Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-18
Did Your Life Touch the Sinners
Life?

Did Your Life Touch the Sinners
Life?
II was my privilege TO listen some days
ago to a talk made to women, especially
young women. by a lady. noted eduea-
Gator. and one who understands girls
and women as few have been privileged
70 do.
A minister in speaking Of good wo-
mans influence as she lay in her COZ
IN. had said in the teachers hearinS'
Il am so glad knew her when We were
both youug-that her life touched NINE
she was helpful by her example, ana
her -fnfiuence for me was benefaction-
The wise teacher asked: HAS your
influence been good. where your hVeS
touched those about you? Have you,
young ladies, been strong enough 10 say
TO when a young man wanted 10 play
cards. or drink a glass Of wine, or 80
10 the theatre where actresses and tasl
women were TO be seen and listened 10.
Have those about you understood tha1
you were pledged for the good things
the clean things. and the safe Things II
life as this good woman. whose influ-
ence had been so helpful to the minis
ter?"
IL was a searching question and went
straight TO the hearts OF her listeners
/ have thought about IL a good deal since
heard that wise teachers appeal 10 high
ideals OF womanhOOd- The influence OF
woman's approval or disapproval can
hardly be overestimated. especially when
men are under the glamour OF courtshlP
and naatrimony. 1 know they are easily
moved upon as TO the likes and dishkes
of those they love or are attracted &c,
and I feel sure that many young men
have been led into silly extravaganza
and hurtful appetites by the influence
Of those they expected TO marry II they
could do so.
Quite a number OF years ago there was
a terrible Smash-up in one of Georgia
largest cities where a trusted clerk IN
q bank became an embezZler Of the
banks money, and il was remarked that
the disgraced clerk was a lady's man,
was noted for his elegant attentions 10
rich city girls. His bouquets were OF the
eostiest. his carriages the highest priced,
and his dress Of the finest He did things
up brown" when he asked young ladies'
10 20 with him TO theatres. dances. etc,
ana after the stolen money was located
and the ruin OF the man complete, ev-
erybody who had watched his career
could see that his extravaganza had been
too marked and expansive to compare
with his salary.
II the rich girls did not appreciate the
condition, then rich fathers were WISER
and they were obliged to know that theiT
daughters were receiving too many cost
IL attentions from this gay young beau,
and nothing but the most consummale
seIfshness can explain their Willingness
% see this fast clerk spend money so
hvishly on their daughters.
A day or so before the crash came
he sat in the finest theatre box. with one
OF the IoveIiest young women, with ten
dollar bouquet in her lap, and with cost
" theatre supper 10 follow, and he needed
something like nifty dollars TO meet over
all that evenings lavish pleasures re-
auired. and he stole his employers money
10 do Il!
There Is no question bst many lives and
Characters have been wrecked by accept
ing such costly attentions from vain-am-
bilious young men. II he had been can
cid COR honesO he would have told the
young lady that he loved her, and eX-
planned his circumstances in proper
way. and IL she had been really worthy
she would have accepted his company
In a less expressive way. or have turned
a cold shoulder 10 his advances.
That ten dollar bouquet would have been
intolerabIe TO think about. If 1 had been
in her shoes, for while the girl was silly
she was only thoughtless and selfish and
vain
Thousands OF weak men have taken
fatal drink cup from the hands Of giddy
girls and women. and We know that gid
~ girls lives are touching the lives OF
thousands OF mothers sons. who are as
helpless before such temptations as Sam
son before Delilah.
There are many good and sensible
young men who urge their inability TO en-
counter such extravaganza and keep a
level head in their finances, and while
the modern girl expects TO see a dollar
box OF candy every visit her beau makes
to her house she might as well recollect
that those who expect 10 marry and
make a suitable home for their wives. are
not willing 70 take chances with greedy
and selfish young women
Rivalries among young sports and the
greedy acceptance Of all the expensive
things they will waste them. have
been the only outcome Of many prOmis-
ing courtships. where girls are concern
ed: and while Il looks smart 10 be pOpu-
lar on such lines. there will be few we'd
dings COR many divorcesJ in the final
wfnd-up.
When your lives touch the lives OF 9TH
ers you would certainly prefer that moth
ing shall occur that might bring a blush
TO your cheek In remembrance in after
years. and familiarities among young
men and women will bring embarrass-
uent nine times out OF ten. The modest
girl may be more or less Of a wall flow
er. but her modesty viii always have its
reward. and can never be discounted
whether she becomes a wife or lives the
life Of an old maid. for il means a great
deal when a sensible man can rise up and
declare that a good woman's influence
on his life had been a benediction to
him. when neither courtship or marriage