Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-13

upon a plan to set aside two evenings in
the week to have the girls from the fac
| tories at the church parlors to listen to
Bible readings and lectures. as in duty
| bound, asked the opinion of her rector
wife. Mrs. Fairlee's head was lifted
swiftly, and there was a glow on her
cheeks as She answered quickly
| Il think We plan to invite them to
| the church RS is just fine Nine
| President, hG don't believe your pro-
gram would be Very alluring." In the
pause which followed shocked eyes were
turned upon her, and she continued. hur-
drudgery in the lives of the factory girls
| the awful sameness. Perhaps you've
never seen it, but ! have. I've been there
with Mr.. F'airlee. | know the girls want
| and must have amusement I'm the even
| ings. They don't want lectures. Most
of them would go to sleep. If We want
| to win them away from the environment
| across the river let them dance in our
| church parlors; If they want to let them
bring their young men. Let us provide
amusement The lectures will take care
of themselves when we have won their
| confidence"
Quite audible objections cut in on her,
but she added. with a short laugh that
| had pathos in it, before the president
spoke: I'm sorry you think my way SO
| dreadful. but ! can't look at it in any
| other light Young lives are not long
young at the best, and the girls down
1 tneTe seem ike ilttle Olu WOilIcf uOH
blame them for going where they can get
| little CLEANS of pleasure. Id go myself
| if I We're in their shoes. and-and-so
| would all of you
| There was a tense silence for a moment
as Mrs. Fairee. looking more girlish than
| ever in her flushed emotion, hurled her
challenge at them. Then the older MEM
bers of the society. sad disapproval in
their glances, decided to let the matter
stand until the next meeting.
| Before night closed in on ThOrOid every
| one in the parish knew of Mrs. Fairlee's
worldly views on the rescuing of the
| factory girls. and with few exceptions,
every one set the stamp of disapproval
on the childish wife Of their rector The
| few eXceptions-the younger, more pro-
gressive men of the church-infOrmed
their irate wives that Mrs. Fairlee show
ed good common sense and that it was
| about time the rest of them woke up and
| tried to live up TO the times
| However, the turmoil aroused in the
bosom of various families over Mrs. Fair
lees radical views was pushed into the
\ background when Thorod learned one
day that in the factory district there was
| veritable hotbed of scarlet fever. The
| controversy as to the spiritual welfare
OF the young people down there turned
at once to the material. And in this the
| Rev Warren Fairlee was the most tire
less worker.
| All Saints was proud of him. but many
a bitter glance went his wife's way as
| she made her afternoon TRIPS 10 the post
| office CARRIED in the most fetching of
| spring costumes, smiling her pretty slow
| smile. just as though her husband was
not in the midst of danger. sickness and
| death And every morning when she
| babe him goodbye on their veranda the
neighbors, watching. reported that Mrs
| Farlee seemed as unconcerned as il he
| were going TO morning service.
| Even when it was known that the fever
seemed spreading beyond the stopping
| point, and at the ladies' aid there was
not another subject touched on. Mrs.
| Fairlee made little comment. And when
a member tartly asked her if she had
| nothing to say about it, If she was not
scared to death to have her husband
| in the midst Of 1t, the gray eyes were
| raised very calmly.
do you think 1t would help my hus-
band any to become scared to death? :
she asked simply. Does 1t help any one
| to keep the subject constantly in our
minds. to talk of nothing else?''
| She left the aid rooms before a reply
/ was forthcoming, and with one accord
| the members breathed the word, Cal
| lous,'
The next day Thorold learned that the
| towns one visiting nurse, who had gone
| TO the scene of the epidemic. had broken
down. Sympathy not only for her was
| expressed, but for MIR. Fairlee in losing
| his right hand man. he styled her.
! and many question was put to Mrs
! Fairlee as he did her marketing that
morning Her answers were very brief
/ 1t was all very sad; yes. No. she had
not seen Mr.. Fairlee since the collapse OF