Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-15


science, Of corrupt courts and packed
juries, and the whole city lying in n
contemptuous apathy that owned no
god but Mammon and felt no indigna.
tion except that Of wrath over the fall
of stocks or the thwarting Of personal
schemes for glory.
What can be done?" Gordon asked
it, but had no answer. "Of what use
is our gift from Mrs. Effingham? Even
II Randall would sell the lots he has
bought he would demand outrageous
prices that we could not pay. 1t is
maddening to think that he has so cho.
sen the places for his tencments. his
saloons and vaudeville halls that even
If we owned all the rest of the district
We could do comparatively little TO car
ry out our plan. The ward clubhouse
means, Of course, the intrenchment Of
Tommy Randall in the heart Of his ter
ritory. Can you think OF anything ex-
cept spider who has artfully spun his
web and sits waiting in it for victims?
o God of the children, is there no way
in all this great so called municipality
that these wrongs can be righted?'
He had never expressed himself &C
strongly, and Luella, looking ut him,
had never felt so much real emotion
She was sitting by the window. and as
Gordon finished aud slowly turned
away from Miss Andrews, to whom he
had put the question. Lucia also
turned aud glanced out the window.
why don't you put the law on him Z"
Mrs. Penrose exclaimed impatiently.
There must be some way of executing
the ordinances of this city"
II have used every method within my
power during the last twelve years to
prevent the violation OF these city ordi-
nances relating TO the tenement house
construction. In every instance. with
out one exception, we have been thwart-
cd when the case came into court. Mrs.
Penrosc you have no conception OF the
tremendous political and social power
back of Tommy Randall. 1t is an abso
lutte dicta torship. 1t is true, as he I'M
bushingly says, he OF the powers back
of him own courts. judges, iurcs at
tOrneys. All our appeals to the people
themselves have been in vain. AS the
years have gone on my work has
grown to be that of some alienation of
misery; it is not contribution to the
removal of causes. The misery flows
on. The best we can do seems to he to
make life a little more bearahlc for
children, to put little light and good
cheer into these darkcned saddened
lives, 10 alleviate ever so little their
wretchedness. Sometimes have
thought this was al we ever shall do"
Miss Andrews spoke with her usual
quiet intensity. There was no whining,
not even complaint; simply indomita
bic patience in the face of everlasting
and unreieved defeat of purposes by
n power so Crimly fortified with money
and social entanglements and vice and
appeals to all human passions that it
seemed hopeless even to expect relief
from its dominating grip on the situa-
ton.
do you know julius Chambers:"
Mrs. Penrose asked after q moment of
During that moment
she noted with n gleam of quiet salts
faction that John Gordon had gone
over by the window and was talking in
q low tone to Luella. while Archie, who
unfortunately had seated himself the
other side of Miss Andrews, had the
length Of the room and the big library
table between him and the two at the
window.
Il have begun to hear about him, as
most Of us have done here Miss An
drews answered.
Let Mr.. Gordon see him. There is
some hope IN that direction, believe.
julius was a peculiar fellow in college
and law school. He has got into his
present position, as you know. through
@ very unusual set of circumstances.
and it would be just like him TO do
something. At any rate he has the
ability to do remarkable things"
1T is worth considering" Miss An
drews looked thoughtfuly at this wo-
man who had apparently come down
to Hope House, like scores of other fine
visitors, just TO look at a social expert.
ment but with no deeper or more seri-
GUS purpose. Would Mrs. Pcnrose go
any further than that? Would she use
influence and social place to put II
leverage under q wrong and help over
turn It?
Mrs. Penrose slowly and carclcssly
got up and said: "Archic and would
like 10 look over the house, Miss IN
drews, if you can show US. Can you?
Come, Archie. Oh, Miss Marsh seems
to be interested in her discussion with
Mr.. Gordon, He can bring her along
with him when they are through. What
a delightful, old fashioned hall you
have here, remember hearing my
father speak Of the time when the Ross
family built this mansion. Very inter
cstiny.'
She preceded Miss Andrews into the
Archie, who did not dare disobey. Che
slowly inspected the new coffee room
and then ASKED to be shown the recent
improvements in the peoples assembly
hall at the top of the building. She lin
gered over everything that Miss An
drews had to describe, and it was all
of twenty minutes before she entered
the library again, the wretched Archie
scarcely concealing his jealousy and
uneasiuess.
In twenty minutes "A good deal can
be said TO affect the future of two peo-
nln who for YnrinnS rea Cons haNn moi