The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-24

The concert was stupid. and the
vioiinist was simply {; bore. l don t see
how You could ST SO still through it
ALL" Rose exclaimed. a little inpa-
tiently.
Il liked the music. answered Felicia
quietly
"Yoa Ike anything. I never saw q
girl viii so little critical taste. .
Felicia colored slightly. but would
not answer Rose yawned again and
then hrml.ed q fragment of a popular
song. Then she exclaimed abruptly
I'm sick of almost every thing. l
hope the Shadows of London will be
exciting tonight
:. The Shadows Of Chicago!' muir
INJURED Felicia
:. The Shadows of Chicago!' The
Shadows Of London. the play, the great
drama with It's wonderful scenery. the
sensation of New York for two months.
You know we have box with the De-
lanos tonight.
Felicia turned her face toward her
sister. Her great brown eyes We're very
expressive and not altogether free from
sparkle Of luminous heat.
''And yet We never weep over the
real thing on the actual stage Of life.
What are the shadows Of London on the
stage to the shadows Of London or Chi
cago as they really exist? Why don t
we get excited over the facts as they
are?''
Because the actual people are dirty
and disagreeable ard it's too much
bother. I suppose, replied Rose care
lessly. Felicia, you never can reform
the world What's the use? We're not
to blame for the poverty and misery.
There have always been rich and poor,
and there always will be. We ought 10
be thankful we're rich.
Suppose Christ had gone on that
principle. replied Felicia, with IN
usual persistence. "Do You remember
Dr. Bruce sermon on that verse few
Sundays ago. For We know the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ. that, though
he was rich. vet FOR Cur sakes he be-
came poor. that ye through his poverty
might become rich ? .
Il remember it well enough, said
Rose, with some petulance. "And
diGn' DR.. Bruce go on to say that there
was 10 blame attached to people who
had wealth if 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 luxpries
just because some people in the city go
hungry. What good would il do if he
did? l 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
you 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
she had received an offer. I'm going to
write and urge her to come. I'm just
dying to hear her sing.
Felicia looked out OF the window ana
was silent The carriage rolled on past
two blocks Of magnificent private resi-
dences and turned into a wide drive
way under covered passage, and the
sisters hurried into the house. 1t was
an elegant mansion Of graystone. fur
nished Ike :; palace, every corner of 1t
warm with the luxury of paintings
sculpture. art and refinement.
The owner Of it all. Nj. Charles R.
Sterling. stood before an open CRATE fire
smoking cigar. Ee had made MS
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 21 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 19, with q tropical beauty
somewhat like her cousin, Rachel Wins
low, with warm. generous impulses
just waking into Christian feeling. ca
pable of all sorts of expression. a puzzle
to her father, 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
dilnly conscious. There was that in
Felicia that would easily endure any
condition in lie if only the liberty to
act fully on her conscientious convic-
tons were granted her.
Here's a letter for You, Felicia" "
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
well, what 5 the latest news from
Raymond" ," asked Air. Sterling. taking
his cigar out of his mouth and looking
at Felicia. as he often did. with half