The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-05-27

ldlullS SHc SuuuueASu dS.l1u s1ul
turned her eyes out Of the window anG
was silent long time. Miss Andrews
possessed the quality Of keeping still
and did not return to say anything
, more. After awhile Luella said, ''Let
US pray God that all may be well witt
him wien the crisis comes"
Yes, please Cod Miss Andrews
whispered. Then she went out Of the
library, and shortly after Luella went
hcme.
When she came into the house, she
found Mrs. Penrose waiting to see her
How is Mr. Gordon:' Mrs. Penrose
asked the moment Luella stepped into
the drawing room.
Luella told her.
Then lie is not out Of danger:"
NO. The crisis will come next
week
do you care very much, Luella?'
Mrs. Penrose asked somewhat careless
ly.
Luella did not answer.
IF he gets well, what then? VIII
you marry him?''
Still Luella did not answer. Mrs
Penrose eyed her sharply.
You are unhappy, Luella. Is it be
cause you are afraid he will die or
Lucia looked up.
IF he lives, will you marry hilo?'
Mrs. Penrose persisted.
Il promised him that 1 would anc
that I would live with him in Hope
House. But Mrs. Penrose was
watching her closely. Luella was il
need Of a confessor, and she went on
But cannot live there. promised
because I thought he was dying. was
sarried away By my feelings. If l tried
10 live there with him, should be
wretched and make his life miserable
$50 you have decided to make hi:
life miserable by not living with him.
That's good feminine logic. For get
ting into real dilemGas commend me
to a woman. The graceful thing for
him to do would be to die. 1t would
at least save you the awkward busl-
ness Of explaining away your promise
to him. I don't envy you your inter
view With him If be lives. I'd sooner
60 and live in Hope House all my life" !"
DON'T cried Lucia. She walked
up and down the room like a man,
Mrs. Penrose watching her curlously.
..Of course you never really loved
John Gordon. If you had, no question
Of Hope House would ever have risen
Seeing you have never yet loved any
one, maybe you will allow me to pre-
sent the name Of a suitor-'
Luella stopped in her walk and faced
Mrs. Penrose angrily. Mrs. Penrose
continued in the sweetest manner:
Archie claims your attention. He
has wearied me with his persistent
appeals for my pleading in bis behalf
and this seems as good time as any
to bring his claims forward. You are
not going to marry John Gordon; there
fore marry somebody. And it cannot
be denied that Archie is somebody, at
least in his own estination. He has
money, he is no worse than good
many other young men like him, and
he will not ask you to live In Hope
House. What more could you ask, Lu.
ella? And what more could / say? II
is not every day that one has an offer
CT marriage from such young man as
Archie. The occasion will never como
again.
Mrs. Penrose spoke with smile that
could be interpreted as meaning any
one Of half a dozen things.
"Stop.' cried Luella. Never men
ton Archie Penroses name to me again
If he were the only man in the uni
verse, would never marry him.
And yet" continued Mrs. Penrose
slowly. you throw away, like an old
shoe, the true love Of good man sim
ply because you are not willing to give
up q few of the feshpots of ci7iliza
ton. Vanity Of vanities, saith tho
preacher. Yet we prize these vanitieE
beyond the best thing in the world
which no doubt is love-
"Oh, do not talk to me any more!
cried Luella. She resumed her walk
and Mrs. Penrose placidly resumed hel
talk.
"Now that I have done my duty by
my nephew at his request I am going
to plead the cause Of John Gordon,
though he has not asked me to. Lu-
ella, do you realize what you are going
to fling out Of your life If you so to
John Gordon and tell him in cold blood
that you lied to him when you prom
ised to be his wife? He Is a young
man Of splendid ability and spotless
character He has chosen career that
is unselfsh, noble and full of possibili'
ties. AS his wife you could share in his
struggles, but no less also in his
triumphs. The whole social question
is at the front in our republic. Men
who, like John Gordon, stand up for the
rights Of humanity, especially the
rights Of childhood, are bound to com,
mand a hearing from the world. You
are missing the rarest opportunity q
woman ever had to ally herself with q
man who has something in his plaa Of
life worthy Of effort What will you
have to give up? a few baubles that
make the physical life little softer
and a few that civilized power can get
along without and In the most cases
be the better for not having. For these
baubles you are going to commit an ac1
Of deliberate murder Of the best feeling
g woman ever had, murder Of love fo1
a true man. He is perfectly right tc
demand that you live with him in
Hope House. You would have every
reason to despise him if he did not ask
that Of you. 4 man who has great
life work like that Of John Gordon
could not ask any woman to share II
with him who did not gladly accept al
that went with it. Remember, Luella
my married lifew Mrs. Penrose was
speaking with deep esrnestness; she