News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-05-20
By CHARLES NJ. SHELDON.
Author Of 10 lis Steps" Robert Hardy Seven Days. Etc
Copyright, 1901, bv Charles NJ. Sheldon

yet
and yet, Miss Marsh, John Gordon
loves you. He wants to see you before
be"-
! Did he send you here"
"No. But l know he longs to see
you. VIII you Gomez
Eyes" Lucia trembled. But | am
sure he does not love mel Oh, Miss An
drews! Have pity on mei If l loved
him truly, would refuse to accept his
test for me3 Why do l shrink from
Ehat?"
''Do you expect me to answer all tie
contradictions of your heart? You have
been born into a social life fAat reck-
ons up its wealth in physical things. 1t
Is also true-pardon me for saying it
but it Is true that you women of wealth
and social activities are as a class des-
titute of any real love for humanity.
You can feel remOrse or mOmentary
pity. You will weep at the representa-
ton OF wrongs upon the stage in a
well lighted, warmed and upholstered
theater from a comfortable seat for
which you have paid an eXorbitant
price, but you will not take the price of
that seat and go with it yourself to
a real human sufferer or if you do it
it is in a spasmodic effort to relieve a
dull day or a compound with a con-
science that will not always leave you
alone in your selfishness. The broad
basic clement of genuine love of hui
mainly is not known by you or women
like you. The richest, most cultured,
most favored women in this city are as
q rule destitute of real human love for
the masses. They are born without it,
they live without it, and, may God have
mercy on them, they will die without it
and receive the final condemnation
spoken to those who, like the rich man
in Jesus story, have their good things
in this world, but will be shut out by
nm impossible chasm from the joys of
Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham"
Again the spirit of this woman, who
had for all those dreary years of lone
some burden bearing felt the crushing
weight of a proud city's wealth and
fashion which lifted no finger to help
in proportion to its enormous RESPONSE
bility, rose up and flowed over it's life
long repression in the presence of a
woman who had refused the great love
Of a great man because she did not
want to miss the things that Lazarus
had to do without.
And 9UaiD Tupllo yyoa ,Ooi1fI1llv still
She uttered no denial; she apparently
did not resent Il syllable. She simply
looked down, folding her hands in her
lap and Miss Andrews, gazing at her,
could see no sign of anger or pride.
But suddenly Luella rose, and,
stretching out her hands toward her
visitor, she said, while tears were in
her eyes:
"All this may be true, but you say
he is dying. Is it the time to say all this
to me now? | love him! | do love him!
You do not, or you would not be saying
these things to me now-while he is
dying"
She came up close to Miss Andrews
and stood near her, with her hands
clinched and her whole attitude ex-
pressive of the deepest feeling. 1T is
no wonder John Gordon loved her."
Grace Andrews said to herself with a
pang at the thought of Il beauty that
had been du.ied by years Of contact
with trouble, for Luella was maGnifi-
cent in her strong young Womnnhood,
and it needed only that enc human love
for the multitude to make her a crea-
ture Of boundless affections worthy Of
the bravest, best man that ever lived
Il did not say he was dying. He is
very i'll. The issue is doubtful. But he
is perfectly conscious, and it may be
it may be-th&t your presence will help
him"
Come, then, let us CO." said Luella.
On the way to Hope House Lucia
asked again if John Gordon had sent
for her.
Gle has spoken your name" Miss
Andrews hesitated, but he has not
asked to see you"
Then | am going to see him on your
invita- tion?'
Eyes, she replied simply.
''He will not care to see me-" Luella
spoke as if to herself, and Miss An
drews did not reply to her.
When they reached the house, Lucia
was so agitated that she asked to be
left alone in the library little while.
When she came to Miss Andrews and
told her she was ready, Miss Andrews
could not avoid almost feeling Of pity
for her. 1
rs he very ill?' Luella asked.
You must be prepared for a great |
change in him." Miss Andrews said.
When she reached Gordon's room,
Ford came to the door, He had been
nursing Gordon. When Luella entered,
Ford and Miss Andrews went out and
knew that as they left the room Luella
had llneeled at the side of the bed and
put her lips on John Gordon's hand.
She was not prepared for the sight of
such change in SO short time. But |
Gordon had thrown himself into the
problem of Hope House from the first |
day of his residence with whole |
souled abandon that had told tremen-
dously on his vitality. The daily strain
on his sympathies the apparent hope
lessness Of the effort to remove causes, |
the unceasing call on heart and mind,