Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-24
ed with their surroundings and creates
bitterness between classes"

81 don't agree with you." the pro-
fessor's smooth. easy voice answered
again. "She is doing great good In her
way. Mr.. Gordon"-the professor was
sitting three chairs below Gordon on
the opposite side Of the table-"you
are surely In a position to verify my
statements about this estimable wom-
an. Set this misguided young man
right in the matter. He has been mis-
Informed by some one."
Every face at the table was turned
toward John Gordon except Luella's.
She looked down at the table 1t was
very still. Penrose was red and nerv-
GUS. Just how he had precipitated the
discussion Gordon did not know until
several weeks afterward. It was enough
that the entire subject Of his personal
life work was now at once the object
of interest to all these people. 1t was
the last situation in the world he
would have chosen for himself, but
it had been thrust upon him through
no seeking Of his own. In the hush
that waited his answer to the profess.
or Gordon saw a blue eyed woman dig
ging with bleeding hands at ruin out
of which CHASTITY faces peered. and 1t
was the vision Of whole life that for
fifteen years had flung itself down into
the tragedy Of humanity to save 1t re-
gardless of suffering to itself.
"Miss Andrews" he said quietly, but
his soul was shaken with the passion
of bis long repressed feelings, rs to
my mind the most gifted, most useful,
most Christian woman In this whole
city. She is today suffering more, CIV
ing more and doing more to right the
wrongs Of our boasted civilization than
any other woman of my acquaintance.
The man who says she is dangerous to
society does not know what he is say
Ing. Miss Andrews ia the superior Of
every person here at this table in all
the gifts and graces Of the highest de.
veloped womanhood."
He need not have said that last SEN
tence. 1t was not at all necessary. But
his spirit was at high tension. The
contrast between the selfish, heartless,
luxurious, even vicious social life rep
resented by some Of the persons at that
table in addition to Archie Penrose
and the patient, loving sacrificing life
of the head of Hope House voiced his
indignant assertion. Luella did not
look up. She sat as cold and still as
statue.
Mrs. Penrose, with tact that did
her great credit, broke the silence by
asking just the right question. Just
what it was Gordon himself did not re-
member when he went all over the
scene afterward; but, whatever 1t was,
It led the way naturally to descrtp-
ton Of Hope House settlement, and
John Gordon found himself doing what
be had declared ts-Mrs. Penrose he
would not do-he was soon pouring out
the story of Bowen street and Tommy
Randall and Mrs. Caylor and Louie
and all the heartbreaking conditions
Of the pale dwellers in the tenements.
Had ever man such an audience? 1t
is not often the reformer can reach the
men and women Of society. he talks
to the crowd, vaguely conscious all the
time that the rich, cultured, leisure
classes either do not care or do not
know or do not understand and never
90 to hear him.
But for over half an hour Gordon
said his say. He spared not one sylla-
BILE of horrors. The guests paled at his
description of the fire and shuddered
at the picture of the child's arm thrust
up out of the ruins and circling Bar
toms neck In convulsive death agony.
Luella looked up once. Her eyes
glowed with feeling that John Cor
don interpreted into deep compassion,
and his heart bounded. For moment
he lost control Of himself. Then he
went on steadily.
When he was through, Mrs. Penrose
quietly signaled for the company to
rise. In the other rooms. as the guests
seated themselves at card tables for
the rest of the evening, different ones
took up the topic and certain unusual
hush pervaded the perfumed atmos'
phere that was a stranger to the gos-
siping company.
Mrs. Penrose passed out by Gordon.
"You made deep Impression" she
said half admiringly, half seriously.
81 had no idea you could talk so well"
IT did not intend
"Of course not. All the better. Ar
chic got his answer. So did We" She
laughed a little cynically. 1T will do
us good. Did not tell you we need
reforming than the slums"
To Gordon's great relief Mary came
up and said she felt uneasy for her
father. and begged Mrs. Penrose to ex-
cuse her.
"You will 60 home with me, John,
won't YOU? I came with the Cranstons.
Father needs me. He did not look well
when he came home this evening"
1T must be serious If Mary Is ready
to leave this early" he thought. But
he was glad to escape the formality OF
the rest of the evening. AS he went
out with his sister he had q view OF
Luella seated listlessly at the table
where young Penrose was.
On the way home Mary seemed un-
easy. She was suffering also from a
headache and sharply accused her
brother of Juggling his reform business
into the company's talk. John Gordon
was silent. Afterward he learned that
Young Penrose's attention to Luella
was the real source Of Mary's bad
feelings.
As they mounted the familiar steps