News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-03-11

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bought the things the people needed,
and Tommy was the best friend they
had. Flowers at christeninss, turkeys
during the holidays, jobs on the street
force, Il stand-in with the city hall
why. even Miss Andrews and Hope
House had no such gifts for the people.
To be sure Hope House was good
thing, and Miss Andrews was all
right, but Tommy Randall was the
peoples friend, and wen never go
back on Tommy" was the settled con-
viction of every man in the ward VINO
owed his job to Tommy. Surely, o
boss of Ward IS, you understand your
business as well as if you were an an
gel Of light Hats off to the ward
boss" says the devil, as his best agents
in corTupting the modern city file by in
the great human review Of the Ameri.
can city. The republic may have a
president, but the municipality sup
ports a king.
When Gordon went up to see Barton
at the end of the most narrowing day
he had ever known, he found his friend
rayiEG with fever Ee did not know
GorGon. The nurse was in charge with
Williams, and all Gordon could Go was
to drop tear on Blrlon'S face as he
kissed the burning forehead and exact
a solemn promise from Williams to
send for him at once whenever the end
was near Then back again to three
days experiences that aged him, but
brought out all his reserve force-and
he had a vast quantity OF it.
Two events in those three days stand
out sharp and distinct in the life Of
John Gordon.
The first event was his deepening &C.
quaintance with Grace Andrews,
Working together side by side during
those three days, they rapidly grew to
respect and have confidence in each
other. Grace Andrews amazed Gordon
by her courage, her infinite patience
her profound pity for suffering, her en-
durance under circumstances so terri
bic that more than one of the men resi-
dents in the house tainted away at the
sight of some of the bodies taken from
the ruins. In several instances Gordon
felt confident that Miss Andrews loved
the dying back into life. She moved
among them like an angel of God. At
the most painful examinations, at the
most critical operations, she was pres
ent, benediction and a peace More
than once during those days Gordon
found himself thinking of Grace An
drews in way he had never yet
thought. He had never given her cred
it for Il sweet hearted tenderness, f8s-
cinating in it's disclosure of an abSO-
lutely pure and gentle nature, feeling
for all the woes of life. He had al
ways admired her steadiness of pur-
pose, her unterrified patience, her deep
seriousness of motive But he had new
er before witnessed her womanly senti-
ment, brought into prominence by this
sudden stroke of suffering. 1t all add
ed to the definition he was making of
her. 1t all enriched his faith in her
purpose and her sacrifices. In all this
there was not hint of anything senti-
mental on his own part. The awful
ness of all those surroundings during
that memorable week would have
made any such thought impossible
even if he had been other than he was,
the farthest possible removed from sus-
ceptibility. The one impression that
he received from a nearer view of her
character was a conviction that she
was a woman who had rare capability
for loving and being loved and he
even went so far in his thinking as a
result of this impression that he tried
to imagine the character Of the man
who might possibly win such a great |
and affectionate nature.
The other event was an unexpected
interview with Luella Marsh. The
Rev. Paul Falmouth had come down
to see Gordon and offer help of various
kinds to Miss Andrews from his church |
young peoples society. AS he was
getting ready to leave he said to Cor
don: ut seems to me now is the time |
for Miss Andrews and you to bring |
pressure to bear on Mr.. Marsh While |
the horror is still keen and public |
sentiment is favorable you ought to |
persuade him to do something. He |
will probably rebuild. Do you know?" |
Il don't know anything about it. |
Why has he not been down here?"
Gordon"-Falmouth spoke with quiet |
earnestness-"d you know Mr. Marsh |
intimately? l understand your relation |
to the family. 1 believe l know his
characteristics better than you do. At |
least l know this-he is morbidly sensi- |
tive in the matter Of viewing human |
suffering. Do you suppose
Gordon's face darkened Was it pos
sible that any man would run away |
from duty like this? All his respect for
Marsh and his feeling for him as the
father of Luella were at once swept |
away by the thought of the mans con-
temptible cOwardice. A tremendous tide
of Indignation took possession of him
as he recalled Marsh's pitiabe action
at the time he visited the tenement
Would he deliberately shirk his respon-
sibility in the matter of the fire and the
opportunity now offered him to re-
build?
''I'll go and see him If you say So"
Falmouth volunteered as he went
away.
II wish you would" Gordon replied.
And he added in tone that spoke of a
passion that was nearer anger
than any feeling he ever experienced: