The Princeton union., 1899-10-19

Sterling, stood before an open CRATE ire
smoking cigar. He had made hie
money in grain speculation and rail
road ventures and was reputed to be
worth something over two millions.
His wife was sister Of Mrs. Winslow
Of Raymond. She had been an invalid
for several years. The two girls, Rose.
and Felicia, were the only children.
Rose was 81 years DID, fair, vivacious,
educated in fashionable college, Just
entering society and already somewhat
cynical and Indifferent, a very hard
young lady to please, her father said
sometimes playfully, sometimes sternly
Felicia was 10, with a tropical beauty
somewhat like her cousin, Rachel Wins
low, with warm, generous impulses
just waking into Christian feeling, ca
pable OF all sorts of expression, a puzzle
10 ner father, source Of irritation to
her mother and with a great, unsur-
veyed territory Of thought and action
IN herself OF which she was more than
dlmly conscious. There was that in
Felicia that would easily endure any
condition in life if only the liberty to
wv COuSCl0uIlOuS
tlons were granted her:
Here's letter for you, Felicia
said Mr.. Sterling, taking it out of his
pocket.
Felicia sat down and instantly opened
the letter, saying as she did SO, ''It's
from Rachel.''
"Well, what's the latest news from
Raymond2" asked Mr.. Sterling, taking
his cigar out Of his mouth. and looking
at Felicia. as he often did, with half
shut eyes, as if he were studying her.
"Rachel says Dr. Bruce has been
studying in Raymond for two SUNDAYS
and has seemed very much interested
in Mr.: Maxwell's pledge in the First
church,
"What does Rachel say about her
self p asked Rose, who was lying on a
couch almost buried under half dozen
elegant cushions.
'She is still singing at the Rectangle
Since the tent meetings closed she sings
in an old hall until the new BUILDINGS
her friend Virginia Page is putting up
are completed.
|
cago and visit US She ought not to
throw away her voice in that railroad
town upon all those people who don't
appreciate her.
Mr.. Sterling lighted new cigar, and
Rose exclaimed:
"Rachel is awfully queer, l think.
She might set Chicago wild with her
voice if she sang in the Auditorium,
and there she goes on, throwing her
voice away on people who don't know
what they are hearing"
"Rachel won't come here unless she
can do it and keep her pledge at the
same time,' said Felicia after a pause.
"What pledge?" Mr. Sterling asked
the question and then added hastily:
"Oh, I knowl Yes; a very peculiar
thing that. Powers used to be friend
of mine We learned telegraphy in the
same office; made a great sensation
when he resigned and handed over that
evidence to the interstate commerce
commission, and he's back at his te-
legraphy again. There have been queer
doings in Raymond during the past
year wonder what Dr. Bruce thinks
of it, on the whole. must have talk
! with him about it.
"He breaches tomorrow, said Fell
cia- "Perhaps he will tell US something
about it. -
There was silence for minute. Then
Felicia said abruptly, as if she had
gone on with spoken thought to some
invisible hearer, ''And what if he
should propose the same pledge to the
Nazareth Avenue church?''
"Who? What are you talking abouts"
asked her father, little sharply:
"About DR.. Bruce. say what if he
should propose to our church what Mr..
Maxwell proposed to his and ask for
volunteers who would pledge themselves
to do everything after asking the ques-
ton, What would Jesus do?'
''There's no danger Of it, " said Rose,
rising suddenly from the couch as the
tea bell rang.
''It's very impracticable movement
to my mind, said Mr.. Sterling sharply.
II understand from Rachel's letter
that the church in Raymond is going
to make an attempt to extend the idea
Of the pledge to the other churches If
they succeed, they will certainly make
great changes in the churches and in
peoples ives, said Felicia
"Oh, well, let's have some tea first, -
said Rose, walking into the dining
room. Her father and Felicia followed,
and the meal proceeded in silence. Mrs.
Sterling had her meals served in her
room. Mr.. Sterling was preoccupied
He ate very little and excused himself
early, and, although it was Saturday
night, he remarked as he went out that
he would be down town late on some
special business.
Don't you think father looks very
much disturbed lately2" asked Felicia
little while after he had gone out.
"Oh, don't knowl I hadn't noticed
anything unusual, replied Rose. After
silence she said: care you going to
the play tonight, Feicia9 Mrs. Delano
will be here at half past Z. I think you
ought to 60. She will feel hurt if you
refuse"
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