The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-10-06

the present unusual religious excite
ment in the First church had passed
away Rachel would go on with her
public life according to the wishes Of
the family. She was totally unprepared
for Rachel's next remark.
"What9 Something that will serve
mankind where it most needs the serv-
ice of song. Mother, 1 have made up
my mind to use my voice in some way
80 as to satisfy my soul that / am doing
something better than pleasing fashion
able audiences OF making money or even
gratifying NY own love of singing. lam
going to do something that will satisfy
me when l ask, What would Jesus
doT and l am not satisfied and cannot
be when l think of myself as singing
myself into the career of a concert com
pany performer"
Rachel spoke with a vigor and ear
n%estness that surprised her mother. Mrs.
Winslow was angry now, and she never
tried to conceal her feelings.
cit is simply absurdl Rachel, you
are a fanaticl What a you do7"
"The world has been served by men
and women who have given it other
things that were gifts. Why should l,
because | am blessed with a natural
gift, at once proceed to put a market
price on it and make all the money l
can out of it? You know, mother. that
you have taught me to think of a mu-
steal career always in the light of a
financial and social success. | have been
unable since l made my promise two
weeks ago to imagine Jesus joining q
concert company to do what l would
do and live the life l would have to live
If / joined it."
Mrs. Winslow rose and then sat down
again. With a great effort she COM
posed herself.
"What do you intend to do. then?
You have not answered my question:"
81 shall continue to sing for the time
being in the church. l am pledged to
sing there through spring. During the
week am going to sing at the White
Cross meetings down in the Rectangle.
"Whatl Rachel Winslowl Do you
know what you are sayingf Do you
know what sort of people those are
down thereY'
Rachel almost quailed before her
mother. For a moment she shrank back
and was silent.
81 know very well. That is the rea-
son l am going. Mr.. and Mrs. Gray
have been working there several weeks
/ learned only this morning that they
wanted singers from the churches to
help them in their meetings. They use
a tent. 1t is in a part of the city where
Christian work is most needed l shall
offer them my help. Mother, Rachel
cried out with the first passionate ut
terance she had yet used, 81 want to do
something that will cost me something
in the way of sacrifice. l know you will
not understand me. But l am hungry
to suffer something. What have we
done all our lives for the suffering, sim
ming side of Raymond How much
have we denied ourselves or given Of
our personal ease and pleasure to bless
the place in which we live or initiate
the life of the Saviour of the world?
Are we always to go on doing as So
ciety selfshly dictates, moving on it's
narrow little round of pleasures and
entertainments and never knowing the
pain of things that cost2'
"Are you preaching at me?" asked
Mrs. Winslow slowly. Rachel under
stood her mothers words.
mo; | am preaching at myself, she
replied gently She paused a moment
as if she thought her mother would say
something more and then went out of
the room. When she reached her own
room, she felt that, so far as her moth
er was concerned, she could expect no
sympathy or even a fair understanding
from her
She kneeled down, 1t is safe to say
that within the two weeks since Henry
Maxwell church had faced that shah
by figure with the faded hat more mem
bers of his parish had been driven to
their knees in prayer than during all
the previous term of his passionate.
When she rose, her beautiful face
was wet with tears. She sat Thought
fully a little while and then wrote a
note to Virginia Page. She sent it to
her by messenger and then went down
stairs again and told her mother that
she and Virginia We're going down to
the Rectangle that evening to see Mr.
and Mrs. Gray, the evangelists
'.Virginia's uncle, DR.. West, will go
with us if she goes. l have asked her to
call him up by telephone and go with
us. The doctor is a friend of the Grays
and attended some of the meetings last
winter"
Mrs. Winslow did not say anything.
Her manner showed her complete dis
approval OF Rachel course, and Rachel
felt her unspoken bitterness.
About z O'Clock the doctor and Vir-
GINA appeared. and together the three
started for the scene Of the White Cross
meetings.
The Rectangle was the most notori-
GUS district in all Raymond. 1t was in
the territory close by the great railroad
shops and the packing houses. The Stun
and tenement district of Raymond con-
gested its most wretched elements about
the Rectangle. This was a barren field
used in the summer by circus COM