The Washington herald., 1912-03-07
By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.


A few months ago a Washington girl.
reared in a home that bears all the ear
marks of refinement, having to her
credit host of friends. and surrounded
by all the things that the world counts
desirable, was influenced by an older
woman to leaA her home. The disap-
pearance was sudden and the girl so sue
cessfully burned her bridges behind her
that for months her distracted parents
could find no clew to her whereabouts.
The whole community gave every evil
dence OF sympRthy for the distressed
family and joined in the effort to locate
the young daughter. The girl was found
and persuaded to come home. where she
received forgiveness. The parents de-
termined that they would wipe out the
terrible experience born OF their daugh-
ter's indiscretion. They would cover the
fault with their love. They would make
her home so attractive that she would
never be tempted TO leave II again. And
they counted on their friends to help
them which was a mistaken confidence.
The very women who had shown the
greatest sympathy for the mother: who
had done the most to help in finding the
whereabouts of the girl, refused her well
come to their homes and the companion
ship Of their own daughters when she
did come back to begin life anew.
Refused social recognition by her for
mer friends and associates. cast into the
land where women walk alone, ostra-
cised from other women, she found the
embarrassment and loneliness unenaur,
able. and turned back along the road OF
her first mistake. determined. to travel
IL to the end.
BIames LittIeness of Women.
A correspondent writes me this tragic
tale, laying the blame TO the littleness
Of woman.
They held that girls future in their
hands, but they were not big enough to
see il. They let their suspicious master
them and failed to give the girl the ben
eft of a doubt. They missed the chance
Of doing something really fine, and they
failed 10 keep the Golden Rule. HAD
their young girls made some sad mistake
through inexperience they would have
felt very bitter toward other mothers
who failed TO help her wipe out the err
ror," writes the observer OF the tragedy.
Yet; these mothers laid aside the
chance of doing the bigger, finer thing,
but 1 do not believe it was because OF
littIeness. 1t was because they were
afraid.
Every mothers first duty toward her
own child. A girls reputation is as
easily bruised as a flower. II may be
un-Christian that she is Judged by her
associates but il is none the less true
II has been the way Of the world
for moro ages than can count. 1t is
because of this that these mothers could
not accept a girl Of questionable char
acter as the bosom companion OF their
own daughters.
II IS all very pitable. but back OF the
story lies the inevitable law of cause and
effect I'VE SOW the wind and reap the
whirlwind." No amount OF sympathy:
no amount of love: can avert the conse-
quences that We ourselves suffer through
cur mistakes. God forgfves us when
we are sorry. but He does not avert the
natural suffering that comes to each OF
US through the commission Of a wrong.
Demands Not Too Cruel.
Society is cruel TO woman. but not too
cruel for her own good. It demands
purity Of her. and no amount Of pity for
her when she fails to come up 10 the
standard is sufficient to avert the natural