class String_var {
private:

    char *data;

public:

    inline String_var ()        { data = 0; }
    inline String_var (char *p) { data = p; }

    inline String_var (const char *p) {
        if (p) data = CORBA::string_dup (p);
        else   data = 0;
    }

    inline ~String_var () {
        CORBA::string_free (data);
    }

    inline String_var &operator = (char *p) {
        CORBA::string_free (data);
        data = p;
        return (*this);
    }

    inline operator char * () { return (data); }

    inline char &operator [] (CORBA::ULong index) {
        return (data [index]);
    }

    ...
}