News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-01-28
IS of children for the future. You

! c0uld'-
"Are you lecturing at me?" Rufus
Gordon suddenly interrupted, his fat
flabby face white with passion. 81
know my own business. and | will at
tend to itr'
John Gordon took step nearer and
gazed with painful intentness into his
fathers face.
Then do you mean to say, father,
that you will not raise finger to right
these great wrongs? Will you not
Il will attend to my affairs as |
think best and without any meddling
from any oner'
But father all this has nothing to
do with our difference of opinion as to
my choice of a career. 1t is simply an
appeal in the name of common hui
mainly. Will you not do this much at
least? Will you go down to Bowen
street and see things for yourself"
Il will not! My agent attends to all
the business"
Have you ever been there? Have
you ever looked at the misery with your
own eyes?"
ut is none of your business" Rufus
Gordon started up in his chair and
confronted his son. This time the mans
cheeks had deep red spot on them
and his fingers tWitched nervously. The
stoop of his shoulders, the wrinkles
| about his eyes, the whole pose and attf-
tude, revealed to John Gordon even
more than during that memorable in
teryieW when his father had refused
to give his sanction to his sons choice
the aging of vital forces that once had
seemed Incapable of weakness.
John Gordon clinched his hand and
repressed the words that trembled on
his lips. If he spoke, he knew he would
say too much. After all, was he his
fathers judge? Yet if the property
owners refused to act what redress,
what hope for the future? 1t was a
horrible commercial system that per-
mitted with the municipal authorities
sanction or Indifference, the brutal VIC
lation of ordinances that were on the
statute books, but never executed, spit
upon by officers and citizens alike, a
mockery to all decent government
For a minute father and son faced
each other silently. Then John Gordon
turned and without another word went
away, but as he walked down the
steps of the massive stone building his
heart was sore within him
"My own father. My own father
he repeated over and over, and tears
dimmed his eyes and sobs choked his
throat as he said the words.
Nevertheless. with that fiXity of pur
pose which always ignored private
feelings in the face of public duty, he
considered his morning task only just
begun. He must see Mr.. Marsh, and
he walked straightway to his office
which was near by.
Mr.. Marsh had just come, and when
John Gordon appeared at the door of
his private office he greeted his visitor
heartily, saying as he motiOned Cor
don to a chair: "Glad to see you.
Where have you been lately? Been on |
the point of dropping you a note ask
ing you to come asld dine. You and |
Luella haven't quarreled, have you? |
Come To thing of it, she's looked rather |
sober lately"
Mr.. Marsh was a large, handsome |
man of fifty-two His manner was
hearty, his whole bearing confident, |
with the air of one who has succeeded |
in every business enterprise he ever
undertook. AS man of large wealth, |
of university training and some degree |
of culture, of which perhaps he was
unduly Conscious. he was reckoned |
among the solid business men of the |
city and was always proud to see his |
name used in that connection.
"Luella has not told you, then?'
John Gordon asked in low tone
Told me what?'
"She refuses to marry me-"
Refuses to marry you?" Mr.. Marsh
spoke in establishment.
"Why-why how is that, Cor
g.? You are old enough to know your
own minds"
Il thought so, sir" John Gordon re-
piled almost bitterly, but Luella |
thinks otherwise. She will never be |
my wife"
II IlOl 50 StllOliS Il VI CFth as lllll'
The older man spoke with great kind |
ness and came nearer. He was really |
fond of Gordon, and the unexpected |
news affected him deeply.
yes, sir. To make long story short,
asked Luella to 90 into Hope House
as resident with me. She refused |
and
Into Hope House! And you ex-
pected her to live there with YOU
81 certainly asked her to. Whether
expected her to or not, am not gate
so certain"
"You asked too much" The words
came sharp and incisiye, ana .-.-.. cor
don at first shrank back MS # f.o.g .
blow YOU had no right to c.l,,t 4
girl brought up as Luella has .e'l T.
make such a complete chau,e ia III
life as such a course would deLHHu. 1t
was unreasonable"
perhaps it was" replied John Cor
don quietly. Nevertheless | made ii,
and p
ITO be continued)