The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-03-04

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gone my plans are summed up in my
love for the people"
love for the people?" Rufus Cor
don repeated the words and took step
toward his SON. You love the people,
then, more than your old father! For
tie people you would do what you
would not do for me! And who are the
people? Masses Of the enyious, the des-
perate, the thriftless, the irresponsible.
Are we to blame for their condition?
You talk Of social wrongs. But who
makes them possible but the people
themselyes?'
John listened in astonishment. In all
their conversation his father had never
before spoken so. There was a strain
almost CT mildness in his manner.
"John,'' he continued with a soften.
ing Of accent and manner that deep
ened the sons astonishment, you can
not do anything. I said I did not IN
derstand you or your motives. I know
enough, however, to know that If you
90 out into the world to do the things
of which you dream, you will misera-
bly, fai,, and the result will be pain
and disgrace for me, for US all love
you, John Perhaps you have not
known this. But
Rufus Gordon turned and walked
back tc, the place where he had been
sitting by the table. When he lifted
his face again toward John Gordon, 1t
was the same cold, proud, hard face
with which he had listened to his sons
! Indictment Of his own and his fathers s
social selfshness.
John Gordon was so confused by tlls
scene and his fathers manner that he
stood irresolutely silent by the win
dow. The whole incident seemed fan
tastically unreal, it was so unlike any
thing his father had ever done before.
He had just turned from the window
to speak wien q voice in the next
room began to sing:
1.-THE sadness that grows with the years
Is sadness that will not depart:
It is close to the fountain Of tears.
For it lies at the depth Of the heart.
The singer appeared at the doorway
and called out in a clear but somewhat
hard tone:
John, will you so with me this
evening? Mr.. Penwell sends word that
he cannot so owing to sudden sum-
mons out Of town.
What is it, Mary!' John Gordon
spoke affectionately.
"Ravon in The Edge Of the Sword "
John Gordon looked grave, and his
sister swiftly noted his hesitation.
"What's the matter with you, John?
Since you returned from abroad you
act so queer. Don't you want to so
with me? Ravoll is perfectly splendid
in the part
s'The play is John Gordon hesi-
tated to characterize it. In reality it
was rotten in~its whole ethical purpose
and teaching.
Everybody goes" Mary exclaimed
petulantly. "Of course, if you won't
20 with me, it will spoil my evening. I
had been expecting it So"
Rufus Gordon spoke.
''I'u go with you, Mary, if you want
me to-"
ooh, will you? That's good father.
She turned toward him, but looked over
her shoulder at her brother with ges-
ture Of rejection.
John Gordon looked at the two in
silence that registered in his mind what
had practically become the most pain
full experience Of his whole life, the
growing knowledge Of his estange-
ment from all his home loves. But
have chosen" he kept saying to him
self. II have chosen. cannot so
back now" The trihing incident OF
the theater and his sisters misunder-
standing of his attitude toward it was
only single illustration out of hun
dred other things that made the whole
socia, career unbearable to him. The
;.e: ,:j:,. SIS !i:!i.-.c,:lar play was dis
. i.,...;s;si.a,, ,ia5'- .;:e a=ting Of the most
i,.:::i...ar= So e. he age did not re-
80 1ne }:s.. =. If the condenna-
10. Lar ..es.y:i :,:..,s; it for being too
;.s.p:?rs alt, <,!2css;: !. for any self re-
/ specIlng mtu v4 ..----an to behold Its
movement on the stage. Yet the wealth
and fashion and culture Of the city ap-
pla,lled the acting and praised the ac-
tor. The press contained columns Of
coumendation for the scenery, the cos
tunes, the spirited presentation from
an artistic and dramatic point Of view
and a mild sentence or two Of rebuke
for the character Of the play itself.
What more could one ask by way of
allurement to go and see and hear
! something which was a little doubtful
in its moral setting. but splendid in its
physical and intellectual sweep Of pow
er?
Mary had risen and was going back
into the other room singing gayly,
For 1t lies at the depth Of the heart"
when John Gordon spoke again.
"Father, will you wait here few
moments? wish to have little talk
with Mary. And I would like to finish
our conference" he hesitated, but Ru-
fus Gordon answered as he went over
to writing desk, III be here when
you are through" He sat down and
began to write. while John and Mary
went together into the next room.
MARY, I want to talk seriously with
you," John Gordon began as Mary COM
menced to sing in q mockinG tone,
''The sadness that grows with the
years.
'No, No! Listen to me once, just
this once, Mary, with seriousness. You
know we have played together and
lightly treated the world all these
years. But 1t cannot 50 on forever.
have come tc a place, Mary, where
| r no1st choose heTweeo Father and Won