Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-02-17

what We CdllcU II. lOOh lIle IlDeIly
to call it the 'Rhena Dwight
When Rhcna came in few minutes
after. Andrew and Eric pretended to be .
busy talking at the other end of the .
room
Stuart picked up the carnation and I
spoke feebIy, but the light of life was |
in his eyes This blossom is called .
the Rhcna Dwight, so Andrew says. /
Will you take it because of the love | /
bear you|'
Rhena took the flower and kissed it.
Then she shyly placed the blossom
against Stuart's lips. Then she laid it
down again in his hand.
NO" she said; you keep the Rhena
Dwight for the love have for you"
Is it any wonder Stuart grew well
with great rapidity after that?
In week he was almost we'll. He
was able to take part in the discussions
which forced themselves into that little
room in spite of all Eric could dc.
There had been three weeks almost a
blank to Stuart. but full of horror and
misery for the miners on all the ranges.
The fire that dreadful night had made
300 or 400 people homeless. The deaths
froGu fever had lessened some in Cham
pion. but at De Mott the daily mortality
had increased. But most of the suffer
ing came from lack Of clothing and
fuel and food. The winter had cOntin-
Ued with terrible severity. And still
the union held out with remarkable
stuhburnneSs, although the week of
Stuart's COnNalescence there was a ru-
NOR that a break would come very
soon. The union had reached it's limit
of ability to help in financial way
long before this.
Stuart came back to strength and
new vitality with all the force of the
old problem intensified as he realized
what the three weeks had added to it.
lie was glOritied with the love Of Rhe-
ma. now wholly his. but he knew that
for nothing did she love him more than
for his desire to try to solve the hui
man problem. as it touched both their
lives in Champion. With all the added
warmth and enthusiasm of her great
hearted wisdom he now set himself
to the duty before him. 1t was not
alone his desire that Rhena should be
one of the company when Eric and
Andrew came in to talk over matters.
The other men had learned that wo-
mans wit very often supplies the nee
essary factor in a solution of practical
relief, and Rhena took her place with
them as indispensable to their councils
henceforth.
Something has got to be done soon
for The people who lost everything
in the fire" said Andrew The little
group of four were in Eric's room,
Stuart ON the couch, Rhena sitting
near the end of it, Eric pacing the
! room, his dark eyes restless and burn
| ing.
Il understand they have all been
comfortably cared for. but | don't see
myself what Champion people have
been able to do for them in the way
of housing them" said Stuart, looking
at Andrew, upon whom a large share
of the work of relief had fallen during
Stuart's unconscious condition.
Heaven knows how all of them
have been cared for. The Salvation
racks. and Miss Rhena here knows
how much the army has done"
at has done very little in comparison
with what it would like to do" said
Rhena sadly.
"Do you know what it would like tC
do?" asked Stuart who was only just
beginning to comprehend how grCa1
%
fire and three weeks more of the
strike.
I'm afraid it's not much use for me-
to say" answered Rhena, with added
sadness.
"You forget answered Stuart
"What is all my money for? Why hav,
you not been spending it all this timer
he asked almost fercely, turning t.
Eric, who still paced the room ant
who had not yet spoken.
give spent plenty of other people
money in my mind" answered Fri
as bitterly as he ever spoke, but
never spent it in reality. and when
comes TO the suffering we face now
wouldn't know where to stop. Wha
right have people to go on wasting
Gods property so wickedly while ther
is so much suffering?'
He looked at Andrew as he spoke
and Andrew, who seldom made a re
tort of any kind, replied:
ASK the devil. He knows NOR
about it thar / do"
, "And then there is the church." con
tinued Eric, who was irritable an
nervous on this occasion, for his lon
watching with Stuart had been grea
/ strain on him. What is it doing i
comparison with what it ought to do
Stuart, you asked me quite awhile ag
t why joined the Salvation Army. L.
t tell you why. There was nOWher
: else 1 could 90 for the religious expires
2 sion of my life. st. Johns church is
2 curious mixture of wOrkingmen an
}. tradeSmen. and I'm not saying any