Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-28


walked to the end of the hall. She then
came back and said, with an emphasis
that revealed her intense excitement
and passion:
You can always remember that you
have driven your grandmother out of
your house in favor of a drunken wom-
an" Then, without waiting for yir-
ginia to reply, she turned again and
went up stairs.
Virginia called for servant and
soon had Loreen cared for She was fast
lapsing into q wretched condition. Dur
ing the brief scene in the hall she had
chung to Virginia SO hard that Vir-
ginia's arm was sore from the clutch Of
the girls fingers.
Virginia did not know whether her
grandmother would leave the house or
not. She had abundant means of her
own, was perfectly well and vigorous
and capable of caring for herself. She
had sisters and brothers living in the
south and was in the habit of spending
several weeks in the year with them
Virginia was not anxious about her
welfare, so far as that went. but the in
teryiew had been apainful one to her
Going over it, as she did in her room
before she went down to tea, she found
little cause for regret, however .'What
would Jesns dor" There was no cues
ton in Virginia s, mind that she rad
done the right thing. IF she had made
a mistake, it was one Of the Judgment
and not of the heart. When the bell
rang for tea, she Went down. and her
grandmother did not appear: She sent
a servant to her room, and the servant
brought back word that Nine Page
was not there. Asfew minutes later
Rollin came in. He brought word that
his grandmother had taken the evening
train for the south: He had been at
the station to SEE some friends off and
had by chance met his grandmother as
he was coming out. She told him her
reason for going.
Virginia and Roilin confronted each
other at the table with earnest, sad
faces.
"Rollin, said Virginia, and for the
first time almost since his conversion
she realized what a wonderful thing her
brothers. change Of life meant to her,
edo you blame me7 Am I wrong p
"No, dear; I cannot believe you are.
This is very painful for us, but if you
think this poor creature owes her safety
and salvation to your personal care it
was the only thing for you to do. Oh,
Virginia, to think that we have all
these years enjoyed our beautiful home
and-all these Injuries selfishly, forget
full of the multitude like this woman
Surely Jesus in our places would dc
what you have done. y
And so Rollin comforSed Virginia and
counseled with her that evening, and
of all the wonderful changes that Vir-
ginia was henceforth to know on &C
count Of her great pledge nothing af-
fected her so powerfully as the thought
of Rollins change in life Truly, this
man in Christ was new crenture. Old
things We're passed away. Behold, all
things in him had become newt
DR.. West came that evening at Vir-
ginia's summons and did everything
necessary for the outcast. She had
drunk herself almost into delirium. The
best that could be done for her now
were quiet nursing and careful watch.
ing and personal love. So in a beauti.
full room, with a picture of Christ
walking by the sea hanging on the
wall, where her bewildered eyes caught
daily something more of its hidden
meaning, Loreen lay, tossed she hardly
knew how into this haven, and Vir.
ginia crept nearer the Master than she
had ever been as her heart went out to.
ward this wreck which had thus been
flung torn and beaten at her feet.
Meanwhile the Rectangle waited the
issue of the election with more thar
usual interest, and Gray and his wife
wept over the pitiable creatures who,
after a struggle with surroundings tina,
daily tempted them, too often wearied
of the struggle, and, like Loreen. threw
up their arms and went whirling into
the boiling abyss of their previous con
dition
The after meeting at the First church
was now regularly established. Henry
Maxwell Went into the lecture room OF
the Sunday succeeding the week of the
primary and was greeted with an en-
thusiasm that made him tremble at first
for its reality. He noted again the alb
scence of Jasper Chase, but all the 9th
ers We're present, and they seemed
drawn very close together by bond Of
common fellowship that demanded anG
enjoyed mutual condolences. It was the
general feeling that the spirit of Jesus
was asspirit of very open. frank comics
sion Of experience. 1t seemed the mos
natural thing in the world for Edward
Norman to be telling all the rest of thu
company about the details of his news
paper.
'The fact is, have lost good dea
of money during the last three weeks.
cannot tell how much. am losing 6
great many subscribers every day"
s'What do the subscribers give a.
their reason for dropping the paper9'
asked Henry Maxwell. All the rest wer.
listening eagerly.
'There are good many different
reasons. Some say they want paper
that 1,.i Y,tS7 all 41,o paxyc ,,,o,,,;,r~ l.,