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

looked out OF the window in the door
"Ihe concert was stupid, and the
vlolinist was simply bore don't see
now you could sit so still through it
all, Rose exclaimed a little impa-
tiently.
81 liked the music, aneyyered Felicia
quietly
lyon like anything 1 never saw a
girl with SO little critical taste"
Felicia colOred slightly, but would
not answer. Rose yawned again and
then hummed q fragment of popular
song. Then she exclaimed abruptly:
I'm sick Of almost everything. I
hope the Shadows of London will be
exciting tonight -
The Shadows of Chicaeop" mur-
INJURED Felicia.
The Shadows of Chicagor The
Shadows of London, the play, the great
drama with its 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 were 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 and it's too much
bother, l 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 to
be thankful we're rich
Suppose Christ had gone on that
principle. replied Felicia, with un-
usual persistence. "Do you remember
DIR. Bruce's sermon on that verse a few
Sundays ago. For ye know the grace
OF our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though
he was rich, yet for our sakes he be-
came poor, that ye through his poverty
ullSHC DcCOIu0 TlcU
Il remember it well enough" said
Rose. with some petulance. "And
didn't DIR. Bruce go on to say that there
was no 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 luxuries
just because some people in the city go
hungry. What good would it do if he
dldf 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 great pity she
doesn't come to Chicago and sing in
the Auditorium concerts. / heard today
abe 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 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 n 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 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 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 10, with a tropical beauty
somewhat like her cousin, Rachel Wins
low. with warm, generous impulses
just waking into Christian feeling, ca
pable Of all sorts Of expr cssion, 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
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"
said Mr.. Sterling. taking it out of his
pocket.
Felicia sat down and instantly opened
the letter. saying rs she did SO. 1T s
from Rachel.
"Well, what's the latest news from
Raymond ?" asked Mr.. Sterling, taking
his cigar out of his mouth and looking
ut Felicia, as he often did. with half