As they passed through the gate, walked up the front path,
shook the snow off their wraps on the porch, and entered the cosy-
lighted precincts of home, Missy felt that she was the most
wretched, lonely, misunderstood being in the world.
She said her good nights quickly and got off upstairs to her room.
As she undressed she could hear the dim, faraway sound of her
parents' voices. The sound irritated her. They pretended to love
her, but they seemed to enjoy making things hard for her! Not only
did they begrudge her a good time and white fox furs and everything,
but they wouldn't let her try to be a good influence to the world!
What was the use of renouncing earthly vanities for yourself if you
couldn't help others to renounce them, too? Of course there was a
certain pleasure, a kind of calm, peaceful satisfaction, an ecstasy
even, in letting the religious, above-the-world feeling take
possession of you. But it was selfish to keep it all to yourself. It
was your duty to pass it on, to do good works--to throw out the
life-line. And they begrudged her that--it wasn't right.
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