Once upon a time, there was a young girl who loved her father very much. She was sweetness itself, and her father was very fond of her. Her face was pretty, her figure pleasing, and her manners thoughtful. She was helpful and tactful by nature, and everyone was pleased with her.
She was a good girl. She obeyed her parents, she was never inclined to mischief, and she strove to please all her acquaintance. She was helpful at home, and had the ability of making all she met feel good about themselves.
As she grew from girlhood into womanhood, others began to be pleased with her looks and manners. She was sweet and cheerful, popular, thought everyone special, and cared for the feelings of all. Young men enjoyed her company. They began to seek her out.
One in particular won her compassion. He felt himself in sorry circumstances and she endeavoured to show him that he was cared for and special. In short, he began to have more than just a friendly interest in her, and he asked her out.
She was too young for this sort of attention, and she knew it. She knew she ought to refuse, but she could not bear to give disappointment. By way of escape, she promised to ask her father for permission.
She approached her father with an explanation of the circumstance, but instead of asking for permission in a straightforward manner, hesitated and gauged his reaction. Her father, instead of giving a reasoned refusal, frowned in disapproval. She immediately ventured to regain his approval by defending her reasons for going, and the young man’s reasons for asking.
There appeared to be such a lack of vice in her reason, and such sweetness in her approach, that the father relaxed his judgement, and perceived that the request was not accompanied by any motive of rebellion. However, she continued to persuade him of the evils of refusing the invitation, and partly persuaded, and partly convinced that she had so set her heart on going that refusal would lead to rebellion, he consented.
Thus she was placed in the special company of a young man, and was seen to be much with him. Others accepted the friendship, and they were established as a couple. The young man was very attentive to her, and for the first time she felt the value of the approval of a man other than her father. She was flattered and pleased by the attention, and fell into the trap of accepting it.
In vain an elder acquaintance expostulated on the harm of such attentions. The girl knew her friend was correct, but defended the goodness and motives of all parties – they were not bad, they had no intention of doing harm, they were just friends, and there was no wrong in it. Thus silencing her friend, and in part, her own conscience, she continued on her way.
When the young man’s affection ceased, another quickly took his place and began to seek her attention. By this time, her conscience smote her. The girl knew it was not wise, and when asking her father’s permission for different events, her blue eyes pleaded with him to be firm. But her father, rightly judging that she was too weak to withstand, told her she needed to learn to be strong and stand up for herself. Bereaved of his protection, the girl found herself weaker than before, and afraid of giving offence, allowed the attentions to continue.
After a time, a young man appeared who gave more concern. The young man had a heartache, and she felt for him. She encouraged him to do right, and he was benefited by her advice. He began to be a better man for her friendship. He was a seemingly upright young man who soon appeared to be head-over-heels in love with her. He was respected, of good standing, and a promising young man, and the girl admired him very much.
Her father felt some alarm when he perceived the depth of her feeling for the young man. He upbraided her and reasoned with her the folly of allowing the young man’s attentions. They were too young for the fulfilment of a relationship. It would end only in frustration or heartbreak.
She acknowledged the wisdom of his arguments. She agreed to his sentiments and won his approval for her astuteness.
However, she could not bear to pain her young friend, and continued to receive his attentions. She could not summon the strength to maintain a stand in either direction, fearing to hurt the feelings of either party, and fighting to hold the approval of both.
Thus she continued, torn between her father and the young man, her conscience and her weakness.
Neither man protected her. She loved them both, and felt herself responsible for their feelings, which she could not bear to disappoint. She strove to protect them both by playing a double position. In this way, both men allowed her to bear the burden of the contradiction, and were well on the road to ruining her disposition and her capacity for faithfulness.
These maidens are not based on any one person, but are rather drawn from my experience and observations. They are somewhat sad stories. However, they are not stories of failure and depravity. They are stories of normal struggles in normal life. I have taken one aspect out of context of their lives and expounded it. If you find yourself in one of these maidens, I can only suggest you ask God in His grace to pick up what your father drops in his humanity. God gives without reproach. A girl's heart is a fragile and intricate thing. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man; and it shall be given him."
