The Human Cactus
Henry Roylance, an eminent sociologist, has written a book on his pet theory, and he and Dr. Smead, an intimate friend, have been discussing the book. The doctor calls him to task for several of his theories. The doctor insists that ladies and gentlemen are born and not made, and to end the controversy Roylance cites the example of the transformation from the spiked wild cactus to the cultivated spineless cactus. In spite of this evidence of the power of cultivation Smead declines to agree with him. So Roylance determines to prove his theory by selecting a specimen from the lowest walks of life and making a perfect lady out of her. In one of the lower alleys of the city lives Evangeline Dugan. Her father is a typical loafer; her mother a ragpicker, while Evangeline sells flowers on one of the street corners. Her affections are bestowed upon one Jimmie O'Toole, a tough. Jimmie pretends to reciprocate, as it enables him to work the girl for money. Roylance and Smead find Evangeline. They try to talk with her, but when they became inquisitive she refuses to speak to them. One of the gutter snipes nearby volunteers to show the two men where the girl lives and they decide to ask permission from the girl's parents far their experiment. Dugan and his wife are quarreling as usual, but he sees their evidence at prosperity and becomes cringing and servile. Roylance makes his proposal to take the girl, and Dugan pretends that Evangeline is their sole support and speaks tearfully of the affection in which they hold Evangeline. Arrangements are finally made and Evangeline is taken to the Roylance home. Mrs. Roylance does not like the idea of having the street urchin brought into the house. Roylance overrides her objections, however. Resentful and stubborn at first, Evangeline finally blossoms out into a beautiful woman. Roylance, winning her confidence, finds her an apt pupil, and at the end of a year she is admitted to be externally a perfect lady. According to his agreement, Roylance returns the girl to her parents and she finds the contrast almost insupportable. She again meets Jimmie, now a dope fiend, and shudders at the fate she has escaped. Her father and mother sneer at her ladylike manners, but the younger sister tries to imitate her ways. When the father finds she has no money be angrily upbraids her for returning to live on them. Roylance and Smead talk over the experiment, and Smead is forced to admit that his friend's theory has been proved. He asks Roylance what he is going to do with the girl, now that he has made a lady out of her, and Roylance is at a loss to answer. Smead tells him that the girl can never live the old life now, and that unless she is given some assistance the experiment will be a crime instead of a success. Evangeline is on the point of being cast out when Smead arrives at her house and is met by Dugan. Evangeline is surprised to see him and he tells her that he has come to tell her something he had forgotten. Not willing to take him into the squalid room, Evangeline suggests they take a walk. The girl presses Smead for an explanation and he finally tells her that he has always insisted that they could never make a lady out of her. He confesses that he not only believes it now, but he hopes she will undertake the job of making a gentleman out of him. She accepts and the two start their plans for the future.
