Marion Marlowe in Buffalo, or, Betrayed by a Rival Company — page 33: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

30 the pleasure of flirting I could consider myself discharged. I told her I was nota bit jealous, but that if she did not stop it our engagement was at an end because I believed it wrong. Now, what shall I do? It would be like giving up my life to lose her, for I love her so well. “T have read every number of ‘My Queen,’ and will continue to read it as long as it is for sale. If you will answer this letter you will relieve me of a great burden. JOHN W.”’ We are always glad to hear from our male readers and to give them any assistance we can, It does not seem to us that the love of a girl who insists upon flirting with other men can be of much value. The young lady is probably too young to realize the seriousness of marriage or of an engagement. Her action does not show very much respect for herself or for you, and, perhaps it would be ' just as well if you allowed your engagement to lapse for the present, as you suggest. You have abundance of time in which to think of matrimony, and we would not advise you to be in haste to fall in love. “There is a certain man giving my sister and. me very much attention, and he has been very kind to us. He has tried on several occasions to have us visit his rooms, and at last we consented and went. He had some nice wine, and we got quite intoxicated. Do you think it right for us to associate with him? Iam very young yet. I was fifteen last June, and my sister was fourteen last April. We would be very glad to have your opin- ion. Evsiz H.” me AuMA H.” Déear Alma and Elsie! Your letter thrills me with indignation! Is it possible that such fiends can exist in the shape of men? Have you no parents, no one to protect you from such men as the one you write of? No man takes girls of your age to his room except for evil purposes,and the man who offers children under sixteen a glass of wine is the blackest sort of criminal. I advise you to avoid this man as you would a rat- tlesnake. In future you must be more careful where you go and whom you go with, and when- ever any one suggests anything to you that you do not think right, go at once to your natural guardians and tell them about it. Write to me again, and tell me the name of the villain who lured you to his room, The arm of the law is Jong, perhaps we can reach him. “J am in love with a nice man forty years old, He is married and has children, but he has been away from his wife ten years. He says he loves me and wants me to marry him. I am fifteen years old and I love @ young fellow who is about aeventeen, but I think ] will throw him over. The older man says he will pay my board and et me anything I want. I have taken money Foam him twice. My parents allow me fo go wit him, but they say it doesn’t look right, as he 1s He kisses me every night. He takes me and tells me he will go erazy if I him. Dosyou think Tam silly for to him? I don’t want you to say l am married. to his rooms don’t marry listening MY QUEEN. on the way to destruction, for I am not. I have read the four books about Marion Marlowe, and they are very nice, but I don’t believe there isa girl living that would not let her fellow kiss and hug her, and there isn’t any harm in it! Please publish this. MALINDA B.” Poor, foolish little girl! What are your parents thinking of! It looks as if the morals of your town were almost as bad as those of Paterson, New Jersey, where young girls of your age are being ruined by dozens. You are too young to reason on this vital question, but we sincerely hope that you have kept a copy of your letter and that you will read it over each year of your life. It will be almost penance-enough for any woman. Kindly let us into your confidence to the extent of introducing us to your parents. Also, give us the full name and address of the ‘nice’? married man who is making love to you. Just so long as age is evil and youth is foolish, we shall expect to read such heartbreuking let- ters. I am glad, very glad, that you are not on the ‘‘way to destruction.’’ It is that assurance alone that makes the news in your letter bear- able. See to it, little one, that you do not start on the downward road, but you have already taken the first step when you submit to hugging and kissing from a man who canhot, in honor, marry | you. | “T think another girl is trying to get my sweet- heart away from me. She keeps asking him to take her to parties and balls, and he feels so flat- tered at her invitations that he always goes. I don’t like it a bit, but I know that if I scold him abowt it he will only go i apts nag | ean I keep him by me in spite of her en Sb ie HF The only way we know of to retain any one’s affection is to be more congenial and interesting than any one else. If you can hold the man’s interest he will soon grow tired of the other girl. If he is so easily led as your letter would lead us to judge we would not try very hard to retain him, The only affection worth having is that which can withstand temptation and remain true to its object in spite of the allurements of others, If you feel that you cannot live without this man’s society you will have to endeavor to inter- est him in yourself to the exclusion of all others, If he is not necessary to your existence the wisest thing for you to do will be to let him continue to go with those whose society he finds so congenial and seek other company yourself. “Please tell me what to do as I'm all in a tan- le. I have asked two girls to marry me, and they a ve both accepted, Shall I leave town at once and save myself trouble? [am only seventeen and work for my father, and tage kick me clean out of the store if he knew what I had done. Please answer quick before anything hap- pens, Nep B,.” I doubt if your father would be quite so hard on vou as all that, Ned! You are not the first boy of seventeen who has done something fool- Eomichooks. co