The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-07-20
Jane lawrence
BY ELLIS DICKSON.


/ to know? But If had known Of the
case Of Jane Lawrence really couldn't
have done it. have actually stayed
awake nights over it. And this after
noon, when ! ought to be spending all
my time at the tailor's and dressmak-
er's, | have to have q board meeting
here just to discuss the matter"
Mrs. Stoddington had been sitting
for fully ten minutes before she began
her complaint, at the little spindle
legged desk in her study.
Tom Blaine, younger by ten years,
was sitting impatiently waiting at her
side. Besides being the wealthy wild
owls only brother, he was her attorney.
THE trouble with Jane, Tom is sim
ply this: She is very pretty Not
just rather pretty, but dangerously,
absurdly pretty, and girl in an in
stitution of that sort really has no
right to be pretty.
Whatever are we going to do? She
is only eighteen now and she has not
left the home, but in month she must
begin to go out to earn her living.
For several years we have realized
that Jane was different from the other
children in the home. She is really a
beauty. The matron has been wonder
full, too. She has done all she could
to keep the girl from realizing. When
the other girls have had pretty hair
ribbons Jane has had none, and she
has been made to brush her hair as
plainly as possible When the other
girls have gone on excursions Jane
has been kept at home. In her lit
tie room the matTon even took down
the mirror so she would not be tempt
ed to be vain. Still the girl seems to
crave pleasure, still she seems to be
at heart quite a cOquette. II we could
only get her married off to some hon
est, hard-working person who would
give her home with plenty Of work
she would be all right"
If Tom felt any special interest in
the case Of the little orphan girl he
did not show it.
ITO begin with he said in his most
professional tone, you have gone
about it in the worst possible way. 1t
doesn't take a lawyer or a deep stu
dent Of human nature to tell you that
the best way to arouse a girls in
terest in pretty things is to deprive
her of them"
Tom paused for a moment and
thought. Here's my remedy" he re-
sumed. Call off this board meeting
this afternoon. Then give the girl a
real taste Of happiness. If she is well
behaved invite her to your own home,
treat her as you would a guest, pro-
vide her with a few pretty clothes and
take her about with you. Let her see
the normal side Of life. Let her real
lie that a woman can be pretty and at
tractiye without being a sinner"
1t was two weeks later, and Mrs.
Stoddington was again seated before
her spindle-Iegged desk. Tom again
sat before her in apparent impatienCe.
THAT plan is a failure, just as I
thought it would be-" she began. "Why
| ever thought you could advise me in
the case of young orphan girls is quite
beyond me. Oh, yes, she was very
sweet and lovely for a while aud all
my friends declared she was beautiful,
and two or three of the bachelors who
never look at a debutante suddenly dis
covered a decided fOndness for my
drawingrOom chairs-I needn't tell
you that for you are much in the same
boat yourself There was nothing in
the least bit forward about her though,
She was as sweet as a girl of our own
class-and then suddenly she went off
yesterday. And at the teatime she
came in smiling and refused to tell
me where she had been. She is up
stairs in her room now. ! am going
to have her packed up tomorrow sent
back to st. Prisca's. 1t is really too
disgraceful. Gone a whole day and
won't tell where she went! Tom, it is
all your fault"
Tom drew his chair closer to that Of
his sister and this time showed evil
dent interest In the case of the little
orphan girl,
Suppose l could tell you where
the girl was yesterday. Suppose |
could prove to you that she left the
house on an expedition to find the one
to WHOM she felt indebted for her little
fling in the world of normal pleasure
and happiness. | believe she did ask
you who 1t was and you told her. And
then, of course, suppose you knew that
that humble bcnefactor, quite in spite
of himself, persuaded the girl to have
luncheon with him downtown, and
then sent her home with a promise not
to tell where she had been, would you
blame her very much? | thought that
| might explain it more easily than she
could"
Tom had risen, as If to go, but OF
course, he had no such intention, for
he had not yet seen the little girl in
question that day.
You know your idea was a good
one, perhaps oven better than mine,
he told his sister. You know you
said you would feel your task complete
when you had seen her married to
some honest, Woodworking person.
am quite sure that | am Woodworking
and, in spite Of my profession, make
certain claims to honesty. 1t Is a rath'
or hasty decision, but have gained
James consent We are just waiting
for your permission"
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