Mower County transcript., 1903-06-24
In that sort Of jOurna1sna:
David 5Barton loo kesdd lovingly at John

S&sss La YlUs s0uEVOl8tOOkSS CsJOuU
Gordon. His cynical. whimsica reck-
I less manner diisapp ppeared for moment.
" .'I I a don't bel elieye in Neyer did,
John. It's purely business with me.
Il I'm aWfully sorry for you. What dol
/ believe anyway /? hole life has
Scontrad dicted my creed. But maybe
there's hope for me vet. W hat do you
4 think Am 4 too bad to repent and be
saved ?'' ;s
John Gordon stared at his friend and
in "a moment his own deep abiding, re
/ sligious experience remind led him that
here was a soul cropping after light.
David, he exclaimed softly, ..no
one Is too bad to repent and be saved.
Oh, David, Christ makes ali lite worth
while" I5s
II believe that, a the reply came in q
whisper. we never said much, John,
but I've tried to IL 5. III
& The usually cynical voice actually
broke with q sob that cut John Gordon
deep, although ia that tense moment
which had come on 80 swiftly there,
was fierce joy at the confession his
friend had made. 5l5.s s85s .#
he bent over and put q hand on Bar
toms, and they sat thus silent for g
gracious moment. It was significant
that neither Of them had said q word
about Barton's physical condition and
bis hopeless future, so Tar as physical
life was concerned. The stiffness in
the room was suddenly interrupted BY
q clang out ON the street. s
Gordon went over to the window and
looked out. j8.s5 HI Y 1. 1S 4: .&s
"The department is making q fine
run he said briefly to Barton.
III It was late and the avenue was al
most empty Of traffic. A team Of pure
white horses on the engine which pre-
ceded the hose and ladder wagons
plunged forward with a desperate but
glad abandon that struck fire from the
pavement and whirled the engine along
with a mad but glorious energy that
made human blood run faster and kept
the pulses beating with sympathy. The
driver and his assistant leaned for
ward, their bare heads tossing their
free hair behind; the whole scene;
mashed by in the night like bit torn
out of a Roman chariot race Of the
dead past, transformed by chance to
the modern municipality, whose streets
are lighted with electricity, and whose
buildings loom up in the smoky air
like crags beside the prairie sea.
The whirling group swept around the
corner at the end Of the next block,
Stacking speed just enough to avoid
turning over. John Gordon came back
to David's side. I'm zts$ is =. 2. W.
Where is the fire pr ,El5 II, :. n :
II didn't notice the alarm. Must have
been a still One.'',r III .@s s@5s ! a,.!l
'Have you ever thought what would
happen, John, if fire ever got good
chance around Hope House?' 5e.@.,. :H
'Have L? I think of it every time l
go into the double decker. They are
simply traps. If a fire ever started in
the basement of No 81, it would be a
miracle if anybody got out alive
s. low about Hope House itself Z" The
question showed uneasiness.
Hope House is. a dry old shell in
side. It would 60 like tinder.": sSg .s
'The fire, tonight is not down that
way?' vi .L..5 81, #. 4
"No; the teams turned up Favell
street" #s5.1= II .s,s..,i
us No. 81 any worse than other num-
bers?" isgh n, !. ,a ssaf.. 5s}..$ ., 81.
''No; it's better in some Us. But
there's bakery in the basement. They
fry greasy doughnuts over a cracked
stove. One drop Of grease catching
fire in the place might sweep a score
Of children into eternity s335t
''They'd be better off in eternity than
In the tenement, wouldn't they? Maybe
the best. thing you could do would be to
pray for No. 81 to catch on fire when
the winds just right 55s,s .s %<.5% 5%%
John Gordon made no answer, and
Barton asked drowsily: sy+. 81. 81 II. if
How about Mr.. Marsh You dropped
me a line about the probability of his
having an interest in helping Miss An.
drews financially .s x53 N s.lss w I s@.s
"Mr. Marsh is the landlord of No
81" = zsll.; @ 5* -s 4. +. NJ 4.
"Sho! You don't say!' The voice
was awake again. ."Then the amount
of his contribution to social settlements
is not yet made public ?'' $5., ..sS.sf i.
"Mr. Marsh has been with me through
the district today. He saw his own
tenement for the first time. ~ n. >s Il ..3
That's a good story; tell me about
j" The voice was again drowsy. 8
Its too late, David, Gordon remon,
strated. - VI t:5$s II II Il, Ss s,..4.5s5s
2sNo; it isn't. I'm going to sleep here
often do. It starts the cough if I get
nD again. I'm conf fortable. You'll
stay all night? You know your room
Do, that's a good fellow. i MAJ wan
you to help me harness up the cougl
In the morningg 4 II H 5 4 8 H
Yes; n stay if you want me to
Are you comfortable there q sj5 S,s
Very much so, old man. Go ahead
with MI. arsh::'' s5$ 81 M 58852.
Gordaa had not talked FIVE minute,
before Barton was asleep, Il IN iii mat
ural slumber,I more like 2d cath thai