Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-12-13


rious thoughtfulness. She only turned
her head a little as she said:
Where do you intend to make your
home? Will you tell me in detail?"
81 have not fully decided; probably
in Hope House"
"And you expect me to live with you
there?"
IF you marry me. yes" John Cor
don spoke with effort. His fear had
grown with every word she uttered,
with every new question she put to
him.
Il will never she began and rose
to her feet. Gordon rose instantly.
wait moment!' She sat down and
motioned him to be seated. wait! !
want to think awhile"
She put her hands over her face, and
john Gordon watched and waited. His
heart was hungry for her love. but his
soul trembled for what he thought was
to be her decision. AS the minutes
went by and she still made no motion
his conviction deepened that his knowl-
edge of her character and motives was
superficial. All that he really knew
was to some degree the strength Of her
personality. He knew she could not be
moved by pleading. If she would not
70 with him out Of love that pleaded
its own cause, John Gordon knew that
no other motive would prevail.
When she finally lifted her head, she
put her hands behind her and looked
full and frank into his face. But what
she said surprised him at first until he
saw it's bearing on her final answer.
"You used the word people good
many times in what you said about
your reasons for leaving your fathers
house. Tell me what you mean by it,
by the word?" He was doubtful as
to her meaning.
"Yes. just what do you mean by say
ing you are moved by love for the
people,"
81 mean the masses. tie multitudes,
the people. the humanity that works
with it's hands for living, the human
ity that tolls ut the furnace and the
loom and the machine. the humanity
that lives on days wages and lives to
produce the things that give persons
like you and me pleasure. the things
We say we must have for our luxurious
tastes, Luellaw John Gordon spoke
for the first time with the same pas
sion he had used in the interview with
his father, q passion that sounded the
new note Of his redeemed manhood.
What have we known or cared for
humanity? Our days have been vast
ed in selfish and foolish qualification
of the senses. while these, our brothers
and sisters, have been not only uncared
for by us. but actually unknown. OF
what value our boasted culture, our
elegant houses, our fine spun clothing,
our fastidious habits, If in the refine
ment Of q civilization that is veneered
selfishness we play our little plays like
children and never wake to the power
of usefulness as grownup men and
for the weak and less fortunate"
Luella Marsh listened in genuine sur
prise. This was another new phase Of
her lovers character. But there were
things said by him that angered her,
although while John Gordon was talk
ing she was saying to herself, 81 did
not know he had any gifts as speak
er that would bear developing"
Looking up at him, noting the flush
Of feeling OH his generally pale face,
she spoke the first impulsive thought
reused by what he said.
"Do you really classify lives like
yours and mine as useless? Are the
people. then, the only useful beings?
Or Is it true that the people as you
have defined them are such q needy
and suffering quantity as you say?
Are they not as selfish In their way as
we are In ours"
He heard her in surprise. 1t was
quickly becoming more clear to each
Of them that they had much to learn
of each others personality. Still, he
was resolved not to argue matters. He
had come with one clear. simple pur-
pose In his mind He did not wish to
! have 1t obscurcd or put into second
place. If Luella Marsh would go with
him into the life he had chosen. he knew
enough of her to feel certain that both
their lives would be strengthened and
beautifed: that if she once cast In her
lot with him she would never look
back, but would go on clear to the end
and bear all things with growing Joy
and peace If she decided to reject
him and his career because Of details
in 1t that were unknown or questiona-
BILE. then he had no calm answer to his
own heart as to the result on himself
except to say that his path would be a
lonely one. But he was Of determina-
ton not to leave the matter unsettled.
They were not children, but grown
man and woman. and should be able
to know their own minds.
"Luella, did not come here to argue
with you"-he spoke with great gen.
tleness In reply to her Questions-"l
want you. love you. That means /
would not hide one particle Of the truth
from you. If you marry me, 1t will
be life of burden bearing, 1t will be
a future full Of pain in many ways, 1t
will mean very largely total breaking
away from all the soft, easy, pleasant
social relations we have both known
since we were born. All this is true.
would not Try to soften 1t for you
But it will be a joyful life. a life OF
satisfaction, life full Of the conscious
ness of helping to make Il better world
Of doing something besides playing. Lu
ellu." He forgot in his feeling what ht