FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 258, 18 December 1916, Page 10

FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS.

School was over, and Miss Grant sat at her tea-table enjoying a wellearned rest. A sharp r.ng at the door beP was followed by the entrance of a visu ». Myra sprang up with outstretched hands, and cried, “Oh. L’nde Hob! What an unexpected pleasure! Sit down and gossip, and forget the* cares of State for a time.” The visitor was an old friend of her father s. Together they had left old Scotland’s shores, and together they had reached the young colony of Arcadia, and shared in the dangers and discomforts of pioneer life. Late in life Mr Grant had found his vocation as Rector of the Orford Hoys’ High School. On the death of his young wife, he had devoted himself to the education of his daughter, and under his tuition Myra had taken high academic honours. His friend, Robert Cameron, had entered politics, and was now Arcadia’s Minister of Defence. Daughterless himself, he was much attached to the* daughter of his old friend, while to Myra I’ncle Hob was the ideal hero, as her father had been her ideal of a saint. “Well, Myra,” said I nc le, “still delighted to teach the* young idea how to shoot, or are you ready to come and be my private secretary?” “Nothing as common as that.” said Myra, smiling. “Only the portfolio of Kducation will satisfy me.” “Ha, ha! Very good!” laughed the Minister. “All things come to her who waits, if she* only waits long enough. Hut seriously, my child, 1 want your help. Cabinet to-day discussed your iK*t project- the appointment of women police. As you know, the Minister in charge of the* police is averse to the proposal; but I have been much impressed with the work they have done elsewhere* Three Australian States have appointed them, and in each they have* made good. To-day I expressed my determination, as head of the* Defence Department, to appoint women patrols to the military camps unless police women are appointed.” “How brave of you, I'nclc, to beard the lion in his den!” “Well, puss, you surely did not think that women had a monopoly of moral courage, did you? Cnder pressure, the Minister has agreed to appoint three police women in our garrison town of Fairley.”

“Web done! A step in the right direction!” “Yus, my child; but wait a minme. My Colleague has challenged me to find suitable women, and 1 have accepted his challenge*. 1 depend on you to e nable me to make good. W ill you be our first police woman?” “I’ncle, you take: my breath away. Fancy me a member of the police force!” Very ser ously Mr Cameron replied: “Myra, your father urged this reform, believing it would safeguard the young life of our Dorn mon. For his sake, and because I believe in his insight, 1 am forcing a trial here. Muc h depends upon getting the* right woman. If our first appointees are failures, my colleague will refuse to appoint more, and reform will be delayed. I ask you to come to the help of those who are standing in slippery places.” The girl’s eyes tilled with tears. “Give me a few days to think it over,” was all she said. After a little more talk, the Minister went away, and left Myra to her thoughts. Kre she retired for the* night, Myra knelt down and spread the matter before the* Lord, and asked for His guidance. The following evening Myra went to see her old nurse, Granny Morris. The old lady was seated at her window, with her Bible on her knee*, and greeted her nursling with a tender smile.

“All alone, Granny?” “Yes, dear, and I’m troubled about Nancy.’’ “What is the matter with her, Granny?” asked Myra. “Nancy is not bad, only foolish and unbalanced. Lately she has been going out for motor rides with a gentleman of whom I know nothing. She* takes no heed to what hr: old Granny says; thinks I am oldfashioned. I wish we had women police to look after girls like Nancy, and save them from disgrace and ruin. My dear, my heart is very heavy for my foolish little girl.” Myra comforted her as best she could, and then set out for home*. As she* pissed through a dimly lit park, ‘he heard a familiar laugh, and looking up, beheld Nancy approaching in company with a well-dressed nrddfe-aged man. “Gobd evening, Nancy,” said Myra. “Granny is lonely, and wants you.”

; “Alright, Miss Myra, I’m going home soon.” I Nancy’s flushed face and tainted breath betrayed the fact that she had b» en treated to wine, and Myra’s h< art ached a c she saw the girl and b» r companion turn down a dark avenue. “If 1 only had a badge of authority, I might have saved her,” reflected Myra. A young couple were approaching, and as soon as the girl saw Myra she accosted her. “Miss Grant, if I come along with you now, can I get the book you spoke of?” “Certainly, come with me.” The g.rl moved off with Myra, and the man slunk away as his prey escaped him. “Forgive me for addressing you, Miss Grant,” said the girl. “You must think 1 am rude to address a perfect stranger as I did you.” “It is all right. 1 think you wantid an excuse to leave your companion, flu it not so?” “Yes, I was introduced to him, and he seemed so clever and entertaining that 1 consented to go for a walk with him. 1 refused a glass of wine he offered me. When we got in nere he behaved so rudely that I was frightened. We passed a policeman a little way back, but I did not like to speak to a man about what he might think was my imagination. I was glad to see you.’’ Myra saw the young girl home, and went to her own home very deeply moved by what she had seen. The next afternoon Mrs Walker called to see Myra. They were friends of old standing, and had been classmates. Mrs Walker was the wife of Fairley’s leading lawyer, a man of high character and great mental attainments. “Myra,” said her friend, “I’m bubbling over with indignation. Philip says we women a'c wicked not to get women Court officials appointed. To-day he was in Court when that case was being heard of the young girl ruined by her own father. The Court was cleared. Philip says the evidence was the most disgusting he has ever listened to. And to our eternal infamy that child had to stand alone and tell all the revolting details to a Court composed wholly of men. Was this right? Does not common decency demand that this thing shall stop? Should

not women deal with these cases, as they do in many other places." Myra, we should not like our own daughters to have to undergo „uch an ordeal; then should we not work and agitate till no other woman’s daughter has to submit to such an outrage on decency ? Many vile men escape because mothers won’t allow their children to give evidence of injuries done to them.” Soon after Mrs W alker took her leave, and Myra was left with food for thought. That evening Myra fought her battle, and made her choice. On the one hand, she saw a path of high scholastic promise. She knew that she could rise to the head of her profession, and occupy a place of honour and wealth. On the other hand were no brilliant prospects, just the drearydrudgery of work amid uncongenial surroundings. Hut Myra had heard the call, “Follow Me,” and knew that the Master called His disciples to follow Him up the path of sacrifice as well as of service. Her choice was made; not in the stately halls of learning would lie her future work, but in the silent park and the busystreet. Then kneeling down, she* consecrated herself to the service of the suffering and the sinning. “Father in heaven,” she said, “Thou hast shown me the need, and 1 believe Thou hast called me to this work. Only, 1 pray Thee, that as 1 go forth in this new untrodden path, I may heart Thee say, ‘Certainly 1 will be with thee.’ ” On Sunday afternoon Myra found Mr Cameron in his garden. Going up to him, she said, “Cncle Hob, I'll be a police woman.”

“Have you got your inspiration, then, dear?” “Yes, Unc e, I’ve heard the call. Then she told him of the incidents in the park, and repeated what her friend had told her of the Police Courts. With passion vibrating in her voice, she said: “Uncle Bob, I’ve given my life to save girls who have never had the chance that I have had. If I can save them from ruined lives, it will be work worth doing. And never again, while I am here, shall a poor girl alone stand and tell hi r story of ruin and disgrace to a Court of men.” The Minister stooped and kissed her brow. “God help you, my child, to

realise your dreams of service! Make good, and the work will spread till whatever place women have to go, there shall women officials be found to help them. Aye! even into the Halls of Parliament. ’