The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-02-17
more desperate than the cases Of scores Of


to relieve such misery
'sWe are trying to find the way. Most
of us never knew before the terrible need
of it; we didn't realize what the 'other
half could mean.
There was little pause, and then Her
rick went on cit is almost the same
story with all the working classes. The
are laying off men, for instance,
and even the street railways have had to
reduce their forces. made inquiries
about them today"
'sAnd you found-g'
''That in the falling off in travel the
number of cars run had been cut down.
The employers have done their best to
keep as many men as possible, but, Of
course, as the pay is practically based On
the number of trips each man makes, the
average earnings have decreased cores
pondingly. | think conductor OF driver
who clears SO in seven days now is fairly
lucky"
''That is very little. y
"When you think of my man on the
ditch, it is good deal" said Herrick,
but his companion was not to be won over
to his way of thinking.
'sStreet-car men run all kinds of risks.
Ten dollars is not nearly enough, she de-
clared.
Kate sailed forth early the next after
noon, determined to discovery the conduc-
tor she had unwittingly victimized. She
had revealed her plan to neither her
father nor Tom. The former was far more
likely to object to the plan than to endorse
it; and as for the latter, well-Kate was
somehow influenced by the remembrance
that the conductor was youthful. She
told both of them the result of her expe-
dition, however, that evening, when Tom
called, ostensibly to confer with the Major
on matter of business, the Importance OF
which sceptic would have had reason to
doubt.
81 found him, she said, cat the com
pany's ofice-the place where the men
pay in their money, you Know. He had
Just finished his day work. He was very
nice about it and didn't want to take the
So at all, but / insisted, and finally he
gave in, but only on condition that if he
received the bill and it proved to be gen.
uine-and he thought 1t was, papa, in
spite of your magnifying glass-he should
be allowed to return it to me. He said it
had passed out of his hands, but he could
probably get it back. He is really far
superior to his station. He can't have
been a conductor always. P"
s'Not in infancy, perhaps" said the
Major. He was not enthusiastic about
strange young men. Herrick smiled.
"You'r re both prejudiced," protested
Kate "Really, he is as well-mannered
as half the men one meets, even if he
seemed bashful. He blushed when |
spoke to him. Neither of you could do
that.
81 trust there's no reason why we
should" said the Major. "But I've no
time to hear more of your prodigy in uni
form. I'm going out this evening. You
can free your mind to Tom. ~
"No," Kate declared, s'we'll talk OF
something else" And she kept her word,
Neither then nor on the several other oc-
casions on which Herrick met her in the
next fortnight did she discuss the conduc-
tor. That person, in fact, had almost
passed out of Tom S recollection when he
heard of him again.
Herrick was very busy in these days of
endeayor. Before him and his associates
in tile organized charity work of the city
was the problem of relieving want, which
was becoming more and more pressing and
necessitous. Ordinary means of dealing
with poverty had long ago proved made
quate and now extraordinary efforts were
making to open new sources of supply.
From the churches TIE managers were al
ready receiving considerable aid, with the
prospect of much more, as the knowledge
of the increasing. destitution spread among
the more wealthy congregations. In rous-
ing the somewhat torpid organizations Of
these affluent bodies, Herrick was doing
effective service, as his little talks before
the various societies were winning him a
reputation. There was nothing of the or
ator about him, but, being too full Of his
subject to be eloquent, he contrived to
reach the hearts of his hearers by the
plain path of earnest directness. In the
eminently respectable flock in which the
Major was a leader, Herrick found a read
iness to Join in the work which was most
gratifying, but which he more than sus-
pected was due to the good offices of his
friend, although Mr.. Mason was ostensis
bly, scoffer at the methods of the charity
Naturally, Tom counted
upon Kate as willing ally in the task of
the young women of the parish
in his enterprise; and under his advice
their sewing society was soon put to more
practical uses than had previously marked
its slightly frivolous existence. Dividing
themselves into little groups, each of
which took took charge of poverty
stricken family, the girls threw themselves
into their new labors with feminine enthu
Sl1Sm- unulDg biC iOfC VI A'otheA-
full much that was novel and even more
that was conscience easing, for to many of
them came sense of expiation of past
sins of omission.
Kate discovered, after the work as
signed to the society had been parcelled
out, that she was left without any partic-
ular charge. There was. nothing of the
shirk about her, and she felt that Her
rick would be deeply disappointed. No
doubt her opportunity would come be-
fore long, but she would have liked to be
in the van. The most CALLING part Of it
all was that some Of her dearest friends,
her intimacy with Herrick, found
ground for little jests, not evil-intentioned,
perhaps, but still sharp pointed enough to
make her vince.
ssOh, don't worry, dear, if you haven't
! family to look after, one of them had
said, cheerfully. 'sTom will do for your
poor very nicely-he's with you always.