The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-24

viii TIC IOILuT6 anu QtSpd1K Vi Il It.
fined and cultured woman who watches
hour by hour the long months roll through
and sees the creeping feet of mental wreck
and physical decay, and knows the mortal
need OF care and calm for him who is the
whole of life to her, and for the want of
that which others waste and hold as dross
he must work on and on, fastening each
day the end he does not see, which shall
deprive him of all of life except the power
for i'll. She will be worse than widowed
and alone, for ever by her side sits Want.
Tor him, tearing at every chord OF heart
and soul-not for herself, but for that
dearer one, wrecked in the prime OF life
and left clod endowed only with strength
for cruel wrong, whose hand would
sheath knife in her dear heart and laugh
with maniac glee at his mad deeds. She
saw the end. She knew long months ago
what was TO be, il he must toll and strain
his nerve and brain for need of that which
goes from knave to knave, and boards
itself within cathedral walls, where wise
men meet to teach the poor contentment
with their lot. She knew he must not
know; the knowledge of the shadow must
be kept from his dear brain until the very
end, by smiles. and cheer, and merry jest
from her. Who dare tell her that riches
are a curse? and pirate of 'dross' and call
on heaven to witness that it's loss is only
gain of Joy and harbinger OF higher, holier
things? Who dare call her as witness for
the bliss of poverty with love?'
She slowly raised her hand and, with a
quick-drawn breath, pressed it against
her side, and with her eyes still fastened
on the vacant chair, and tears upon her
cheeks, falling unchecked upon her heav-
ing bosom, she held her listener silent
and intent on every word she spoke. The
time allotted anyone was long since over
run; but no one thought OF that, and she
went on:
"With love- All, there is where the
iron can burn and scar and open every
wound afresh each day, make poverty a
curse, a blight, scourge, a vulture, iron
beaked. with claws of burning steel, that
leave no nerve untouched, no drop of
blood unshed.
with love- IT'S there the hand of
poverty can deal the deadliest blows, and
show, as nowhere else on earth, the value
of that slandered, boarded thing called
wealth"
There bazed into her face a fierce, in
dignant light, her voice swelled out and
struck upon the ear like fre-bells in the
dead of night
1.-The root of evil poverty with lovep
Hypocrisy, in purple velvet robed, behind
stained glass, with strains of music falling
on its ears, with table spread in banquet
ball below, bethought itself TO argue thus
to those itself had robbed while, thought
less of its meaning and its birth, the echo
OF it's lying, treacherous words came from
the pallid lips of many a wretch whose
life has been failure and an agony be-
cause OF that which he himself extols. A
lie once born contains thousand lies. and
holds at bay the struggling, feeble truth,
if but that lie be iathered by priest and
mothered by throne-as this one was
The root of evil is the spring of JOY
Decry it those who will. And those who
do not love, perchance, may laugh at all
its need can mean; but to the loving, SUI
fering poor bring no more cant, and cease
to voice the hollow words of ignorance
and hypocrisy. 1t is too cruel, and its
deadly breath has long enough polluted
sympathy and frozen up the springs OF
healthy thought, while sheathing ven
omed fangs in breaking hearts. Recast
your heartless creeds! Your theories for
the poor are built on these"
She sank back into her chair white and
exhausted
There was wild burst of applause. A
part Of the audience, with that ear for
sound and that lack of sense to be found
in all such gatherings, had forgotten that
it was not listening to burst of eloquence
which had been duly written out and com
mitted to memory for the occasion.
But Roland Barker sprang to his feet,
held both hands up to command silence,
and said, in a scarcely audible voice, as he
trembled from head tofoot: "Hush, hush
She has told the truth She has told the
awful truth l never saw it all before
Heaven help you to bear it. 1t seems to
me | cannot"
Several were pale and weeping turned
to speak to the woman who had changed
an evenings entertainment into tragic
scene; but she slipped out during the ex-
element. | took Bankers arm and we
walked toward the avenue together
Neither of US spoke until we reached
Madison square. Here the poor fellow
sank into a seat and pulled me down be-
side him.
Don't talk to me about theories after
that" said he. "Great Cod am more
dead than alive. feel fifty years older
than when | went to that little hall to
teach those people how to live by my fine
philosophy, and truly thought that had
tasted sorrow and found the key to resig-
nation. Ye godsn
perhaps you have" / said.
eyes, yes" he replied impatiently; "but
suppose l had to face life day by day.
hour by hour, as that woman pictured it
and she was a lady with as keen a sense
OF pain as What do you suppose nv
philosophy would do for me then? Do
you think / could endure it? And / went
there to teach these people how to suffer
and be strong"
Look here, Barker" said, YOU'D bet
ter go home now and go to bed. You are
cold and tired, and this won't help mat
tiers any"
what will ?" ne asked.
made no reply. When we reached
his door he asked again:
"What will %
/ shook my head and left him standing
in the brilliant hall of his beautiful home,
dazed and puzzled and alone
The next time l met Roland Barker he
grasped my hand and said excitedy II
have found that womanl What she said
is all true. My God what is to be done =?
i feel like a strong man tied hand and
loot, while devilish vultures feed on the
flesh of living babes before my eyesp'
stop, Barker" l said; stop and 90
away for a while, or you will 90 mad.
What have you been doing? Look at your
hands; they tremble like the hands of a
palsied man and your face; why, Barker,
your face is haggard and set, and your
hair is actually turning gray What in
the name OF all that's holy have you been
doingY"
Nothing, absolutely nothingw he ex-
=