A String of Amber Beads

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A String of Amber Beads

The Project Gutenberg eBook, A String of Amber Beads, by Martha
Everts Holden
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Title: A String of Amber Beads
Author: Martha Everts Holden

Release Date: November 6, 2005 [eBook #17019]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A STRING
OF AMBER BEADS***
E-text prepared by Al Haines

A STRING OF AMBER BEADS
by
MARTHA EVERTS HOLDEN
"AMBER"

Siegel, Cooper Co., New York. ---------- Chicago. Copyright 1893 by
Charles H. Kerr & Company

DEDICATED
TO THE LATE
ANDREW SHUMAN
MY LITERARY ADVISER
AND
TRUEST FRIEND

CONTENTS.
I. "I DIDN'T THINK." II. "STAY WHERE YOU ARE." III. A
COWARDLY MATE. IV. THEY CARRY NO BANNER. V. SHUT
IN. VI. THE CIRCLING YEAR--A CLOCK. VII. SOMETHING
BETTER THAN SURFACE MANNERS. VIII. MIND YOUR OWN
BUSINESS. IX. THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE ME MOST WEARY. X.
NOTHING SO GRAND AS FORCE. XI. A RAINY RHAPSODY. XII.
CAUSE FOR WONDER. XIII. THE FIRST KATYDID. XIV. A
PLEA FOR MEN. XV. WHAT I'M TIRED OF. XVI. NOTHING
LIKE A GOOD LAUGH. XVII. HOLD! ENOUGH!! XVIII. RIPE

OPPORTUNITIES. XIX. A SUNSET CLOUD. XX. ONE SECRET
OF SUCCESS. XXI. A NEW BEATITUDE. XXII. BLESSED BE
BASHFULNESS. XXIII. A BEWITCHED VIOLIN. XXIV. A HAT
PIN PROBLEM. XXV. POLITENESS VS. SINCERITY. XXVI. THE
MOST DANGEROUS WOMAN. XXVII. SERMONS FROM FLIES.
XXVIII. THE MAN WHO KNOWS IT ALL. XXIX. BALD HEADS
AND UNEQUAL CHANCES. XXX. HUMAN STRAWS. XXXI. A
SALLOW FACED GIRL FOR YOUR PITY. XXXII. AND YET HE
CLINGS TO LIFE. XXXIII. OH! TO RID THE WORLD OF SHAMS.
XXXIV. DRESS PARADE OF THE GREAT ALIKE. XXXV. IF
GOD MADE YOU A WILLOW DON'T TRY TO BE A PINE.
XXXVI. TWO TYPES. XXXVII. A DREAM GARDEN. XXXVIII.
ANYTHING WORSE THAN A BLUE-JAY? HARDLY! XXXIX.
GOOD HEALTH A BLESSING. XL. WHY, BLESS MY SOUL! IT
REALLY SEEMS TO THINK. XLI. TAKE TO DRINK, OF COURSE!
XLII. A WARNING TO GIRLS. XLIII. A FROG MAY DO WHAT A
MAN MAY NOT. XLIV. THANKING GOD FOR A GOOD
HUSBAND. XLV. JUST A LITTLE TIRED! XLVI. PAINTING THE
OLD HOMESTEAD. XLVII. THE OLD SITTING-ROOM STOVE.
XLVIII. A TALK ABOUT DIVORCE. XLIX. GONE BACK TO
FLIPPITY-FLOPPITY SKIRTS. L. I SHALL MEET HIM SOME
DAY. LI. A MANNISH WOMAN. LII. THE ONLY WAY TO
CONQUER A HARD DESTINY. LIII. THE "SMART" PERSON. LIV.
A PRETTY STREET INCIDENT. LV. POLICY A DAMASCUS
BLADE, NOT A CLUB. LVI. THE CONSTANT YEARS BRING
AGE TO ALL. LVII. DID YOU EVER READ THE "LITTLE
PILGRIM." LVIII. EATING MILK TOAST WITH A SPOON! LIX.
BOYS, YOU KNOW I LIKE YOU. LX. WHAT TO DO WITH
GROWLERS. LXI. GOD BLESS 'EM! LXII. "UNTO ONE OF THE
LEAST OF THESE." LXIII. TAKING INVENTORY. LXIV. DON'T
MARRY HIM TO SAVE HIM.

A STRING OF BEADS
I.

"I DIDN'T THINK."
"I didn't think!" A woman flings the whiteness of her reputation in the
dust, and, waking to the realization of her loss when the cruel glare of
the world's disapproval reveals it, she seeks to plead her
thoughtlessness as an entreaty of the world's pardon. But the
flint-hearted world is slow to grant it, if she be a woman. "You have
thrown your rose in the dust, go live there with it," the world cries, and
there is no appeal, although the dust become the grave of all that is
bright and lovely and sweet in a thoughtless woman's really innocent
life. A young girl flirts with a stranger on the street. The result is
something disagreeable, and straight-way comes the excuse: "Why, I
didn't think! I meant no harm; I just wanted to have a little fun." Now,
look me straight in the eye, young gossamer-head, while I tell you what
I know. The girl who will flirt with strange men in public places,
however harmless and innocent it may appear, places herself in that
man's estimation upon a level with the most abandoned of her sex and
courts the same regard. Strong language, perhaps you think, but I tell
you it is gospel truth, and I feel like going into orders and preaching
from a pulpit whenever I see a thoughtless, gay and giddy girl tiptoeing
her way upon the road that leads direct to destruction. The boat that
dances like a feather on the current a mile above Niagara's plunge is
just as much lost as when it enters the swirling, swinging wrath of
waters, unless some strong hand head it up