Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-02
No. 79-A Irregular
Girl"
A girl cannot buy respect with .
counterfeit coin. y


A girl cannot buy respect with .
. counterfeit coin.
%-~~<~<>>~~~-~%~ ~-~-~&N~~
II OR moment Howard Boyd's kind
y ness overwhelmed me. | had not
expected it, For j could not deny
that ] had treated him unfairly. From
the first, when he had met me, he had
shown me a deeper and more sincere
regard than the other young men OF his
set 1t was l who had deceived him.
His chum, June White, had seen me and
been attracted to me. He had asked
me to theaters and parties. And l with
out telling Howard of his invitations had
accepted them. At last June and I had
been caught in net of our own duplici-
ty. Howard, calling for me one evening
while June was still in my home, had
seen through the curtains of my front
door the shadow Of our embrace. He had
not protested He was too much of a
man to reproach me. But 1 realized
when / saw his face that l had really
hurt him. There on my own doorstep
he had turned away from me, and from
that day to this, when l had encountered
him on the street, had not seen him.
Meanwhile life had been teaching me
many things. 1 could be grateful now,
that my eyes once more met Howard
Boyd's, that L had taken the lesson to
heart had learned the true worth of
June White and discarded him forever.
And l had found my own dignity and
self-respect through the labors with
which now supported myself.
"Di!" exclaimed Howard. what in the
world have you been doing to yourself?"
l think he saw almost at c-se glance
that my clothes were shabby and my hat
very worn. 1t went to my heart that
Howard saw these things, yet he drew
closer TO me. 1 smiled at him as best
1 could.
81 am a wage Garner these days." /
told Howard, and my voice quivered as
1 spoke
what do you mean?" Howard asked
quickly.
81 couldn't stand 1t at home any long
err" 1 explained. 81 mean things were
too easy for me. l was doing things l
ought not to do, and it made me asham-
ed. But couldn't seem to break away
from 1t. Why Howard, was going out
some place nearly every night; parties
and all sorts of things. I wasn't earning
any money, and ! was taking presents
from nearly all the men 1 knew. l tried
to stop it and couldn't 1t seemed best
to me to wipe the slate clean. So
packed my bag and left home, and-here
l am" l tried to laugh lightly. by
working nights" l said,," manage 10
make about $12 week. L have found
out l am not worth much, Howard. The
best L can do is 10 address envelopes
for an insurance company"
Address envelopes for an insurance
company" exclaimed Howard, blankly.
''Why, Di, you can't get enough money
for that even to eat property!
I,1fS T al 4 ret
had my dinner, and 1 am going home
now to do some extra work because l
want the money for clothes"
Howard laid his hand gently on my
arm.
"Cut the work out for an hour, Dr."
he suggested land go for little drive
with me. The air will do you good;
you will work all the better for it after
ward"
L hesitated a moment. With Howard
1 knew the old life of parties and motor
rides might still hold some lure for me.
1 liked the boy enormously He was
showing me now a sympathy in loneli-
ness that was very sweet. Yet l also
knew that his stratum in society was
financially at least above mine. His peo-
pie were rich. Howard barely out OF
college, had never earned a cent in his
life. He was young. 1 was attractive
to him. A marriage between us his peo-
pie would regard as a mesalliance. What
then could come of a resumption Of our
friendship? Well-for the moment it
would have to remain on the knees of
the gods Certainly Towards suggestion
for a brief outing with him was too
tempting to refuse Fifteen minutes
after | had met him we were seated
together in a taxi the top of which
had been lowered. The air was cool on
my face. And gradually the sense of
Towards companionship made me feel
peaceful and at rest. We talked of many
things; Of my changed life, and of How
ards days which had, gone on much as
usual
Almost at once / began to feel there
never had been a parting between us
There was only one change. Howard TO
longer put his hand over mine, nor
slipped his arm about my waist while we.
talked. The explanation came just be-
fore he left me at my door.
"Di," said Howard, may come and
see you some times? 1 would like to be
friends with you awfully. And 1 want
to tell you that 1 haven't kissed you to-
night. not because 1 didn't want to just
as much as ever, but something, your
work or the way you have been living,
has made you awfully sweet. You are
lot dearer than you used to be. Di. You
are a regular girl now. And a chap
like myself don't kiss regular girls; he
has too much respect for them"
felt that the handclasp Howard
gave men in parting was a sort of honor
badge sign of what / had become. l had
worked for II. I'd earned it. Ny eye
lashes we're wet with tears Of happiness
as I turned away and walked up my