The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-12

"A
she would be all right. But how shnil
she meet him without running the
risk Of finding out her charms? Real
Ivy IL Is dreadful
! IL Tom felt any special interest in
1.-THE case OF the little orphant girl he
did not show II; In fact, there was d
distinct expression Of, boredom on his
face as he paced back and forth be-
fore his sister,
ITO begin WITH he said In his moss
professional tone, after he had como
to a pause, you have gone about 1t
In the worst possible way. It doesn't
take q lawyer or a deep student Of hui.
man nature to tell you that the best
way. to arouse o girls interest In pref.
ty things Is TO deprive her OF them.
And to curtail her good times will only
lead her unfortunate little person 10 a
women exactly like yourself at heart
and no doubt has the same craving
for gewgaws and furbelows as you
have"
Tom paused for a moment ana
thought. Here's my remedy" he re-
sumed. "Call. off this board meeting
this afternoon. Why make a case for
sedate spitsters and selfrighteous Gu.
rates to ponder over OF this little per-
son? Then give the girl a real taste
OF happiness. II. she Is well behaved
invite her to your own home, treat her
as you would a guest, provide her with
q few pretty clothes and take her about
with you. Let her see the normal
side Of life. Let her realize that a
woman can be pretty and attractive
without being a sinner. Then when
she starts out to arm her own living
she will have the same point Of view,
and when the honest, worthy male
come along she will be only the better
off for having some idea OF the world
besides that gained through the graf
ings Of st. Prisca's."
1t was two weeks later, and Mrs.
Stoddington was again seated before
her s2indle.legged desk, only this
time she was clad in a tlmy morning
negligse of violet instead OF rose col.
or. Tom again sat before her in ap.
parent impatience.
THE plan Is a failure. just as I
thought 1t 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 beau.
tiful, and the young curate. who hadn't
the most remote idea that she was the
unfortunate Jane Lawrence, had got
into the habit of dropping in for tea
every afternoon, and two or three OF
the bachelors who never look at a de.
butante suddenly discovered q decid:
cd fondness for my drawing room
chairs-l needn't tell you that for you
are much in the same boat yourself.
There was nothing in the least bit for.
ward about her though. She was as
sweet as a girl of our own class-and
then suddenly she went off yesterday.
Heaven knows where she went. She
was gone for an entire day and simply
left word with my maid that she had
gone own town. And at 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 and
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 ev.
ident interest In the case Of the little
orphan. girl. .
Suppose l could tell you where the
girl was yesteray. Suppose l 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. I believe she did ask you
who 1t was and you told her. Well,
could you very much blame her II you
knew that her little expedition yester.
day was a trip to the office OF that
benefactor to tell him Of her gratitude
and to thank him with all the sweet.
ness and innocence Of the child that
she Is for what she considers the turn.
ing point OF her career? Without ex.
actly knowing how, she realizes that
these weeks have saved her from
what might have been a shipwreck.
And then, Of course, suppose you know
that that humble be%nefactor, quite in
spite OF himself, persuaded the girl to
have Luncheon with him down town,
and then sent her home with a prom.
Use not to tell where she had been,
would you blame her very much
thought that | might explain 1t more
easily than she could"
Mrs. Stoddington sank back heavily
against the fragile framework of the
desk chair.
"oh. Tom, I am SO relieved" abe
said. II felt such a responsibility"
Tom had risen, as II to go. but oil
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 even better than mine,,,