The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-23
JANE LAWRENCE
BY ELLIS DICKSON.

NS~~~U~~~SN~~S~SS~~ N~S~<%~~%N~S%N$%S
IF / had known about Jane Law
renee never would have become pres
ident of the board Of managers Of
St. Prisca's home. But then how was
to know? But II had known Of the
case of Jane Lawrence | really couldn't
have done it. / have actually stayed
awake nights over 1t. And this after
noon. when ought to be spending all
my time at the tailor's and dressmak-
er's, l have to have a 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
ow's 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 a 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 a 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
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 matron 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 coquette. II we could
only get her married of to some hon
est, hard-working person who would
give her a hCme with plenty Of work
Sne WOulC De al right.
If Tom felt any special interest in
the case of the little orphan girl he
did not show 1t.
ITO begin WITH" he said in his most
professional tone, you have gone
about 1t 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 we'll
behaved invite her to your own home,
treat ner as you would a guest, pro-
vide her with few pretty clothes and
| take her about with you. Let her see
the normal side of life. Let her real
ize that woman can be pretty and at
| tractive without being sinner"
1t was two weeks later, and Mrs
! Stoddington was again seated before
her spindle-legged desk. Tom again
sat before her in apparent Impotence
THAT plan is a failure, just as
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 while and all
my friends declared she was beautiful
and two or three of the bachelors who
never look at debutante suddenly dis
covered a decided fondness for my
drawing-room 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 girl CT our OWE
class-and then suddenly she went of
yesterday. And at the teatime she
came in smiling and refused to tel
me where she had been. She is up
stairs in her room now. l am going
to have her packed UP tomorrow sem
back to st. Prisca's. II Is really toe
disgraceful. Gone a whole day anC
won't tell where she went! Tom, it il
all your fault"
Tom drew his chair closer to that O.
his sister and this time showed evi
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 on,
to whom she felt indebted for her little
fling in the world of normal pleasur,
and happiness. l believe she did asl
you who it was and you told her. AND
then, of course, suppose you knew tina
that humble benefactor, quite in spit,
of himself, persuaded the girl to hav,
luncheon with him downtown, ant
then sent her home with promise no
to tell where she had been, would yol
blame her very much? thought tina
might explain it more easily than sh
could"
Tom had risen, as If to go, but o
course, he had no such intention, TO
he had not yet seen the little girl Il
| oueSfinn that day