Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-01-13

6Xed for the following week. Stuart
pas sitting with them in the drawing
room. There was a beautiful open fire
in the crate. The mantel and thing
mere handsome pieces of imported mar
Die. The lights had not been turned on
yet. 1t was not quite o'clock.
"What have you decided to decorate
4 with" asked Louise. She had great
Respect for Aunt Royal as an authority
jn all matters of society or entertain
lnent and deferred to her opinion with
put debate or dispute.
\ ~ think we had better have Nyphetia
. roses in the front room and small ferns
4 with pearl roses in the dining room.
a SmilaX and carnations will be the prop
q pr trimming for the library and lilies of
fhe valley fol the music room. The
last reception . attended in New York
the Duprcys decorated the entire house
with lilies of the valley. The effect
Avas lovely"
what did you say it coSt?' asked
Stuart, rousing himself to take part in
The conversation. He had heard only
part of what Aunt Royal had said.
She looked over at her nephew in sur
prise.
Il didn't say. l heard that it cost
about 81 900. That is a small item for
flowers in the Duprey receptions"
at must have been lovely" said Lou
Use, clasping her hands so that her dia-
mond rings were the most conspicuous
part of her in the light of the fire.
inI- hOp II 10
said Stuart quietly.
''HOrribleY' Aunt Royal spoke as if
she had not understood her nephew.
Eyes; 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-"
''Well, wellw Aunt Royal could not
get any furtheS Louise broke in with
a laugh.
ooh, 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 OBJ
ject to our using roses for decoration
next week here in the house"
Stuart did not say anything. He was
thinking of Eric's 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 q thousand dollars of Gods
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 q
right use of the money? 1t was only
Dne phase of the doctrine of steward
ship which Stuart had lately begun to
believe in.
But Aunt Royal was not the person
70 remain silent after Stuart's use Of
he word horrible" in connection with
her decorative ideas as they were con-
hected with social functions. She ask
Pd, sharply for her:
do you mean to say, Stuart, that
you think we have no right to use
lowers in giving pleasure to our iu-
Eited guests?'
mo; l did not say that" replied Stu
art dryly.
what do you mean thenY
81 can't make you or Louise under
stand me-" said Stuart after pause.
'No; Stuart talks in riddles of late.
lie thinks we are too aristocratic and
ln-Christian," said Louise. There was
sheer in her voice which hurt Stuart
Ieenly.
''Why do you say that, Louise? You
NOW | am thinking of the poor fami-
les who are beginning to suffer at this
ime. Surely we ought to do as much
or them as for ourselves. If we spend
hundred dollars to decorate the
ooms with flowers for a party. we
ught to give twice as much to help
eed the hungry. The better way
would be to take the money spent on
he flowers and spend it on food"
WHAT cried Louise angrily. "On
he people who have brought their con-
ition on themselves by their own fool
shneSS! Who IS to blame for their
being hungry and cold if not them
elves?
1.-THE women and babies are not to
lame, and they are the ones to feel
be suffering most" said Stuart quiet.
"Well, you can use your money that
Ray if you want to, but 1 don't waste
line on people who don't know wher
hey're we'll Off"
Stuart rose and stood with his back
p the fire. He was agitated with al
ne new ideas that had crowded into
is life since the day God had spoken tC
i'm. He felt that the revolution in hin
Tould cut square across all the tradi
ons and usages of polite society, espe
ally in the matter of money and its
prSODaI ov DnDdi+uro