The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-08


verbs XVIII TO-
Conditions in this good. old world
wouldn't be quite so bad and distress
ing if the bulk of the persons who
think they find pleasure OF are able
to make profit by wallowing in sin or
INDUCING in crime. or both, were sat
isfied to travel by themselves along the
road they have chosen. Their acts
may injure others to a greater or less
degree in a variety of ways for the
time being. but in the main they
would practically hurt nobody perma-
nently but themselves.
However, they are not content to do
this. They are ever on the hunt for
recruits. They are not satisfied unless
they drag others down to their abom-
Unable level. They use all sorts of
tricks and devices to lure their vic
Tins to debauchery- Sometimes they
are terrible enough actually to en-
ploy force to accomplish their nefari-
Gus designs. They'll paint glowing pic
lures of the imaginary joys of i'm
proper living. They will point out the
apparent ease with which life may be
maintained by dishonest methods
And many an unsophisticated indi-
vidual, especially among the young,
succumbs to their wiles.
If there is a more detestable Great
ure on the face of the earth than the
man or the woman who will tempt
another to stray from the paths of
rectitude, he or she hasn't been dis
covered yet by the diligent searchers in
society's arena. No condemnation for
such despoilers can be too severe. Po-
lite language is wholly deficient to
permit of their proper charac teriza-
ton. AS Solomon points out in the
words, quoted above, the person who
leads another astray falls into his own
pit. And it is one from V. hich he can
not possibly climb out.
''But the upright shall have good
things in his possession This means
no more than that decency pays, and
pays well. 1t certainly would do no
harm for the unfortunate who is skep- |
teal on this point to try it out. The |
way is always open. 1t is a hard one |
to travel to be sure. Sometimes it is |
more difficult than at others. The |
world does not offer the encourage |
ment that it should to those who
would mend their ways, although it |
has improved wonderfully in this re-
spect of late years, and is making even |
more rapid strides in that direction all
the time. But the path to a personal
is not closed to any one.
And if the world only knew how
much of this is attempted and is going
on all the time, it would certainly be
even more tolerant and more eager to /
extend a helping hand. More people f
try to live better lives than is gener-
ally supposed. And the number that
in a large measure is Surpris-
ing 1t is all done in such a quiet and !
transformations way, though that the
world is seldom the wiser. If it were, I
not a few hosannas of Thanksgiving
would be sung from the housetops.
To particularize in just one instance.
Many young woman, who may have
been indiscreet in the days of her
youth finally marries. She closes the
book on her previous life. If her hus-
band is as a man should be, he pays
no attention to such tales as busy
bodies would like to tell him. He is
only concerned with what his wife is,
not what she was. And the wife is
not slow to see her chance. Does she
toss it away? Well, hardly. She be-
comes model wife, a capable and
loving mother. Could such woman
De searched out with propriety and
asked if decency paid, she would
need to answer. The new
light in her face, the happiness and
he joy that would radiate from her
every word and act would tell the
story, and far better, at that, than
mere words could.