New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-07
Continued from page 8

heard within her. $50 TO your frlendi' IN
sisted this voice "COmfort her, BE brave.
And have courage enough 10 tell her she has
made mistake, but not an lrrctrevaDlc
one! DO what you can 10 save her before
it IS too late, She STILL by cutting of her
Irritation, will be able TO save herself, and an
other family alSol"
She made up her mind that she would go.
She touched the bell in her bOudoir. Her ser
want answered the summons. She ordered her
carriage dressed hurricdly, with the feeling
Of satisfaction that she was going to do
good and noble action. And before long She
was driving down the fashionable Bellevue
ave. But scarcely had she gone quarter
Of the distance when she was stopped by a
passing friend with the exclamation:
"Of course you have heard the news; How
frghtful Of Mrs. So and So to be 50 impru-
dent How dreadful, What a scandal
Mechanically she made some reply, and
drove on, filled with horrible fear. All her
worst forcbodings were realized. The news
was abroad. Scarcely had she driven away
when another friend stopped her with the
same EXCAVATIONS, the same news.
Thoroughly unncrved She now hcsitated
~ continue any further in this dangerous
mission Of friendship. She felt that She was
LAYING herself open 10 share OF the scandal
that had descended upon the head Of her
friend. and that her own social position, 50
lono coveted 50 hardly won, was IN lcOpar-
dv Again she was stopped by incnd;
,o,in the same remarks were whispered IN
her ear.
\ chill Of fear now took possession OF her.
And rs her carriage drew near the street
where her best friend lived. She felt herself
torn in twain by two conflicting emotions: on
the one side was her earnest desire TO show
her sympathy and give her compassion TO
her friend: on the other stood the danger oil
compromising, perhaps forever hcr own
cherished position in society. ne reiterated
remarks Of those she had met, their oininous
words had made a coward Of her. She ielt
that she was not strong enough to let inc
pcoplc Of her world, her social set know
that She had gone to this poor lady IN dis
trcsS.
carriage in the street lower down, and. pull
inc veil down over her face, walked on
foot 10 the street below, entered the mouse
bv the back yard, went into the kitchen ana
No into the drawing room 10 see her TREND.
And when safe within the walls she opened
her heart and poured out love and sympathy
for her, and did what She could to comfort
and advise her. Then She returned TO her
carriage in the same way and went home.
At a large dinner that night She was the
most brilliant of all those round the table.
Everybody else was busily engaged IN pick
ing to pieces her friends character. But her
conscience did not trouble her She felt that
she had done such a good and noble act that
she had no need to champion her friend be-.
fore these brilliant people. Had She stopped
10 examine herself, she would have realized
that She had been the Queen Of Snobs for
her action had been done under cover OF
secrecy. and she could take no credit TO her
self. having lacked the courage to come tor
ward and defend her friend before the world.