of their own, it is
fully in accordance with the laws of God and man, and no one can
criticise them. They have violated no ideas of purity or propriety. But
you can understand that if an unmarried woman has a child, every one
knows that she has had, with some man, an intimate relation to which
they had no right, either moral or legal. They have sacrificed modesty
and purity, and the child is a badge of disgrace, rather than of
honor."

"Isn't it just as much of a disgrace to him as to her?"

"Yes, dear, I think it is, and so do many of the best people; but,
unfortunately, there are many who do not think so, and blame the woman
or girl altogether. And the man, very likely, does not blame himself. He
says, 'Well, she ought not to have permitted it,' and so he gets out of
the way and leaves her to bear the shame alone. It is a cowardly thing
to do, for in all probability he was the one who made the first advances
and, had she been wise, she would have shunned the man who tried to lead
her into wrong, into doing that which would forfeit her self-respect and
the respect of the world. Even the man scorns the woman whom he leads
into disgrace."

"I suppose girls don't understand it, do they? Now, I did not
understand, until just now as you have told me about it, and I believe
lots of the girls are going into danger and don't know it. I must tell
you something. Yesterday as I was walking home from school with Belle
Dane--you know her, don't you? Isn't she pretty?"

"Yes, she is pretty, and I should imagine pert also. She has no
mother."

"Well, as we were walking along, a young man passed us. Belle smiled and
bowed, and he bowed too. I said, 'Who is that?' She said, 'I don't know,
but isn't he handsome? I shouldn't wonder if he'd turn back and walk
with us!' And sure enough, in a moment he was walking at her side,
saying, 'What a lovely day? Do you walk here every day?' and she said,
'Yes, as I go from school. On Saturdays I walk by the lake.'

"'Ah,' he said, 'I am thinking of walking there to-morrow. At what hour
do you walk?' 'About 4 o'clock,' she said. Then he looked at me. 'Does
your friend walk there, too? I have a friend who'd be glad to come.'
Then I broke in--'No, I never walk by the lake.' Then he bowed and left,
and Belle said, 'O, you little goose! Why did you say you didn't walk by
the lake? He'd have brought his friend and we'd have had such a good
time. Ten to one he'll bring flowers or candy, and we coul