Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-19

had wealth II they are kind and give to
the needs Of the poor? And am sure
the doctor himself is pretty comfortably
settled He never gives up his Injuries
just because some people in the city 20
hungry. What good would it do if he
did, ] tell you. Felicia, there will al
ways be poor and rich in spite Of all we
can do. Ever since Rachel has written
about the queer doings in Raymond
yor have upset the whole family. Peo-
pie can't live at that concert pitch all
the time. You see if Rachel doesn't
give it up soon. It's a great pity she
doesn't come to Chicago and sing in
the Auditorium concerts. heard today
The had received an offer. Tn going to
write and urge her to come I'm just
dying to hear her sing. y
Felicia looked out of the window and
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 was
an elegant mansion of graystone fur
nished like a. palace. every corner of it
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 cigar. He had made HE
money in grain speculation and rail
road ventures and was reputed to be
worth something over two millions.
His wife was a 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 a fashionable college, just
entering society and already somewhat
cynical and Indifferent, very hard
young lady to please, her father said
sometimes play sometimes sternly.
Felicia was 10, with a tropical beauty
somewhat like her cousin. Rachel Wins
1 low. with warm, generous impulses
just waking into Christian feeling, GA
pable Of all sorts of expression, puzzle
to her father, a 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
dimly conscious. There was TINT 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. I"
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"
r.Well, what's the latest news from
Raymond ?" asked Mr.. Sterling, taking
his cigar out Of his mouth and looking
at Felicia, as, he often did, with hall
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.. Maxwelps pledge in the First
I church. !"
"What does Rachel say about her
selfa" 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 building.
her friend Virginia Page is putting uI
| are completed. 4
81 must write Rachel to come to Chi
cago and visit u.s. She ought not tx
throw away her voice in that railroad
town upon all these people who DOM
appreciate her. I"
Mr.. Sterling lighted new cigar. ani
Rose exclaimed:
Rachel is awfully queer, think
She might set Chicago wild with hel
\ voice if she sang in the Auditorium
I and there she goes on, throwing hel
voice away on people who don't know
what they are hearing. /"
Rachel won't come here unless sht
can do it and keep her pledge at til,
same time, said Felicia after pause
What pledge7" Mr.. Sterling asked
! the question and then added hastily
"Oh, / knowi Yes; very peculiar
thing that. Powers used to be FRIEND
Of mine We learned telegraphy in til,
same office; made a great sensation
when he resigned and handed over tina
evidence to the interstate commerc,
commission, and he's back at his te
Biography again There have been quee,
doings in Raymond during the pas
year. ] wonder what DR.. Bruce think
Of it, on the whole. i must have tall
with him about it,
stHe breaches tomorrow, said Fell
cia. Perhaps he will tell us something
about it..
There was silence for minute. The,
Felicia said abruptly. as if she hat
gone on with a spoken thought to som,
invisible hearer. "And what If h
should propose the same pledge to tn
Nazareth Avenue church"
"Who2 What are you talking about q
asked her father. q little sharply.
about Dir. Bruce. say what If h
should propose to our church what Mr
! Maxwell proposed TO his and ask TO