The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-02-13

captain george Enngham Retreat or
THE Mrs Captain George Efhngham
Free Reading Room and Library Aside
from that l don't care what is done with
the money: only l want to know how
much Will do something real well / like
the idea of putting IT into something that
will help children Why on earth any
one wants TO live in city II he can live
anywhere else Is n puzzle to me. but after
they once get there i suppose we can't
ask too many questions about IT: at
least asking the questions will not relieve
the situation that has already been made.
/ am sure the captain will be pleased
with the use made OF his money. IL he
asks you any questions about it. tell him
have saved enough to bury my poor old
body rdecently and left the house and fur
nishings to the East India Marine mu-
scum He need not worry about any
thing,
II you are not able to answer this. turn
the whole matter over to your friend. 1
shall await letter from him or from
Miss Andrews. The Lord bless you. sir,
and may he meet you himself as you pass
over With respect and affection. your
friend
MRS. CAPT GEORGE EFFINGHAM.
John Gordon reread this letter with
glistening eyes. The hand Of David
Barton seemed to reach out of the
shadows and grasp his own with his
old hearty benignant cheerfulness-
God bless you. Davidr' Gordon said
reverently as he put the letters in his
pocket and FASTENED down to Hope
House to show them to Grace An
drews.
As she read her blue eyes grew
thoughtful. 1t seemed at last as IL
some part of her desire for the people
was going to be gratified
She does not say how much she
wants TO give" Miss Andrews re-
marked as she finished reading.
NO. only she says, 1 want to know
how much will do something. real
WELL"
I'VE could use almost any amount"
the words were uttered softly and the
gaze of the blue eyes was on the scene
visible from the library windows.
The district burned over was about
three blocks on one side of Hope House
and two blocks on the other. Com
pared with the entire tenement district
| il was only a black speck Oh the city
map. The people who were burned
out were now crowded into the other
tenements- II conditions of over
crowding before the fire were indie
scribable. they were now beyond en-
durance even to the wretches who
had before endured the indescribable-
| The city had begun the work of clean
| ing away the debris in Bowen street,
| but progress was slow. Carts We're
going by filed with rubbish. Hope
House itself contained still many vic
| tins whose condition was so precarious
| that they could not yet be removed
| to the hospitals. The resources of the
builAing had been taxed to its extreme
limit But the outside scene was what
Miss Andrews saw now with some
gleam of promise shining out of those
letters. Groups of children gathered
over the burned area, poking in the
ashes or among the bricks and lime
for trifies that were eagerly treasured
as souvenirs of the tragedy. The whole
dreary, dismal. melancholy wretched-
ness of the scene had not one ray Of
comfort anywhere, except that which
lay in the two letters in her lap. And
even with that what could be done?
''If that desert of ashes could be
transformed into a park, Miss An
drews." Gordon suggested They had
5oth reached the same conclusion at
the same time.
Parks and Fairgrounds, the two
Isweet .P's' of my life" she said wist-
fully, but it would COST
How much do you suppose Mrs.
lCaptain George Efiingham is worth 2
II have no idea. have you:"
Not the least. Why not write and
give her frank account of the facts?
If the old lady wants to add some of
the spicy fragrance of life TO children.
here is her opportunity. Let Ford send
her photographs of the burned district,
including. the swarms of children like
those out there now. and let us leave
it to her TO give what she will"
THAT is good. VIII you write the
letter.
NO; you write it. She knows you
by reputation. l am n nobody to her
Very we'll | will write the letter
You and Mr.. Ford secure the photo
graphs"
Gordon and Ford went out that aft
ernoon and secured several photo
graphs taken by newspaper men a
the time of the fire itself. In two
J days the group was made up and. to
gether with Miss Andrews letter, sen
. on to Mrs Captain George Efiingham
! as strong a plea for parks and play
grounds as human language and tn,
/, camera ever presented. Gordon reaC
) the letter and marveled at it. 1t set hi
! heart afire. 1t made him long for mi
lions to give.-to buy up city deserts ant
{ transform them into paradise. 1t wa
I the reading of this letter that cause
I him to wonder with increased amaze
: ment mt the extravagant and heart
a less wickedness of a luxurious civiliZa
{ ton that spends more on the things
:. eats that are unnecessary in one da
: than ii gives to feed starved childhoo
!. in year. IL Jesus were here on tn
!. earth again, would he not say 10 tn
rich men and women i'm the cite:
/ Woe unto you. hypocritesi Calm
e yourselves. many of You. by my nam'
!, = yet living in needless luxury. pampel
= ing your bodies. seeking pleasure an
d ease. while the blood of little childre
i spatters the wheels of your carriage
as you drive haughtily through th
. streetsI And We cry: Lord. Lord, hay
l not gone to church: Have | not pal
:, the highest pew rent and attended d
vine service regularly in my ow
church and given something annual
to support missions?' Yea, verify, yo
~ have done tlsSe things, but for ever
IT dollar to religion and charitable wor
u
VI own self satisfied existence. Verify J