Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-02-15
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g her husbands confidence for years, but
she knew that the source of his wealth
was precarious Her life for several
! years had been a death in life The
Rolfes always gave the impression that
they could endure more disaster un-
moved than any one else. Mrs. Sterling
+ illustrated the old family tradition
| when she was carried into the room
| where her husband lay, but the feeble
tenement could not hold the spirit, and
| il gave up the ghost, torn and weakened
| by long years of suffering and disap-
! pointment.
| The effect of this triple how, the
death of father and mother and the loss
! of property. was instantly apparent in
| the sisters The horror of events stupe-
fed Rose for weeks She lay unmoved
| by sympathy or any effort to rally. She
| did not seem yet to realize that the
| money which had been so large part
! of her very existence was gone. Even
| when she was told that she and Felicia
must leave the house and be dependent
| upon relatives and friends she did not
| seem to understand what it meant.
Felicia. however, was fully conscious
| of the facts. She knew just what had
happened and why. She was talking
| over her future plans with her cousin
| Rachel few days after the funerals.
| Mrs Winslow and Rachel had left Ray
mond and come to Chicago at once as
soon as the terrible news had reached
| them, and with other friends of the
| family they were planning for the fu-
| ture of Rose and Felicia
Felicia, you and Rose must come to
| Raymond with rs. That is settled.
| Mother will rot hear of any other plan
at present, Rachel had said, while her
beautiful face glowed with love for her
cousin, love that had deepened da-
by day and was intensified by the
knowledge that they both belonged to
| the new discipleship.
"Unless l could find something to do
| here" answered Felicia. She looked
| wistfully at Rachel and Rachel said
| gently:
''What could you do, dear?''
Nothing. l was never taught to do
anything except little music, and l
do not know enough about it to teach
it or earn my living at it. Ihave learned
to cook little Felicia answered, with
a slight smile.
Then you can cook for us. Mother
is always having trouble with her kitch
en-, said Rachel, understanding well
enough that Felicia was thinking of the
fact that she was now dependent for
her very food and shelter upon the kind
ness of family friends.
1t is true the girls received little
something out of the wreck of their ia
ther's fortune, but with a speculator' S
mad folly he had managed to involve
both his wife's and his children por-
tions in the common ruin.
"Can 1? Can I?' Felicia replied to
Rachel's propositiop rs if it were to be
considered seriously 81 am ready to do
anything honorable to make my living
and that of Rose Poor Rose She will
never be able to get over the shock of
our trouble.
eve will arrange the details when
we get to Raymond. : Rachel said, smil-
ing through her tears at Felicia s eager
willingness to care for herself.
So in few weeks Rose and Felicia
family in Raymond 1t was bitter ex
perience for Rose, but there was moth
ing else for her to do, and she accepted
the inevitable. brooding over the great
change in her life and in many ways
adding to the burden of Felicia and her
cousin Rachel
Felicia at once found herself in an
atmosphere of discipleship that was like
heaven to her in its revelation of com
panionship 1t is true that Mrs Wins
low was not in sympathy with the
course that Rachel was taking but the
remarkable events since the pledge had |
been taken were too powerful in their |
results not to impress even such wom
an as Mrs Winslow With Rachel Fe-
licia found perfect fellowship She at |
once found a part to take in the new
work at the Rectangle In the spirit of |
her new life she insisted dpon helping |
in the housework at her aunt s and in |
short time demonstrated her ability |
as a cook so clearly that Virginia sUg |
gested that she take charge of the cook |
ing class at the Rectangle
Felicia entered upon this work with |
in her life she had the delight of doing |
something of value for the happiness of |
others. Her resolve to do everything |
after asking, "What would Jesus do?"
touched her deepest nature. She began |
to develop and strengthen wonderfully |
Even Mrs. Winslow was obliged to
acknowledge the great usefulness and
beauty of Felicia's character The aunt |
looked with astonishment upon her
niece. this city bred girl, reared in the
greatest luxury, the daughter Of a mil
ionaire. now walking around in her
kitchen. her arms covered with -four
and occasionally a streak of it on her
nose-for Felicia at first had a habit of
rubbing her nose forgetfully when she
was trying to remember some recipe
mixing various dishes, with the great
est interest in their results washing up
pans and kettles and doing the ordinary
work of servant in the Winslow
kitchen and at the rooms of the Rec
tangle settlement At first Mrs. Wins
low demonstrated
Felicia. IL is not your place to be
out here doing this common work !
cannot allow it. "
"Why, aunt? Don't you like the
mullins made this morning2" Felicia
would ask meekly, but with hidden
smile, knowing her aunt's weakness for
that kind of muffin.
"They were beautiful, Felicia, but it
does not seem right for you to be doing
such work for us.
"Why not? What else can | dor
Her aunt looked at her thoughtfully,
noting her remarkable beauty of face
and expression
"You do not always intend to do
this kind of work, Felicia?''
"Maybe l shall L have had a dream
of opening an ideal cookshop in Chi
cago or some large city and going
around to the poor families in some
slum district like the Rectangle, teach
ing the mothers how to prepare food
properly. remember hearing DR.. Bruce
say once that he believed one of the
great miseries of comparative poverty
consisted in poor food He even went
so far as to say that he thought some
kinds of crime could be traced to soggy
biscuits and tough beefsteak. I'm con-
fident l would be able to make a living
for Rose and myself and at the same
time to help others.
Felicia broOded over this dream until