Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-15

flesh and blood"
Before night every one in Hope
House knew Of the great gift of $780,
900 TO the settlement. The little group
of residents at the supper table was
in fine state of excitement. Plans
were discussed FOR redemption Of sur
roundings that would have shnmed the
widest tales of Aladdin and the slaves
Of the magic lamp. Miss Andrews,
seated at the head of the table. looked
ten years younger. One of the young
women spoke of it 20 John Gordon.
"Do you notice how handsome Miss
Andrews looks tonight? She must
have been q remarkably striking won-
an ten years ago"
"Not more so than now, do you
Think" Gordon did not intend that
the head of the house should hear, and
supposed that the noise of general
conversation at table had made it i'm
possible for her to catch either the
question or the answer. But faint
color appeared in Miss Andrews
cheeks as she turned TO the young wo-
man and said, with laugh, when l
was rs young as you, my dear Miss
Hammond. l assure you 1 was quite
noted for my good looks
Eve all think you have renewed your
youth, Miss Andrews" Gordon spoke.
and Ford led off pleasant ripple of
applause by saying clear! Hear
Thank you all The head of the
house seemed genuinely embarrassed
and looked more interesting than ever
on account OF IL. at this rate an
other 100000 gift would put me back
in my teens"
She spoke lightly, and her Diue eyes
filed with wonderful light, so beautiful
in its expression of JOY over the new
opportunity TO help suffering humanity
that the whole company was affected
by it, and for the first time since COM
ing to Hope House John Gordon was
asking himself whether Miss Andrews
had ever had n romance in her life.
The question went without an an
swer; indeed it was not much more
than vague suggestion prompted by
Miss Andrews appearance during the
evening Of that cvcntful day. and The
next moment Gordon was busy talk
ING over the innumorahc plans and
projects eagerly discussed at the table
for using 10 best advantage the won
dorful silt from the Old sea captains
widow.
at ali comes back TO parks and plny-
grounds" was Miss Andrews sum
ming UP when they had all had their
say about the disposal of the money.
My heart has achcd long enough at
the sight OF chldhOods misery. We
can lessen its duration even if We can
rot remove its cause. | know some of
you people have got model tenemeNts
on the brain. That's all right and good
enough. but it's not the end and aim Of
cur work entirely. Let us give starved
nature chance at nature itself. The
first hundred thousand for breathing
spaces. flowers. water, grass trees; the
next for buildings additions TO Hope
/ Uouso-what you will"
SO the next day Gordon and Ford,
with Miss Andrews and Miss Ham
lnoud, who, next to Miss Andrews, had
been the longest at Hope House, sat
| down to make n definite and positive
plan for tie transformation of the
burned out district into an oasis for
the desert of Bowen street that still
swarmcd with wrctchcd and desperate
| humanity.
The evening that was marked by
| Hope House as n turning in its affairs
| large enough to be called n crisis Mrs.
| Constance rcnrose was having sharp
interview with her nephew, Archie
! ICnroSc.
lyon arc your own master Of course"
/ Mrs. Pcnrosc WAS saying 10 ser
nephew, who lounYcd carcleSsly in one
of the bow windows of the drawing
room. but at the rate you are going
yOu VIII soon exhaust your resources.
You are spcndthrift not only of your
money, but of your health, which is
worth more than money"
ION, that's all right. Aunt Con
stance Archie answered, yawning. Il
know when TO stop
Every gambler has said the same
thing"
lin no EamlSor. aunt"
"Iou are. You stake your reputation
and the good name OF the family every
| time YOU pat your health and money
! up against the world. the fcsh and the
devil. If you have no respect FOR your
own name, YOU ought to have some for
mine"
"What have I done to catch all this?''
| Archie looked annoyed ANA also a lit
/ tie afraid. There was one person in
| the world vino had the power 10 stir
! fear i'll him, and thaC person was his
Aunt Constance.
You have never done ANYTHING.
! What have YOU ever done, Archie Pen
rose, TO dignity or ennoblc the name
! you bear. To your fathers credit if
he was money grubhcr he ut least
/ had Il business. He actually did some
thing besides hunt for pleasure all the
| time. Iou-you have no business.
You waste every energy God gave You
in senseleSs expenditure of time and
means, And, in addition to all the
rest, YOU are fool enough to think Lucl-
Ia Marsh Will he the Wife of the most
useless man in the city,
"if ! am Il fool to think it, am | q
fool to wish for it,
Mrs. Penrose stared.
you don't mean to say you actually
! In I al L.,