The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-02-28

ure put upon him.
This particular morning the bishop
was reading extracts from a morning
paper for the benefit of the others. Sud-
denly he paused. and his face instantly
grew stern and sad The rest looked
up, and a hush fell over the table.
s.Shot and killed while taking lump
of coal from car His family was
freezing, and he had had no work for
six months His six children and wife
all packed into a cabin with three
rooms on the west side. One child wrap
ped in rags in closet.
These were headlines that the bishop
read slowly He then went on and read
the detailed account of the shooting and
the visit of the reporter to the tenement
where the family lived.
He finished. and there was silence
around the table. The humor of the
hour was swept out cf'e1istence by this
bit of human tragedy. The great city
roared ABOUT the settlement The awful
current Of human life was flowing in a
great stream past the settlement house,
and those who had work were hurrying
to it in a vast throng, but thousands
were going down in the midst of that
current, clutching at last hopes. dying,
literally in land of plenty, because
the boon of physical toll was denied
them
There were various comments on the
part of the residents. One Of the new
comers, young man preparing for the
ministry, said: "Why didn't the man
apply to one of the charity organlza-
tions for help or to the city? 1t certain
ly is not true that, even at its worst,
this city full of Christian people would
knowingly allow any one to go without
food or fuel
.sNo; don't believe that it would,
replied Dr. Bruce ''But we don t know
the history of that mans case. He may
have asked for help so often before that
finally, in moment Of desperation, he
determined to help himself. | have
known such cases this winter. .
ssThat is not the terrible fact in this
case, said the bishop. 1.-The awful
thing about it is the fact that the man
had not had any work for six months.
''Why don't such people go out into
the country?' asked the divinity stu
dent.
Some one at the table who had made
a special study of the opportunities for
work in the country answered the ques-
ton. According to the investigator. the
places that were possible for work IN
the country were exceedingly few for
steady employment, and in almost ev-
cry case they were offered only to men
without families Suppose mans wife
and children were ILL How could he
move or get into the country? How
could he pay even the meager sum nee
essary to move his few goods? There
were thousand reasons probably why
this particular man did not go else
where.
meanwhile there are the wife and
children. !" said Mrs. Bruce. How aw-
full! Where is the place, did you say3'
The bishop took up the paper.
"Why, it's only three blocks from
here. This is the Penrose district be-
lieve Penrose himself owns half of the
houses in that block. They are among
the worst houses in this part of the
city, and Penrose is church member.
eyes; he belongs to the Nazareth Av-
enue church. !" replied Dr.. Bruce IN
low voice.
The bishop rose from the table the
very Squire of divine wrath. He had
opened his lips to say what seldom
came from him in the way Of denuncia-
ton when the bell rang and one of the
residents went to the door.
''Ten Dr. Bruce and the bishop
want to see them. Penrose is the name
Clarence Penrose. DR.. Bruce knows
me.
The family at the breakfast table
heard every word The bishop exchanged
a significant look with Dr.. Bruce, and
the two men instantly left the table
and went out into the hall.
Come in here Penrose, said DR..
Bruce, and he and the bishop ushered
the visitor into the reception roola,
They closed the door and We're alone.
Clarence PenroSe was one of the most
elegant looking men in Chicago. He
came from an aristocratic family Of
great wealth and social distinction. He
was exceedingly wealthy and had large
property holdings in different parts of
the city. He had been a member of DR.
Bruces church all his life
This man faced the bishop and his
former pastor With look of agitation
on his countenance that showed plainly
the mark OF so;Ie r:.usual experience.
He was very pale and his lip trvnblea
as he spoke When had Clarence Pen
rose ever before yielded to snch a strange
emotion OF feeling.
This affair, OF Che Shooting you IN
derstand Nol haze read it TIE family
lived II one Of ~. hon>es. 1t is q terri
ble event Huf that is net@the primary
cause OF by visit He sfa1nmered and
looked anxiously into the faces of The
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