The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1918-02-16
SIMPLY
HUMAN
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, tcosyrtsAA 1917. wsssssa Nsw,pepss Us,sa.l
.wild Sand perverss.- proclaimed
Rev. WINS Gascoyne. II must decline
to interfre.. The girl II willful. hel
relatives Indifferent. What might Say
to her would only antasonixe her and
do no good"
II think you mlsjudge her" spoke
Bliss Warden warm-heartedly. "She
q child Of nature. simply human"
The speaker turned away rather I'M
ceremoniously, while the other
shrugged his shoulders dellcately and
resumed the pairing Of his well-kept I'm
ger nails. The latter never mingled In
common and unpleasant Affairs outside
Of his ecclesiastical functions. Why
should he7 Was not his sole duty
owing to his devoted fiockf
What would become Of the charity
circle. the Ladies' Aid society. the lawn
entertainments, II he wasted his efforts
on the outside community
It was all about . girl. mere waif
on the ocean Of life, Leila Tfask. She
was the neglected drudge Of the 1ers
fils, a wretched family living at the
edge Of the town. Neither toll nor de-
privation. however. could beat to earth
the CHEEKY, dauntless spirit Of 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
their owners. A hoyden who had never
known kiss or 4 caress, she loved ma
ture and the Laughing ways Of life and
WAS content.
Bliss Warden was q city lawyer.
come down to summerdale to visit
friends and incidentally continue his
woolng Of proud, aristocratic Marcia
Burrell, heiress, beauty and social
queen. The day previous he had seen
Leila Trask meet man In the woods.
He knew the man at q glance. He
had impaired his history to Rev. Will
lis Gascoyne. The latter bet0kened
interest in the story. but none in the
giri.
"A bright young spirit, with . soul
clear a. crystal" ruminated Warden.
Surely. II am q real man will not
grudge the time and effort to save her
from the wiles Of . villain"
30, he sought Leila Trask. He found
her digging potatoes In the little patch
back Of the mere hovel In which she
lived. He nodded to her In friendly
way. She smiled hack radiantly.
"Can I speak with you for Q few
minutesr he asked. and she moved to
where he stood. looking up into his
syes trustinsiy.
~You are Mr.. Warden" she said.
sLittie Ned Billings told me how You
waded Into the creek to save his toy
sailboat. You are q good man and you
are going to marry Miss Burrell. Oh!
how happy she must be. and how lucky
to have all those beautiful gowns and
Jewels"
Her artless innocence appealed to
Bliss Warden more strongly than ever.
" am going to call you Leila" he
said. because see you are my friend.
Leila. will you trust me a. brother In
. matter close to your Interest, believ-
Ing that seek only to save you from
troubler'
Che nodded her head. but staring
wonderingly at his earnest, friendly
lace.
Il saw you with 4 man near here
yesterday. Is he loverr
She flushed up instantly. The rose
bud lips bore 4 momentary resentful
expression. Then she lowered her eyes
In confusion.
sHe says he wants to be my beau"
she fluttered. "And I never had one.
like other girls. and-and he says he
can get me work In the city 20 can
have fine dresses and beautiful room,
and he will marry me"
II am very sorry to make you feel
grieved Leila" said Warden, but this
man il a villain. Twice in the city
courts he has been sentenced to prison,
the last time for bigamy."
The girl svAyed as II from q stun
ming shock. She Gould not doubt the
wordi spoken She burst into tears
with the passionate outbreak.
III you know how I long for some
one to speak kind to me. to think Of
me. to love NJ, you would know how
hungry my heart Is! Oh! don't want
TO see him again, II he Is a. You say,
but oh! I must love somebody, some
thing. Obi why am not like other
girls-so poor, 30 lonely. 10 desplsed y
Warden quilted the distracted spirit
with gentle wards. Then he went his
way to the village. Within the houi
the treacherous ex-convict was ordered
to leave the town within twenty-foul
hours, or the city authorities would bs
notified. He skunk away IKE the cuI
he was.
Perhaps Leila was more subdued and
serious after that. The revelation con
corning the man she did not love. bu
whose false. flashing ways had inter