Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20

| she turned her head and beckoned to
Felicia By that time the congregation
was rising all over the church. . z
Felicia instantly answered her sis
ter look + .= Z. E. # zsz s.5. 2s&
I'm going IS stay. = she said, and
Rose had heard her speak in the same
manner on other occasions and knew
that Felicia's resolve could not be
changed. Nevertheless she went back
into the pew two or three steps and
faced her. y = s.s:..'
Felicia. she whispered. and there
was a flush of anger on her cheeks,
'this is folly. What can You do? You
will bring disgrace upon the family.
What will father say? Come. ~ {, 80
Felicia looked at her, but did not an
swer at once. Her lips were moving
with a petition that came from depth
of feeling that measured a new life fol
her She shook her head.
''No; am going to stay. I shall
take the pledge. I am ready to obey it.
You do not know why I am doing
this
Rose gave her one look and then
turned and went out of the pew and
down the aisle She did not even stop
to talk with her acquaintance. Mrs.
Delano was going out of the church
just as Rose stepped into the vestibule.
$50 you are not going to join the
doctors volunteer company" Mrs. De-
lano asked in a queer tone that made
Rose redden.
'No. Are your It is simply asburd
l have always regarded the Raymond
movement as fanatical. You know
Cousin Rachel keeps us posted about it. -
Eyes; I understand it is resulting in
a great deal of hardship in many cases.
For my part, I believe DR.. Bruce has
simply provoked disturbance here It
will result in splitting Nazareth Avenue
church. You see if that ism t so. There
are scores of people in the church who
are SO situated that they can t take such
pledge and keep it. l ana one of
them, added Mrs. Delano as she went
out with Rose.
When Rose reached home, her father
was standing in his usual attitude be-
fore the open fireplace, smoking a cigar
"Where is Felicia2' he asked as Rose
came in alone.
''She staid to an after meeting" re.
piled Rose shortly. She threw off her
wraps and was going up stairs when
Mr.. Sterling called after her:
"An after meeting2 What do you
mean?''
"Dr. Bruce asked the church to take
the Raymond pledge"
Mr.. Sterling took his cigar out of his
mouth and twirled it nervously be-
tween his fingers.
II didn't expect that of Dr. Bruce.
Did any of the members stayG''
II don't know. l didn't" replied
Rose and she went up stairs, leaving
her father standing in the drawing
room
After few minutes he went to the
window and stood the=s looking out at
the people driving OF the boulevard,
His cigar had gone out, but he still fn=
gered it nervously. Then he turned
from the window and walked up and
down the room. A servant stepped
across the hall and announced dinner,
and he told her to wait for Felicia.
Rose came down stairs and went into
the library, and still Mr.. Sterling paced
the drawing room restlessly.
He had finally wearied of the walking
apparently and, throwing himself into
a chair, was brooding over something
deeply when Felicia came in.
He rose and faced her. Felicia was
evidently very much moved by the
meeting from which she had just come,
At the same time she did not wish to
talk too much about it. Just as she en-
tered the drawing room Rose came in
from the library.
"How many staid?" she asked. Rose
was curious At the same she was skep.
tical Of the whole movement in Ray
mond.
"About a hundred" replied Felicia
gravely. Mr.. Sterling looked surprised.
Felicia was going out Of the room. He
called to her.
"Do you really mean to keep the
pledge?'' he asked.
Felicia colored. Over her face and
neck the warm blood flowed as she an
swered, "You would not ask such a
question, father, if you had been pres
ent at the meeting" She fingered a
moment in the room, then asked to he
excused from dinner for awhile and
went up to see her mother.
No one ever knew what that inter-
view between Felicia and her mother
was It is certain that she must have
told her mother something Of the spir-
itual power that had awed every person
present in the company Of disciples from
Nazareth Avenue church who faced DIR:
Bruce in that meeting after the norm
ing service. It is also certain that Fe-
licia had never known such an expert
ence and never would have thought of
sharing it with her mother if it had not
been for the prayer the evening before.
Another fact is also known Of FeliciaSs
experience at this time When she
finally Joined her father and Rose at
the table, she seemed unable to tell
them much ABOUT the meeting. There
was reluctance to speak Of it, as one
might hesitate to attempt a description
of a wonderful sunset to a person who
never talked about nything but the
weather. When that Sunday in the
Sterling mansion was drawing to a
close and the soft, warm lights through
out the dwelling were glowing through
the great windows, in corner Of her