ry possible way. She and
her mother were almost inseparable companions. There was absolutely no
way in which Alice could have become acquainted with people of the
underworld, or heard the vile expressions that she afterward used in an
evil personality. Her face showed unusual innocence and purity, her
disposition was affectionate and serene.

But when she was about seventeen Alice began to have strange spells of
irritability; she would grow sullen and stubborn, and soon these ugly
moods became more violent; she would burst into horrible tirades against
her father and mother and declare that she couldn't stand their
goody-goody ways, that they were so damned pious they made her sick.
Then rage and lust seemed to possess her and she would talk about men in
a shocking way, using unspeakable words, while the expression of her
face and the posture of her body became those of a wanton.

At first Alice could not tell when these attacks were coming on, but
later, when she was about twenty, she knew and would beg her family to
keep "that dreadful, horrible girl" from taking hold of her. "She's
going to change me! Oh, keep her away! Don't let her get me!" she would
cry out in terror.

Through the last days of the poor girl's life the struggle between the
real Alice and the gutter woman went on almost constantly. Alice would
implore Seraphine to make the wicked girl go away so that when the end
came (she knew she was going to die) she might be herself. But the evil
spirit had firm possession and a few hours before her death Alice's
mouth was coarse and sensual, her eyes were wicked, her whole expression
revolting.

Seraphine sent word to the family that they must not come into the room;
then, kneeling by the bedside of the dying girl, she nerved herself for
a last struggle between the powers of good and evil. With all the
strength of her pure soul she invoked God's love to restore and heal
this afflicted child ere she departed for the Great Beyond; and, an hour
before the end, the family were admitted to the chamber and looked upon
Alice's pillowed face, sweetly smiling, beautiful and unsullied, as they
had always known her and cherished her. _God's love had prevailed!_

* * * * *

When Seraphine left me my mind had become calm and hopeful and I had
given up my wicked purpose. I fell asleep praying that God would save me
from the powers of darkness, that His love would watch over me and
protec