The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-12-19

ing thought OF its misery and SIN ana
selfishness enraged him. Let us eat.
drink and be merry. for tomorrow we
die!o he cried out, and nothing at that
moment would have saved John Cor
| don except the fact that what he had
mentioned to his father and sister and
Luella as his religious experience was
the greatest fact so far in his career
| AS he stood still there at the foot of the
steps gradually his spirit grew calm
er. The consciousness of God in his
| life grew stronger. The purpose of his
| ambition cleared And after a little
! while he started on, knowing that his
| Life work would not be changed in its
main intent by anything that had so
far happened. Only as he went on he
not be the same man and do the same
| things in some parts of his earthly vi
sion as if Luella Marsh had decided to
walk with him in the way. 1t was also
quite clear to him that without being
| able to give good reason for 1t he
was not closing the chapter with Luel-
la yet He certainly entertained the
idea Of her still coming into his life.
| It was not from his interview with
| her that he drew any such hope. But
he knew that he did not yet consider
her action as final. or possibly it was
! his own action that was not final.
He stopped at corner, and the sight
| Of street name on car going by de-
| cided his next movement.
'I'll go and take tea at Hope House, d
he said to himself, and took the car,
noting, by the time, that he would
reach the house just as the little family
Of residents were In the habit Of sit
ting down to their evening meal.
| Hope House stood in the midst Of its
desert of tenements and it's corner sa-
looms and vaudeville halls like an oasis
| Of refuge and strength. Saloons to
right and left and front and rear, with
piles Of brick and wood and rubbish
flung together in chaotic, tumbled
heaps, with openings for human be-
ings who streAmed in and out Of court
and alley and doorway or sat in pallid
huddled masses on the stoops or curb
ing formed the frame In which Hope
House was set. unique and alone.
John Gordon left the car one BLOCK
from Hope House and walked dowI
past five saloons in the block until hi
came to the arched entrance Of the
house. Going into the little court, he
breathed sigh Of relief at the sight Of
the familiar oleander tubs that stood
against the outer wall Of the court, anC
marveled at their ability to blossom
with such freshness In such surrounu
ing.
eff oleanders ever had any fragrance
In this part of the city, they must
almost smell of beer and sewer gas,
he said to himself as he went on into
the broad hall that opened on the court
He was by no means a stranger t.
Hope House. Since his return from
abroad ne had been frequent visitor
and had been welcomed with that in
ner welcome that springs from wei
known common purposes.
"You are just in timer called out q
quiet but cheerful voice as John Gordon
stepped into the doorway Of the dining
hall. Miss Manning is absent. You
may take her seat by me-"
81 count myself fortunate" John Cor
don replied as he took the seat, re
turning the greetings of those at thu
table.
"We were talking about you," saiC
the head of the house, with her quie
| hi1t oarnnSt manner
"I'm sorry to interrupt the converse
tion," replied John Gordon.
mo interruption, we assure you. W.
are glad you came in, for you are th'
only person who can answer a ques
ton Mr.. Ford just asked"
Rather a personal question, Mr.
Gordon" said Ford, a student from
the university, who was a resident Of
several months standing. 'The CUES
ton asked Miss Andrews was this
What is Mr.. Gordon going to do? Will
he possibly come in here with usp"
John Gordon did not answer TIT
question at once. He knew the com
plete freedom Of the social atmosphere
Of Hope House. especially at meal
times, and understood well that his 81
lence would not be misconstrued al
discourtesy.
He looked around the circle of ear
nest, friendly faces at the table, an(
his gaze included, as 1t had many time
before. the room itself, with it's high
dark wainscoting, it's few but choice
portraits, its plain but attractive home
likeness; but, as on every other occa
sion, his look finally came back to tn
face of the head of the house. for sh
was the genius Of the place.
Grace Andrews was in her thirty
sixth year. At the time John Gordol
first met her at Hope House she hal
been in charge Of the settlement TO
twelve years. Twelve years Of asso
citation with desperate human prob
lens such as those that swarmed lik
the people themselves had left on he
face marks Of that human, divin
calmness that all great women bea
who have loved the people. If Grac
Andrews did not impress strangers o
visitors as being great in any rea
sense, it was because the look of he
face spoke of quiet peace that 8
many people specifically associat
with meekness, but do not consider a
an element of power. The residents o
Hope House understood all that, an
the oldest residents understood it bet
ter than the youngest and had NOR
unquestioned reverence for the great
ness Of Grace Andrews than thos
who had less knowledge Of her.
1t was with deepening conscious
ness of what this woman was and O