The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1917-11-08
SIMPLY
HUMAN
By Jessie Ethel Sherwin


:, - =:
''ogys!EaI is!5. Wozr-ra Sews.ap,s CE.oa.g
wild and perversc," proclaimed
Rev. Willis Gascoyuc. Il must decline
90 interfere. The girl is wi..fu.. her
relatives Indifferent. What nigh, say
To- her would only an,aSon!ze her and
do 10 good"
Il lhinH you miSjudce her" spoke
Bliss Warden wa-m-Leartedly. she
IS Il child Of nature. simply human"
The speaker turned away rather IN
tremendously, while the other
shrugged his shoulders deliCatpIy and
Resumed the pairing IF his well-kept fin,
ger nails. The latter never mingled in
common and unpleasant affairs outside
OF his ecclesiastical functions. Why
should he? Was not his sole duty
owing TO his devoted focki
What would become OF the charity
circle, the Ladies Aid society. the lawn
entertainments. II he wasted his efforts
on the outside community?
IL was all about a girl. n mere waif
on the ocean Of life. Leila Trask. She
was the neglected drudge Of the Ner-
rIls. wrctched family living at the
edge OF the town. Neither toll nor de-
priyation. however. could beat 10 earth
the CHEEKY. dnuntlesS spirit o. the lone
~ one. She romped with the little ones
whenever free from duty and made
them love her. She rode the widest
horses In the district. tanned them for
eheir owners. A hOydpn who had never
known kiss or Il CareSS she loved ma
ture and the laughing ways OF life and
was content.
Bliss Warden was n city lawyer.
come down 10 Summerdalc 70 visit
friends and Incidentally continue his
woo!nC Of proud. ariStocra,i" Marcia
EUrreu. heirosS, beauty and social
queen. The day previous h" had seen
Leila Trask meet n man in the woods.
He knew the man ut n glance. II"
had impaired his history to Rev. vii
lis GascOyue. The latter hetOkcnrd
interest IN the story, but none In the
girl.
"A bright young spirit. with soul
clear rs crystal" ruminated Warden.
surely. II am a real man | will not
-rudge the time and effort 10 save her
from The wileS Of villain"
So. he sought Leila Trask He found
her digging potatoes in the little patch
hack of tho mere howell in which she
lived He nodded TO her in n friendly
way. She smiled back radantly.
Can speak with YOU for few
minutes?" he asked. and she moved 70
where he stood. looking up into his
eyes trustlnGiy.
You are Mr.. Warden" she said.
Little Ned Billings told me how you
wnded into the creek to save his toy
sailboat. You are n good man and You
are going to marry Miss Burrcll. Oh
how happy she must be. and how lucky
10 have all those beautiful gowns and
Jewels"
Her artless innocence appealed 20
Bliss Warden more strongly than ever.
y am going TO cnll you Leila" he
said. -hecause I see you are my friend
Leila. will you trust me ms brother in
a matter close TO your interest, believ-
ing that l seek only TO save you fr3m
troubleT'
She nodded her head. hut stnrin.
wonderingly at bis earnest. friendly
face.
II saw you with man near here
yesterday. Is he lOver?"
She flushed up instantly. The rose
bud lips bore n momentary resentful
expression. Then she lowered her eyes
In confusion.
HE snys he wants 10 be my beau"
she futtered. And / never had one.
like other girls, and-and he says he
can get me work in the city so l can
have fine dresses and n beautiful room,
and he will marry me"
II am very sorry to make you feel
grieved Leila said Warden. but this
map is villain. Twice in the city
coo is he has been sentenced to prison,
&c last time for bigamy."
The girl swayed as II from stun
ming shock She could not doubt the
words spoken. She burst into tears
with the passionate outbreak.
IF you know how l long for some
one to speak kind to me. to think Of
me, to love me. you would know how
hungry my heart Is. Oh. don't want
TO see him again. II he is as you say.
but oh ! must love somebody. some
thing. Oh! why am l not like other
girl>-so poor. so lonely. so despised :"
Warden quieted the distracted spirit
with gentle words. Then he went his
way to the village. Within the hour
the treaeherous ex-convict was ordered
to leave the town within twenty-fOur
hours, or the city authorities would be
notified. He skunk away like the cur
he was.
Perhaps Leila was more subdued md
serious after that. The revelation CON
corning the man she did not love. but