper and faced
her mistake-alone. She had exerted
a wrong influence on her little sister
nd on every girl who had been near
at that game, including Irene. She
nad brought added scandal on her
school. She had caused herself to be
publicly spoken of in a way that cast
reproach on her dead fathers name.
Worst Of ell, she had put to shame the
confidence of the best mother in the
world<the mother who was lying now
in an upper room, worn by sleepless
night and hurt to the heart.
And this all this-the result of one,
apparently trivial act Of deceit
Youths Companion.
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