Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-21

4
| te In danger Of a collapse. This Is dis
appointment to me personally. as l hat
| hoped to take him back with me to Sa
lem. The Lord and sometimes the physl
| clans know better than We do, and an
resigned to the Lords will anyhow anC
to the doctors unless this Is scheme
on their part to make something out o,
my grandsons case. / shall stay here un
til find out.
Mr.. Barton, sir, words Of mine canno
say 10 you the deep gratitude ! feel fol
the great kindness you showed my pool
wandering grandson. When you stopped
him that night and put your hand on hi:
| shoulder and said q loving word to him
| you saved him from something worse
| than death Of the body. He was on the
point of cursing God and dying. The Lore
bless you. sir, and give you peace.
Now, ] realize, Of course, that you are
not one to desire reward other than tha
which comes to every brave soul that does
| its duty. but am rich old woman. with
no relatives except this boy out here, anG
would count 1t great honor to be privi
| legged to do something with portion o1
my means in some way that you nigh,
! suggest. In : city like yours there are. Of
| course, very many causes that appeal t(
your humanity. What makes your hear
| few thousand dollars will do the most
good I have looked into your face. sir
| though you never saw mine, and l know
| full we'll that the time here with you Is
| brief. Thank God, sir, 1t has been brave
When you and I meet on the other side
| the fifty and five odd years difference ir
our lives will not be any gulf between US
| for my heart has never grown old. and
shall be rejoiced to count you among the
| noble friends who have made life worth
| while. The captain will be glad to NEE,
you. Tell him I have not forgotten how
| he looks and hope he has not changed
overmuch! 1 am. sir. with great respect
and gratitude. faithfully yours
MRS. CAPT. GEORGE EFFINGHAM.
The allusion to the captain made
/ Gordon smile little. But his face re.
gained its usual quiet seriousness as
he took up the second letter and slow
ly opened and read 1t.
Mr.. David Barton:
MY Dear Friend-I hasten at once to
answer your reply to my letter. for your
words assure me that the days are few
| for you on the earth. God grant you
! peace. sir. both Of mind and spirit.
What you say about your friend Mr..
Gordon and the work he is doing interests
me exceedingly. ! have read a little about
| Miss Andrews, and / believe In what she
is doing. II either she or Mr.. Gordon will
write me stating the immediate needs Of
the settlement, / will send something.
The only condition / make Is a request
that my name be not used anywhere In
connection with the gift. l don't want to
see my name over a doorway. 1.-The Mrs.
Captain George Efingham Retreat" or
1.-The Mrs. Captain George Ehngham
Free Reading Room and Library" Aside
from that / don't care what Is done with
the money; only l want to know how
much will do something real we'll. 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 a 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.
I am sure the captain will be pleased
with the use made Of his money. II he
asks you any questions about 1t. tell him
1 have saved enough to bury my poor old
! 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. ]
shall await a 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, David! Gordon said
reverently as he put the letters in his
pocket and hastened down to Hope
House to show them to Grace An
drews.
As she read her blue eyes grew
thoughtful. 1t seemed at last as If
some part of her desire for the people
was going to be gratided.
"She does not say how much she
wants to give" Miss Andrews re-
marked as she finished reading.
"No. only she says, 4 want to know
how much will do something, real
WELL"
1--WE 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 OH the other. Com.
pared with the entire tenement district
! it was only black speck Oh the city
map. The people who were burned
out We're now crowded into the other
tenements. If conditions Of over
crowding before the fire were inde.
scribable, they We're 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 were
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
building had been taxed to it's 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 trifes 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. Ano
even with that what could be done?
"If that desert Of ashes could be
transformed into park, Miss An
| drayysn Gordon sI]ppested They haC