The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-29
she hates him ms type of man dangerous to a community.
AN CONVENTIONAL HURT

dangerous to H community.
 AN INTERNATIONAL HURT
 l thought a great deal about what Gloria had told me as I pulled my "built-in" bed from out the dining room buffet.
 My life had changed as completely in the last three weeks $ that bed which masqueraded as a buffet in the daytime was a change from the old four poster which my mother and other ancestors had used for cen- turtles way back in old Virginia.
 Vaguely 1 seemed to understand that l had entered into an entirely new world74a world where it is up to the girl every mlnute--a strenuous world where no one but the girl her self can decide-a world of oppor- tunity beset by dangerous tempta- tion-a world where the girl has to fight not only for her daily bread but for her very soul.
 I wondered if Gloria and the girls who. like her, had had to fight these battles over and over had lost any of that feminine charm I had been taught to consider woman's greatest fascination.
 True, Gloria had lost every intima- ton of helplessness, but as l thought of her in her varying moods, l felt that she was the most interesting little creature l had ever met,
 I contrasted her swith Naomi, my childhood friend. and the picture Was so utterly at variance that l laughed aloud. This brought Gloria back into the room.
 She was aspieture of girlish beauty. There was no charm missing from n ls cla which was thinly covered by her null nightdress.
 No girl who had lived under the protection of home and family could have had a sweeter expression. She looked as though she might have stepped out of a room that had been forever hemmed about with those who had kept every shadow of ad- versity and sophistication from her.
 Her red brown hair had been brushed until every strand of 1t crinkled about her face, frame-like.
 She looked at me a moment as l was husily twisting my hair about my fingers. ,,
 "Oh. your hair is naturally curly How beautiful!" she exclaimed as she touched one of the curls that was hanging down my neck.
 Ut is not more beautiful than yours" I answered. "In fact, l like yours better; it is so nice and wavy. While mine you see, just eurls up in little ringlets.'
 "Virgie, you are constant source of joy to me-you dear child. Don [ you know that my hair has been per manently waved? ."
 What is that?"
 "Oh. it means that it has been baked and toasted for hours while sat in misery, expecting every mo- ment to be burned by the electric current which heated every Title pad about which 1t was rolled It cost me s25, but thank heaven it lasts six months And you may be sure that no matter how hot the day is your hair will not come out of curl in the middle of picture"
 Must a girl in the movies have curly hair?" I asked rather compla- gently, as I twisted some of mine around my finger.
 Why, my dear child. don't you know that curly hair is about half the stock in trade of girl who wants to make an impression upon q director. But what were you laugh ing at as I came in?'
 q was just trying to imagine what Aunt Virginia and grandfather and Eddie Montforth and all the rest would say about me"
 They would undoubtedly say, Vir- gie, that l was not fit company for you. And yet, I am not sure, Virgie, that l am not better than you are with all your ancestors. You don't know yet what you will do under stress of circumstances-I do. You have never been tempted-I have. And what these people-who know nothing about the, temptation which circumstances may bring to some of us-have to say really matters very little to me. l know it Is something they do not understand, and because they do not understand 1t their opin- ion is worthless"
 2 I saw that I had hurt Ria--al- though I did not men to-and l was ashamed that l had even given her cause to think that l was Pharisee.
 q wasn't trying to find fault with you. Gloria. Il was just making the contrast. 1 want you to know that I hope I shall be like you. and I know you are going to help me a lot. And tonight. when I say my prayers. shall thank God that He let me find you"
 You're a dear" said Gloria impul- sively. She put her arms about my neck and burst into tears.
 why, Gloria, what Is the matter? !? I would not have made you cry for the world. Surely you know I did not mean to. Tell me l did not hurt you, Ria"
 No. you didn't hurt me. But oh, yirgie. Virgie. l though he loved me 1 wanted him to love me. And Oh, Godi pity me--when l saw him today knew that I still wanted him to love me, even though l am only one of the 57 varieties" she added flippantly.
 T wonder" and she looked at mo intently. If you're going to be the fifty eighth"
 Don't you remember. Gloria, that there are only fiftyseven varieties; there aint goin' to be no fifty eighth" l said with disregard for grammer that fitted the moment.
 Tomorrow-Gloria's Tears.