The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-24
THE LADY OF THE CLUB.
rRelford,s NLagazIne.l

that philosophers and reformers can bear
the griefs and woes of other people with
heroism and resignation worthy of their
creeds, would have fitted the case of Ro-
land Barker only when shorn Of the inten-
tional sting OF sarcasm. 1t is, nevertheless,
true that even his nobly-gifted nature, his
tender heart, and his alert brain some
times failed TO grasp the very pith and
point of his own arguments.
He was a wealthy man whose sympa-
thies were earnestly with the poor and
unfortunate. He believed that he under
stood their sufferings, their ambitions and
their needs; and his voice and pen were
no more truly on the side of charity and
brotherly kindness than was his purse.
1t was no unusual thing for him TO at
tend meeting. address a club, or take
part IN memorial service, where his was
the only hand unused to toll, and where
he alone bore all expense, and then-after
dressing himself in the most approved and
faultless manner-became the guest of
honor at some fashionable entertainment.
Indeed, he was leader in fashion. as well
as in philosophy, and at once a hero in
Avenue A and on Murray Hill
L
tell you he had addressed club of work
ingmen in their little dingy hall, taking as
his subject Realities of Life" He had
sought to show them that poverty and toll
are not, after all, the worst that can
befall man, and that the most acute
misery dwells IN palaces and is robed in
purple.
He spoke with the feeling of one who
had himself suffered-as, indeed. he had
from the unsympathetic associations OF an
uncongenial marriage. He pictured, with
deep feeling, the chill atmosphere of a
loveless home, whose wealth and glitter
and luster could never thrill and enrapture
the heart as might the loving handclasp In
the bare, chill rooms where sympathy and
affection were the champions OF poverty.
I had admired his enthusiasm as he
pictured the ioy of sacrifice for the sake of
those we love, and | had been deeply
touched by his pathos-a pathos which l
knew, alas, too well, sprang from hungry
heart-whether, as now, it beat beneath a
simple coat of tweed or, as when hours
later, it would still be the prisoner of its
mighty longing, though clothed with ele-
gance and seated at a banquet fit for
princes.
The last words fell slowly from his lips,
and bis eyes were dimmed, as were the
eyes OF all about me. His eyes, so full Of
feeling, had hardly ceased to throb when
far back in the little hall arose a woman,
thin and worn, and plainly clad, butshow-
ing traces of a beauty and refinement
which had held their own and fought
their way inch by inch in spite of pow
ertv, anxiety and tears. The chairman
recognized her and asked her to the plat
form.
ftN-o - iii - = H. 4rov,,y,Io,,s
tone, which showed at once her feeling and
her culture-''no, do not wish to take
the platform; but since you ask for criti-
cism of the kind speech we have just lis
tened to, it has seemed to me that | might
offer one, although I am stranger to
you all
Her voice trembled, and she held firmly
TO the back OF chair in front of her. The
chairman signifed his willingness to ex-
tend to her the privilege of the floor, and
there was slight applause. She bowed
and began again slowly:
Il sometimes think that il Is useless to
ever try to make the suffering rich and
the suffering poor understand each other.
/ do not question that the gentleman has
tasted sorrow. All good men have. do
not question that his heart is warm and
true and honest, and that he truly thinks
broke little and her lip trembled-'but
he does not know what real suffering is.
He cannot. No rich man can"
There was a moment of impotence In
the room. and some one said, loud enough
to be heard, III she thinks money can
bring happiness she is badly LEFT"
There was slight ripple of laughter at
this, and even the serious face of Roland
Barker grew almost merry for a moment.
Then the woman went on, without APP
pearing to have noticed the interruption:
II do not want to seem ungracious, and
heaven knows, no one could mean more
kindly what | say; but he has said that
money is not needed to make us happy
only love, and again he quotes that base
less old maxim, The love OF money is the
root Of all evil" She paused, then went
slowly on as if feeling her way and fearing
TO lose her hold upon herself: 81 know
II is a sad and cruel world, even to the
more fortunate, if they have hearts to feel
and brains to think. To the unloving or
unloved there must be little worth; but
they at least are spared the agony that sits
where love and poverty have shaken
hands with death her voice broke, and
there was painful silence IN the room
-"Where those who love are wrung and
torn by all the thousand fears and appre-
hensicns ills that are TO come TO wife
and child and friend. The day has passed
when all this talk OF poverty and love
that love makes want an easy thing to
bear-the day has passed, / say, when
sane men ought to think, or wise men
speak, such cruel, false, and harmful
words. He truly says that money without
love cannot bring happiness; but that is
only half the truth, for love with poverty
can bring, does bring, the keenest agony
that mortals ever bore.
There was movement OF dissent IN the
hall. She lifted her face a moment, con-
tracted her lips, drew long breath, and
said
erty were light enough to bear. What
does it matter Tor ones self? 1t is the love
that gives the awful sting to want, and
makes its cruel fingers grip the throat as
never wise or grappling-hook took hold,
and torture with keener zest than fiends
their victims! Love and poverty It is
the combination that devils invented to
make a hell on earth.
All eyes were fastened on her white face
now, and she was rushing on, her words,
hot and impassioned, striking firm on
every point she made.
Iet me give you a case. In q home
where comfort is-or wealth-a mother
sits, watching by night and day the awful
hand Of death reach nearer, closer to her
precious babe, and nothing that skill or
science can suggest will stay the hand or
heal the aching heart; and yet there is