Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Eva Sweeney and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net THE GIRL AND HER RELIGION BY MARGARET SLATTERY THE PILGRIM PRESS BOSTON CHICAGO COPYRIGHT, 1913 BY LUTHER H. CARY _Fifth Printing_ THE PILGRIM PRESS BOSTON [Illustration: WHILE PACKING HER TRUNK SHE DREAMED OF COLLEGE.] FOREWORD TO THOSE WHO READ THIS BOOK It is not a technical book, it does not attempt philosophy. It does not contain the solution of all girl problems. It is not a great book, it is simple and concrete. It is a record of some things about which the girls I have known have compelled me to think. I have but one request to make of those who read it--that they also _think_--not of the book, not of the author, but of the _girls_--for _action_ is born of thought. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS PAGE THE GIRL I THE RIGHTS OF A GIRL 3 II THE HANDICAPPED GIRL 9 III THE PRIVILEGED GIRL 19 IV THE GIRL WHO IS EASILY LED 30 V THE GIRL WHO IS MISUNDERSTOOD 41 VI THE INDIFFERENT GIRL 55 VII THE GIRL WHO WORSHIPS THE TWIN IDOLS 68 VIII THE GIRL WHO DRIFTS 82 IX THE GIRL WITH HIGH IDEALS 96 X THE AVERAGE GIRL 107 HER RELIGION XI THE GIRL AND THE UNIVERSE 117 XII IN THE HANDS OF A TRIAD 130 XIII THOU SHALT NOT 141 XIV THOU SHALT 152 XV A MATTER OF CULTIVATION 162 XVI A PLEA AND A PROMISE 183 XVII A PERSON NOT A FACT 195 XVIII THE GLORY OF THE CLIMAX 206 ILLUSTRATIONS While packing her trunk she dreamed of college _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE Unconscious of her handicaps she anticipates keenly life in the new world 12 She was full of ambition and willing to work 22 She worships Pleasure and Fashion 68 Her heart is filled with a deep desire to serve 154 The future promises nothing and she has lost hope 198 PART I _The Girl_ I THE RIGHTS OF A GIRL