Trail-Tales of Western CanadaRobinson, F. A. (Frank Alfred)
Religion
Trail-Tales of Western Canada
Robinson, F. A. (Frank Alfred)
Canadian fiction -- 20th century; Missions -- Canada, Western -- Fiction; Short stories, Canadian
"It's too blamed bad to send a pretty youngster like that to the
cells," said one.
"Why not send her to that new Rescue Home till we get more particulars?
They'll take care of her. There's a woman there that knows her job
alright."
And so to the Redemptive Home Lavina was sent, the authorities giving
the usual instructions governing such a case. For a few hours the
new-comer was silent, but few girls could long be silent in the
presence of the big-hearted, winsome Superintendent of that Home. It
was a new experience for Lavina; the only kindness she had known was
the traitorous type, and it was hard for her to believe that there was
such a thing as unselfish love. Forty-eight hours from the time she
crossed the threshold of the Home, the hand that was almost ready to
strike any one who seemed to have co-operated in checking her reckless
career was slipped along the forearm of the Superintendent.
"Everybody thinks I'm bad, and I guess I am, but I believe if I had
lived with you I might have wanted to be good."
The words did not come easily, but when the Superintendent stroked the
black hair and put an arm around the wanderer, drawing the head to her
shoulder, she realized that love had won its first battle in that
misguided life.
The following morning a young man rang the door-bell of the Home in an
impatient manner. When the Superintendent appeared he said, "Is this
where Lavina Berson is?"
"Yes," was the reply.
"Well, I want her, and I want her d----d quick. She's a d----d
nuisance. She's never been any good. Nobody can do anything with
her." Then, drawing a rope from his pocket, he said, "I'll bind the
little devil with this, and if that won't do I've something else in
here (putting his hand over his hip-pocket) that will settle her." His
face was red with passion, and his eyes flashed with anger. "Oh! you
needn't tell me," he continued. "I know all about her; I'm her
brother. I'm sick of getting her out of difficulties. I say she's a
d----d nuisance, and I ain't going to let her forget this trip I've had
to take, not on your bottom dollar I ain't. I've got something else to
do than to be chasing over the country after her."
"You cannot get possession of your sister to-day," answered the
Superintendent. "Even if I were not under obligation to the
authorities to detain her, pending their instructions, I could not let
her go with you just now. She is a friend of mine, and I love her.
She has told me her story; she is only just sixteen. Ropes and pistols
and policemen are not the remedy, sir; she needs a brother--a real
brother. If you call in the morning I shall be glad to have a quiet
talk with you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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