Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-08

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 prccipltatcd the
discussion Gordon did not know until
several weeks aftcrward. 1t 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 ghastly faces pecred, and 1t
was the vision Of whole life that for
fifteen years had flung itself down into
the tragedy of humanity to save it re-
CARELESS of suffering TO itself.
Miss Andrews" lie said quietly, but
his soul was shaken with the passion
of his long repressed feelings, sis 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 boosted civilization than
any other woman of my acquaintance
Tho man who says she is dangerous to
society does not know what he is say
ing. Miss Andrews is 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 heartlcss,
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. Lucia did not
look up. She sat as cold and still as n
statue.
Mrs Pcnrosc with n tact that did
her great credit, broke the silence by
asking just the right question. Just
what Il was Gordon himself did not re
member when he went all over the
scene afterward; but, whatever it was.
it led the way naturally to descrip-
ton of Hope House settlement, and
John Gordon found himself doing what
he had declared to Mrs. Pcnrose 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
20 to hear him.
But for over half an hour Gordon
said his say. He spared not one sylla-
bic of horrors. The guests paled at his
description of the fire and sLuddered
at the picture of the child's arm thrust
up out of the ruins and crcling Bar
tons neck in a convulsive death agony
Luella looked up once. Her eyes
glowed with a feeling that John Cor
don interpreted into deep compassion
and his heart bounded. For a moment
he lost control of himself. Then he
went on steadily
When he was through, Mrs. PenrosC
quietly signaled for the company Il
rise. In the other rooms, as the guest,
seated themselves at card tables fol
| bn rast nf bp cyuuiDo different nup.
took up the topic and a certain unusua
hush pervaded the perfumed atmos
pherc that was stranger to the gos
siping company.
Mrs. Pcnrosc passed out by Gordon
You made deep impression SHE
said half admiringly. half seriously
Il had no idea you could talk SO well.
Il did not intend
"Of course not. All the better. Az
chic got his answer. Sc Md We" Sll
laughed little cynically. "it will Il
us good. Did l not tell you we nee,
rcforining-worse than the slums!'
70 Gordons great relief Mary cam
up and said she felt uneasy for he
father, and begged Mrs. Penrose to ex
cusc her.
You Will go home with me. John
won't you? came with the Cranstons
Father needs ne. He did not look wei
when he came home this evening
at must be serious If Mary is read
, TO leave this early" he thought Blu
he was glad to escape the Formally o
+ the rest of the evening. AS he wen
out with his sister he had a view o
Lucia seated lstlessly at the tabl
where young Penrose was.
on the way home Mary seemed III
easy. She was suffering also from
headache and sharply accused he
brother of Juggling his reform bushes
into the company's talk. John Gordo
was silent. Afterward he learned tina
+ young Pcnrose's attention to Luell
was the real source Of Mary's bu
r feelings.
As they mounted the familiar step
{ he felt strangely oppressed, as if som
\ new or unexpected trouble was abou
to come into his life. The eXcitemeI
. incident TO his defense of Miss Al
, drcws had given way TO dun depre'
c sion that weighed him down and gay
n him foreboding.
@ one of the servants was in the hal
. He said that Dir. Gordon had gon
q into the library early in the evenin
. and had given orders not to be di
. turho1