Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-09

4
!" !: !:
| l1 n nine years sat
| ~ IL !. with their heads
| I'M 4nNl close together
~. and their backs
| to the observer.
| - -. III III and conversed in
| .S% ~ low and thrilling
tones. At the other end, under a bril-
liantly Towering bush of goldenglow,
the observer. Genevieve Maude Went
worth. sat in splendid isolation, hold
ing her favorite doll absently by the
left leg and regarding with growing
disfavor this aloofness and absorption
of her sisters. Genevieve Maude was
| but four and Of an innocence BETTING
these tender years; but she knew that
such conspicuous consultation, pune
/ tuated as it was with frequent glanA,s
her way. boded no good for fat little
girl. Experience had taught her that
| it meant one of two things: the plan
ming of a forbidden pleasure from
| which she would be. relentlessly ex-
| Guided or the consideration of some re,
| form, OF which in it's eventual working
out. she would be the helpless and pro-
testing victim.
"Genevieve Maude," Helen Adeline
frequently explained to her friends, lis
bein brought up by us-by me an
Grace Margaret-'cause mammals too
sick an papa's too busy Ministers is
| always too busy. OF course" she some
times added, extensively Katie dres-
| ses her an feeds her. but we have to
take care of her soul. cause souls is
more important than bodies. papa says,
| as fast it CAM
IheSe repeated sisterly efforts in be-
| fa1f of her soul formed the tragedy of
Genev1eve Maude's infant life. Thinly
nisguised as games. they invariably
| TOOK on. as the day progressed aspects
or subtly refined torture such as only
the ingenious mind of Helen Adeline
could conceive Genevieve Maude. pos
SCISSOR at once of an optimistic temper
| ament and an excellent memory. was
| necessarily torn by the conflicting
| hopes and fears that combination pro-
| duced. At present the fears predomi-
mated. She rose from the grass and
| backed away precipitately as her sis
tiers approached her. the light of lofty
purpose in their eyes
| Don't yant soul saved" announced
Genevieve Maude, firmly. edgng into
| mower bed and seating herself violently
on choice geranium in her haste Helen
Adeline stopped CONSIDERABLY at the
border and regarded her with the sad,
! patient smile her features always took on
at the beginning Of discussion with her
| infant sister. She allowed 1t to sink in
and then sighed and turned ostenta
| tiousy away
| Very WE'LL" she said carelessly. aif
you want to miss all the fun YOU act that
way Come along, Oracle; we'll play il
by ourselves
Genevieve Maude wavered. Her fat legs
made tentative effort toward rising.
CLOUDS OF doubt still rolled over her, but
the sun or hope shone triumphantly be-
hind them. Vaguely she reasoned. as
she always reasoned. that some day
| Helen Adeline must think OF really nice
game: perhaps this was the day. The
experience of the simple life.' 10 which
they had once subjected her. had not
been wholly bad. But Genevieve Maude
was growing wise: she dropped her
brown eyes new and stubbornly awaited
further developments, which Grace Mar
garet seeing her opportunity FASTENED to
supply.
would be drefi1e pity to leave Maudie
out Of 1t. She loves prizes So Ma,ldie
wriggled. Helen Adelre rauses in her
| ostentatious retreat and appeared to re-
fleet. WE'LL she conceded, slowly. IF
| she wants to- She said she didn't want
to-"
Don't want soul saved" muttered Gen
evieve Maude with logged determination.
| Won't have soul saved The saving of
|
household of her father, a somewhat
fanatical minister. had been unpleasantly
rubbed into Genevieve Maude's conscious
ness by these earnest domestic efforts in
her behalf. Grace Margaret. more tact
full than Helen Adeline. waved aside with
a careless hand the artless prejudice so
openly expressed.
Il don't b'leve it's goin' to be saved"
she announced. reassuringly II don't
b'lieve can save it. ever But it's
lots of fun trying, Don't you think it's
fun trying? An this is a lovely game.
Its ethical cutter"
| Genevieve Maude surveyed her suspi-
ciousIy. and Grace Margaret smiled
suavely down into her sulky little face
Maude adored Grace Margaret. and that
young person, though hopelessly under
the thumb of her older sister. had mo-
ments of weakness for the younger She
privately resolved now to see that moth
ing very bad happened to Maudie Helen
Adeline. wisely leaving the present con-
duct of the affairs to such able hands
gazed pensively toward a distant point
on the horizon. Ethical cutter" Gene
We've Maude turned the words slowly
over in her mind. They sounded inter-
! esting.
Hurt she asked. guardedly. being
more Spartan in speech than IN endur-
| ance.
NO"
Keep clothes ono" asked Genevieve
Mande. mindful of the time they had
stripped her and made her spend the day
| attired in innocence and large sun
| hat. as an apostle of tine simple life"
Yes You have to- replied Grace
Margaret. simply. Then she added:
You go round an do good deeds or
| course. you keen your clothes on.
/ Nakedness is the adornment Of Truth.
| not of Charity. Genevieve Maude did not
know this: but her sisters words sound
| ed reassuring. Nevertheless she sought
further light.
'Wass dood deeds:'' she inquired drop
| ing the doll and beginning to look inter-
ested. Grace Margaret grew vague.
"Oh. lots of things. You just do 'em
for people with heavenly SMILE This
| was a straight plagiarism from the con-
versation of visiting missionary. but
| She experienced a growing sense of trust.
Il
"Wass fings?' she asked, tacitly avow-
ing perfect confidence in her ability to
rise to the small matter of the heavenly
smile. Grace Margaret turned worried
eye toward her sister. Helen Adelne,
feeling that the little plum was ripe. pro-
ceeded to pluck 1t.
'If you're going to play. Maudie.' she
said with some sternness. you mus play
an not sit asking questions all the time.
Cause if you won't play. we can't tell
YOU any more. It's secrets"
Genevieye Maude plunged heading to