The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-07
Wealthy Young Man Goes Out
to Help "the People"
HE HAS NO PURPOSE.
Forgets That He is Engaged to
Be Married.
Like All the Others the Narra-
tive is Interesting.

John Gordon, the only son of an i'm
mensely rich banker, had religious
experience, resolved to abandon his
fathers home and an offer of success
sion to the head of his fathers bank,
and devote his life to the people.
When asked by his father and sister
as to what he expected to do, he could
give no idea of his plans. and only
pressed his hand to his forehead and
exclaimed:
MY God. 1 don't knowl 1 love the
people"
Carried away by this ecstacy, de for
got all about his engagement to a
wealthy young woman named Ls&ella
Marsh. He apparently forgot that ne
had ever loved her, or the possible
wishes of the young woman, until a1ter
he had irrevocably committed hlnSe1
to the desertion of his parental fireside
in his visionary resolution to do some
thing for the people.
This, in brief, is the opening chapter
of the new story which the Rev. Charles
NJ Sheldon read to a very large con-
gregation at Central church Sunday ev-
ening. The name of the story is THE
Reformer.'' 1t will consist of IL chap
tiers, one of which will be read every
Sunday evening for II weeks.
Mr.. Sheldon gave his hero, John Cor
don, bad start. 1t remains to be seen
whether he can win over the sympathy
of his audiences, and of future readers
of the story, to a hero who has already
displayed such radical defects. Young
Gordon, a scion of an old and aristo-
cratic family, as well as a wealthy
one lis painted in such vivid colors by
MIR. Sheldon that one loses confidence
in the hero's stability The young man
appears to be s.rabid." He announces
| that he is a socialist; that he can not
sister because they do not get down
close enough to the people. He admits
that they give largely of their wealth
to worthy objects. but denounces his
father for making money in the bank
ing business, and his sister for indulg-
ing in the frivolities of the social
SWIM Johns father, Rufus Gordon,
urges his son to continue to live with
the family, and if so inclined, use his
wealth and social position to further
his desire to be of assistance to the
people," but John prefers to obey the
dictates of his very much aroused con-
science. and quit his home.
pears to be shocking defect in his
character. He had apparently pondered
er's house, but had utterly neglected to
consider any practical plans for the fu-
to do, except that he wanted to help the
people. And to intensity the monomaniac
out that he completely forgot what his
betrothed wife. would think about it or
would have upon her happiness and well
fare
But it may be that Mr.. Sheldon can pull
his hero out of the hole in which he
placed him. 1t may be true that Mr.
Sheldon needs just such hero to Illus
trate the moral points which his story
will introduce. But if Mr.. Sheldon can
write himself out from under this handi-
cap he will merit the success which will
await his story when it is given to the
In general THE Reformer'' promises to
be chara cterized by the typical Sheldon
afarieg Mniene piace IN iiterature The
misunderstanding is excellent and the
characteristics Of four individuals, who
story are placed boldly in the light. The
four characters introduced in the first
chapter are Rufus Gordon, the millionaire
turned from a trip to Europe after COM
pleting his college course; Mary Gordon,
Johns sister, and incidentally Luella
Marsh Johns betrothed.
The SermOnizing features of each chap
ter of former stories promises to be pre-
chapter of 1.-The Reformer'' John Gordon
delivers himself of homily to his aged
father on the general topic of his fathers
does seem a triffe presumptuous for
young chap just out of college to be lee
turing his father on the subject of morals
The story is interesting because It IS
well written and because it is so filled
with the personality of it's author. 1t is
somewhat heavy with the atmosphere OF
economic problems, which are heaped up
in great profuSiOn as background for
the story so far as it has gone But 1T
written for the idle diversion of the hear
ers and readers, but with a serious pur-
pose. on the part Of the author to teach
Whether it viii rival I'm His Steps in
the estimation of the world is question
rxvai only inn