Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-26

' NS1AL W1lut 1uSA 0AA AOOO lOl lAC A44AA4C- diate time and also leaving word to send for him in case any special de- mand. came in later on in the evening. The miners had recently made several personal requests for help, and Stuart, in his growing eagerness to know as much as possible of the facts in the town, had determined to go himself at the next pressing call and satisfy his desire for the truth.
 After supper that evening Louise and Aunt Royal were discussing. the con- ing party or ''affair," which had been fixed for the following week. Stuart was sitting with them in the drawing room. There was beautiful open fire in the grate. The mantel and tiling were handsome pieces of imported mar ble. The lights had not been turned on yet It was not quite o'clock.
 "What nave you decided to decorate with?'' asked Louise. She had great respect for Aunt Royal as an authority in all matters of society or entertain ment and deferred to her opinion with out debate or dispute.
 "i think we had better have Nyphetia roses in the front room and small ferns
 with pearl roses in the dining room. SmilaX and carnations will be the prop CT trimming for the library and lilies of the valley for the music room. The last reception I attended in New York the Dupreys decorated the entire house with lilies of the valley. The effect was lovely"
 ''What did you say it cost?' asked Stuart, rousing himself to take part in the conversation. He had heard only a part of wh9t Aunt Royal had said. She looked over at her nephew in sur prise.
 "I didn't say. I heard that it cost about $1,oOO. That is a spall item for flowers in the Duprey receptions
 "It must have been lovely said I.ou- ise, clasping her hands so that her dia- mond rings were the most conspicuous part of her in the light of the fire.
 sI think it must have been horrible" |" said Stuart quietly.
 'Horrible:' Aunt Royal spoke as if she had not understood her nephew. "Yes; not the flowers, but the use of that much money to decorate for pleas ure any mans private residence for the
 enjoyment of people who could see lilies of the valley any time they want ed to-
 "WelI weu.' Aunt Royal could not get any further. Louise broke in with
 laugh.
 "Oh, Stuart's been converted lately to some of the communistic socialistic ideas. Didn't you know that, aunt? The next we know he will begin to ob- ject to our using roses for decoration next week here in the house, Stuart did not say anything. He was thinking of Fries speech that after noon. and his heart beat heavily as he thought of all the wasted music and flowers of the earth. Who was getting the best of these two great and beau tiful gifts of God?
 Was it not the very people who were able to pay the highest prices for them? Where was the right in sQuan- dering a thousand dollars of God s own money to enjoy the beauty of flowers when people were dying of hunger and misery in the nearest tene- ment? If it was Gods money and If men were only trustees of the funds, would God probably consider that a right use of the money? It was only one phase of the doctrine of steward ship which Stuart had lately begun to believe in.
 But Aunt Royal was not the person to remain silent after Stuart's use of the word "horrible'' in connection with her decorative ideas as they were con- nected with social functions. She ask ! ed, sharply for her:
 Do you mean to say, Stuart that you think we have no right to use flowers in giving pleasure to our in- yited guests:"
 No; I did not say that,' replied Stu art dryly.
 What do you mean then?"
 "I can't make you or Louise under stand me-" said Stuart after pause.
 "No Stuart talks in riddles of late.
 He thinks we are too aristocratic and
 un-Christian,' said Louise. There was
 a sheer in her voice which hurt Stuart
 keenly.
 Why do you say that, Louise? You
 know I am thinking of the poor fami- lies who are beginning to suffer at this time. Surely we ought to do as much
 for them as for ourselves. If we spend a hundred dollars to decorate the rooms with flowers for a party. we
 ought to give twice as much to help feed the hungry. The better way would be to take the money spent on the flowers and spend it on food.'
 'What"' cried Louise angrily. 'On
 the people who have brought their con- | dition on themselves by their own fool ishness. Who is to blame for their
 being hungry and cold if not them selves|'
 'The women and babies arc not to blame, and they. are the ones to feel
 the suffering most,' said Stuart quiet ly.
 'Well, you can use your money that way if you want to, but don't waste
 mine on people who don't know when they're we'll off,
 Stuart rose and stood with his back to the fire. He was agitated with all the new ideas that had crowded into
 his life since the day God had spoken to him. He felt that the revolution in him would cut square across all the tradi- tions and usages of polite society, espe-