Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-06-24
A TRAGEDY OF YOUTH.

Those who have followed the news
paper accounts of the Orpet trial, es-
pecially the accounts published in the
more sensational newspapers. can not
fall TO have been impressed with the
pitiful tragedy that 1t discloses-~-a
tragedy not so much of the body as
Of the soul--a tragedy that was con-
summated long before the lifeless
form OF Marian Lambert was found
In the snow ut Helms Wood last Feb
fuary.
Marian Lambert and VIII Orpet
were little more than children--she
u high school girl and he lad at
the beginning of his college course.
They were not products of the slums,
but the children of self-respecting
middle-class parents who were en-
denvoring In every way possible 70
see that they had every possible ad-
vantage Their environment was
one OF culture, of refinement aud, for
one Of them at least Of piety. 10
each Of them there was every induce
ment TO right living--none of the
temptations that tend to drag down
and degrade.
And vet we find between these two
Immature children a liason that would
bring the blush Of shame 10 the
cheeks of men and women twice their
age, Letters 10 the dead girl from
her sweetheart were offered in evil
denee which are described ~ one
special writer as being full of q crude
and brutal sensuality that dishonorcd
even more the girl who received and
treasured them than It did the boy
who wrote them" These letters
were tied with ribbons and were
among the cherished possessions OF
poor weak little Marian LAMBERT
1t would hardly be Just to the par
ents of either the boy or the girl TO
hold them responsible for The condi-
tons that brought about this stnte OF
affairs Doubtless they gave TO their
children all the tender solieitude and
care that children ordinarily receivo
from parents. II is TO be presumed
that whatever mistakes were made
were those of Judgment and not Of
intentional neglect. The world /
fun of parents who take no bette.
care Of the moral welfare of theiI
children than did the Lamberts ana
the Orpots.
But what is to be said of society
in which such conditions can exist!
What comment is TO be made upon
the educational and religious cnvir-
onmont whose influence fails to touch
the moral nature to an extent tha'
such a case as this would he impos-
sIble? Ii is not enough 10 say that
the tragedy has its roots in the frail-
ties of human nature. for Il is the
boast OF our twentieth century civil
lzation that under its influence the
baser instincts of the individual art
kept in check and the spiritual ma
ture brought TO its highest develop
ment.
After all, the question whether WIN
Orpet murdered the body of Marian
Lambert IL of minor Importance. The
admitted fact Is that a far worse
tragedy had taken place before her
body died. For this tragedy the boy
now on trial for his life must bear
much blame; the parents under whose
upbrnging the two young people re-
ceiVed their early train are perhaps
not wholly guiltless but in the last
analysis the greater part of the re-
sponsihilty must fall on society--that
vague, indefinite entity whose influ-
ence stall pervading because II is the
composite influence of every separ-
ate individual
There are many other Win urpets
and Marian Lamberts. The search
light OF a sensational murder trial
does not sreveal the ugly tragedy of
their lives, but the tragedy is there.
What is society going 10 do about II?
Is the colonel really trying TO prove