Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-25

OF human ueErh0htlOn ana misery.
AS John Gordon remained silent Mr.
Marsh uttered short laugh and said
uneasily:
81 don't wonder you think 1t very
queer that / have never been down
there OF course I have trusted Davis
implicitly. At the same time l have
of necessity been ignorant of conditions.
You regard them as badT'
Bad! They are simply beyond any
description. 1t is useless for me to at
tempt it, Mr. Marsh Gordon spoke
with tremendous earncstness, for there
was one word that Marsh had dropped
that gave him hope. You said it did
not sound very humane to say you had
never seen that property. VIII you go
with me and look at 1t? I cannot tell
you the facts. If l were to give them
to you as they are, ! am actually
afraid you would not believe me.
There are thousands of business men
in this city who do not know the hor-
rors that are congested In and around
Bowen street and Long avenue and
lllSu hu'. Iul IL Nph law any hSui
in you you cannot be unmoved by the
sight down there. In the name of the
suffering babies and little children l
beg of you, Mr.. Marsh. come with me
and see with your own eyes. You lost
a little child once, Mr.. Marsh. l re-
member Lucia telling me, your first
born son. In the name Of that sacred
memory will you take an interest in
the dying innocent children in your
own tencmcnts?"
In his sudden appeal to this long dis
tant but never forgotten experience
John Gordon made the one plea that
perhaps could have moved Philo Marsh
sufficiently to overcome his rcpugnance
to every form of human suffering. He
remained silent Il moment; then, lifting
his eyes to Gordon, lie said gravely:
Very well, III go with you. When
shall we go:'
II will suit my time to your conven-
fence. would like TO have you note
the conditions by day and night. l can
80 with you any time"
Say tomorrow afternoon and night,
then
"Will you take dinner with Miss An
drcws at Hope House" John Gordon
ventured to say.
Mr.. Marsh hesitated. why yes,
will if it is customary"
Il know Miss Andrews will welcome
you. Tomorrow at ., if that will suit
you. l will meet you here. and we can
inspect the tenements, take dinner at G
and 20 out again for a look at night.
Thank you"
John Gordon spoke with quiet but
deep satisfaction. He had scored an
important point. How important he
did not know, but it was vital be-
ginning to any influence he might hope
to exert over the property owners.
As he started to so out, Mr.. Marsh
spoke slowly:
"About Lucia? There is no prospect
of an agreement between you:'
Not any that | can see"
I'm sorry" The words We're genu-
inc, and John Gordon was touched by
them.
THANK you, Mr.. Marsh" He shook
hands firmly and went out with n tear
in his eye, but it was not the same as
that which the interview with his own
father had provoked.
Thank God. He seems TO have a
heart, at least!' John Gordon ex
claimed as he went down into his &c
henna again.
Between and o'clock the next day
Mr.. Marsh and John Gordon were in
Bowen street and standing in front of
the building on lot 81, known as the
"dumbbell tenement" which, accord
Ing to one famous tenement house com.
mission, lis the one hopeless form OF
tenement construction. 1t cannot be
well ventilated; it cannot be well light
ed; it is not safe in case OF fire; direct
light is only possible for the rooms al
front and rear. The middle rooms
must borrow what light they can from
dark Railways, the shallow shafts anG
the rear rooms. Their air must pass
through other rooms or tiny shafts, anG
cannot but be contaminated before il
reaches them" New York tenement
commission 1S94.)
John Gordon could not help noticing
the shrinking manner of Mr.. Marsh
The man seemed to be under an influ
ence that could not be fear or ever
of disgust and physical dread.
Shall we go in" John Gordon said
looking at his companion curiously.
wait moment" cried Marsh. 81
want to look at the street"
The two men stood still, and the Older
for the first time in his life saw sigh
that he had never dreamed could ex
list in civilized city that was at leas
nominally Christian.
1t wouid be impossible to pictur,
Bowen street by means of a photo
graph, No skill of the photograph
or artist could reproduce the scene anC
human language is as weak as III,
brush or camera to tell the story.
The street swarmed with children
It was midsummer and the day itsel
vas hot. but not one of the hottest o
he season. There was not n tree o.
shrub or flower, not bit of grass, no
ven a weed to relieve the dull, sicken
ing look of sun smitten brick and WOO,
and stone.
In front of every other house stood
garbage box, or what had once beer
one. The majority of these boxes wer,
rotting heaps of boards without covers