People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1900-02-15
By Charles NJ Sheldon.

aDOuStt'
ThF was silence for minute Then
FelicjE said abruptly, as if she had
gonel6n, with spoken thought to some
invisible nearer, "And what if he
shouN propose the same pledge to the
Nazsjeth Avenue church,"
"WhoH What are you talking aboutf'
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 wouldpledge themselves
to do everything after asking the ques-
ton, 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
81 understand from Raehel'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.
ooh, well, let's have some tea first. }"
said Rose, walking into the dining
room. Her father and Felicia followed,
and the meal proceeded in silence. Mrs.
SterlAg.had her meals served in her
room MIR. Sterling was preoccupied.
He atffery 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
much disturbed lately2" asked Felicia
lts8hile after.he had gone out.
"OA1 don't know l hadn't noticed
anytfhg unusual, replied Rose After
a sHs&9 she said: "Are you going to
the Hstonight. Feliciai Mrs. Delano
willBAEere at half past T. l think YOU
ought Mgo She will feel hurt if YOU
refuse5%
"IFTgo. l don't care about it. l can
see shadows enough without going to
the play"
That's a doleful remark for girl
lsyearS old to make, replied Rose,
but then you're queer in your ideas
anyhow, Felicia. If you're going up to
see mother, tell her I'll run in after the
play If she is still awake"
Felicia went up to see her mother
and remain with her until the Delano
carriage came. Mrs Sterling was wor
ried about her husband She talked in.
cessantly and was irritated by every re.
mark Felicia made. She would not list
en- to Felicia's attempts to read even a
part Of Rschel's letter, and when Fe-
licia offered to stay with her for the
evening she refused the offer with a
good deal Of positive sharpness
SoFElicia started off to the play not
very Happy, but she was familiar with
that eeling, only sometimes she was
more unhappy than at other times Her
feeling expressed itself tonight by q
withdrawal into herself When the
company was seated in the box and the
curtain was up, Felicia was back of
the others and remained for the even
ing by herself Mrs. Delano as chaperon
for half dozen young ladies under
stood Felicia well enough to know that
she was queer, as Rose so often said,
AMI she made no attempt to draw her
out of the corner, and so Felicia really
experienced that night by herself one
of the feelings that added to the mo-
mentum that was increasing the coming
on of her great crisis
The play was an English melodrama
full of startling situations. realistic
scenery and unexpected climaxes There
was one scene in the third act that i'm
pressed even Rose Sterling.
1t was midnight on Blackfriars
bridge. The Thames flowed dark and
forbidding below St Pauls rose
through the dim light, imposing, its
dome seeming to float above the build
ings surrounding it The figure of
child came upon the bridge and stood
there for moment. peering about as
if looking for some one Several persons
werfG&sing the bridge but in one of
the 4 ses about midway of the river
VIOLIN stood. leaning out over the
paraI with strained agony of face
and ure that told plainly of her in
tentions Just as she was stealthily
mounEpg the parapet to throw herself
into the river the child caught sight of
her, ran forward. with shrill CRY more
animal than human. and. seizing the
woman's dress, dragged back upon it
with all her little strength Then there
came suddenly upon the scene two other
characters who had already figured in
the play, tall, handsome, athletic gen.
tleman dressed in the fashion, attended
by slim figured lad. who was as re-
fined in dress and appearance as the lit
tie girl clinging to her mother was
mournfully hideous in her rags and re-
pulsive poverty, These two, the gentle
man and the lad prevented the at
tempted suicide, and after tableau on
the bridge where the audience learned
that the man and woman were brother
and sister the scene was transferred to
the interior of one of the stun tene-
ments in the-east side of London Here
PIE scene painter and carpenter had
done their utmost to produce an exact
copy of q famous court and alley well
known to the poor creatures who make
mn a mart of the outcast London hu