The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-08
out, Da1dy?"

out. Daddy?"
 Take them in order as you mention ed them. Murder, burglary, theft wife beating. cheating at cards! What | is murder? Killing without justifica- | tioni Does not one who approaches another in false guise kill something l The murderer takes the life; the other | kills what is often more than life: self | respect. belief in human nature, faith. One only kills the body; but the other | kills the soul. Burglary and theft are 1 the same offenSe differently expressed; | theft is the meaner crime that is all. Well, disguise is the thief's method Sometimes he relies on the absence of others. sometimes on darkness, some times on a mask, sometimes on the ap- pearance or identity of some one else. But he never deals with the normal condition of things; pretence of some kind must always be his aid. The man, therefore, who reliesson pretence when he knows that theEtruth would be his undoing. is thief" Daddy you argue as we'll as Phil adelphia lawer!"
 'T don't believe much in lawyers!'' said the old man dryly. ''As to wife beatingi"
 I'm afraid you've struck a snag there, Daddy! There isn't much pre- tence about that crime, anyhow!"
 Not at all, my dear. That comes within the category of murder. The man who descends to that abominabie crime would kill the woman if he dared. He is coward as well as murderer, and should be killed like a mad dog"
 Bravo! Daddy I wish there was man like you to deal with them in every county. But how about cheating at cards. That's poser, thinkp'
 NO trouble about that, Joy. It is cheating at cards"
 ''How do you argue that out. Dad dy?"
 Any game of cards is a game of
 ,~1> 1rs11 in playing them according to the re- cogniZed rules of the game: and, over all, a general belief in the honour of all the players. I have seen man shot across a handkerchief-in honour able duel, my dear-for hesitating markedly at poker when he stood pat on a full house. That was pretence, and against the laws of honour: and he paid for it with his life" Joy wrinkled her brows: "I see it's quite wrong, father. but I don't quite see how it fits into the argument she said.
 That is simple enough. daughter. As say, it is a pretence. Don't you see that after all a game of cards is a simple thing compared with the social life of which it is only an occasional episode. If a manor a woman either, Joy-miSleadS another it must be with some intention to deceive. And in that deception, and by means of it, there IS some gain-something he or she de S1reS and couldn't OtherWlSe get. Isn't that plain enough?
 "All right, Father; I quite see. understand now what you mean. did not ever look at things in quite that way. Thank you very much, dear. for warning me so kindly too. I'll stop the joke, and not allow 1t to go on-so far as can stop it.''
 How do you mean? Does anyone else know it?
 q have written to one or two girls at home, Daddy. You know girls are fond of such foolishness.''
 "Had you not better write to them and tell them not to mention it.''
 Good Gracious! Why you dear old goose of a Daddy it is evident you don't know girls. That would be the very way to make things buzz. Oh no, we'll simply drop it; and they'll them something else, though, to draw them away from it.''
 "Hm!' said her father. She looked at him with a sly archness:
 'I suppose, Daddy, it wouldn't do to have it that an Italian Grand Duke proposed for me-to you of course?'
 Certainly not. Miss Impotence! Pm not to be drawn into any of your fool ish girls chatter. There. run away and let me smoke in peaceW She turn ed away, but came back.
 "Am I forgiven, Daddy?"
 Forgiven! Lord bless the. child, why there's nothing to forgive. I only eau ton. I know we'll that my little girl trust her as I do myself. Why Joy, darling he put his arm affectionately round her shoulder you are my little grill The only one have or ever shall have: and so, God willing, you shall be to me to the end.''
 CTo be Continued.l