Elizabeth Garver Jordan

“ Miss Herrick became serious.
"I did n't know it was so bad as that," she said quietly. She looked at the others with a question in her glance. Even Mrs. Ogilvie lowered her head in reflective consideration of Miss Imboden's statement.
"I had not realized," continued the hostess, gravely, "that it had gone so far. The problem has seemed to me a very simple one—no problem at all. Whatever the girl has been, she is now all that she should be, so far as we know. We know how hard she works, how plainly she lives, how lonely she is except for our affection and our companionship. ”

“ My mother sits in our little home out West reading the newspaper clippings about my work and pasting them in a scrapbook. Every word she reads or hears about me is precious gold to her. Can I run the risk of having my name and hers carelessly linked in newspaper gossip with another name that is mentioned with sneers? This is n't mere fancy. It has been done already—and in connection with you, Ruth," she broke in suddenly, wheeling about and facing her incredulous hostess. "Herforth said to me to-day, 'saw Miss Herrick at the theatre the other night with Miss Bertram. ”

“ Ogilvie, in her quiet way, "that before we decide this question the person most concerned should be heard from? Surely there is some way of learning the truth and of defending her,—or of getting her to defend herself. The person we should hear from next is—"
"Miss Bertram," said Miss Herrick's maid, at the door. ”

“ A POINT OF ETHICS. "AS I understand it," said Virginia Imboden, reflectively, "the question resolves itself into this: To what extent can a woman of irreproachable character assist a woman of no character without being injured in the eyes of others?" ”

“ If she has done wrong and is trying to make amends, this is no time for us to push her back. Surely, as her friends, we should give her all the help we can. I don't wish to dictate or to suggest to any one of you what her course should be, but to me we seem very smug and virtuous as we sit here criticising this girl from our own self-assured little pedestals. ”

“ I'm so glad my last night in New York will be spent with you."
She stopped for a moment.
"Going away!" they echoed, in dismal chorus. Mrs. Ogilvie crossed the room and dropped onto the ottoman at Miss Bertram's feet, her eyes full of tears.
"We shall be so sorry to lose you," she said softly.
"I know—I'm sure you will," the girl told her, looking down into the wet eyes with a responsive dimness in her own. "But we 're not parting forever. I'm going out of newspaper work for all time. But I hope to see you girls very often, in the years to come." ”

“ Of course he has n't the faintest idea who I am. I got him to write out the offer, and to-night I'm going to mail it to my father,—just for glory and to down him more thoroughly. Before I left my room to-night I got a telegram from him. Here it is. Is n't he a dear?"
She unrolled the slip of yellow paper and gave it to Miss Herrick, who passed it round to the others. The girls read it eagerly.
"Our loving congratulations. Your mother and I are prouder than ever of our girl. Come home at once and show your brothers how to make a success of life." ”

“ I know how much finer Ruth's point of view is. But we must remember where we are. Truth is speaking to you, my friends, though Truth realizes that it may not prevail in a gathering which is decidedly not in sympathy with the speaker. ”