Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-11-01

the Auditorium concerts. heard today
she had received an offer. I'm going tt
write and urge her to come. I'm just
dying to hear her sing"
Felicia looked out of the window anC
was silent. The carriage rolled on past
two blocks of magnificent private resi-
dences and turned into wide drive
way under covered passage, and the
sisters hurried into the house. 1t wa.
an elegant mansion of graystone, fur
nished like palace, every corner Of il
warm with the luxury Of paintings
sculpture. art and refinement.
The owner of it all. Mr.. Charles R.
Sterling, stood before an open CRATE fire
smoking a cigar. He had made his
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 old. fair. vivacious,
educated in fashionable college, just
entering society and already somewhat
cynical and Indifferent, 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
lust waking into Christian feeling, ca
pable of all sorts of expression, puzzle
to her father. source of irritation to
her mother and with great, unsur-
veyed territory of thought and action
in herself of which she was more than
dimly conscious. There was that in
Felicia that would easily endure any
condition in life if only the liberty to
act fully on her conscientious convic-
tions were granted her.
Here's a letter for you. Felicia, y
said Mr.. Sterling, taking it out of his
pocket.
Felicia sat down and instantly opened
the letter, saying as she did so. ats
from Rachel.
"Well, what's the latest news from
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 fer two Sundays
and has seemed very much interested
in Mr.. Maxwell's pledge in the First
church.
What does Rachel say about her
self" 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. "
81 must write Rachel to come to Chi
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 pause
"What pledge9" Mr.. Sterling asked
the question and then added hastily
"Oh, l know Yes; a very peculiar
thing that. Powers used to be friend
of mine. We learned telegraphy in the
same office; made 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 p"
year. wonder what DR.. Bruce thi
Of it, on the whole. must have ta...
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 a spoken thought to some
invisible hearer, "And what if he
should propose the same pledge to the
Nazareth Avenue church p
"WhoY What are you talking about p
asked her father, little sharply.
About Dr. Bruce. l 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-
tion, What would Jesus dor
There's no danger Of it. said Rose
rising suddenly from the couch as the
tea bell rang.
Its very impracticable movement
to my mind, said Mr.. Sterling sharply.
Il 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 lives, said Felicia.
"Oh, well. ltt'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