The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-05-27

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>\ESA
She pat her lips on John
Gorions hand
CAME to tell you,
4 Miss Marsh, that
Mr.. Gordon is very
ill., tits doubtful
That dreadful
place and work have killed him. eS-
claimed Luella. Her face had paled at
sight Of Miss Andrews. It blanched
now, and her exclamation contained q
certain tone Of reproach as If the wo-
man in front of her were to blame.
"And, If they have, is it not better for
him to ole there after having fought
a good l!ght for humanity than to live
elsewhere and carry no burdens that
kill?"
It was question provoked by the
entire social cruelty Of that world rep
resented by such women as Luella and
Mrs. Penrose. The gentle, patient, sac
rifcing spirit OF the blue eyed woman
who had given her whole life to lift
the human burden burst out Of it's ha-
bitual repression Of feeling and swept
up and over Luella as if she were the
incarnation Of social sel6shness which
in all great cities Of the world seeks
ease and pleasure and luxury and de.
MES all claims Of brotherhood, refuses
to share its strength with the weak
and never dreams Of such thing as
personal responsibility for childhood'S
ways OF mankind's suffering.
It seemed a long tine that Luella
was silent After awhile she raised her
eyes to Miss Andrews.
IT am all that you think am. And
yet
"And yet, Miss Marsh, John Gordon
loves you. He wants to see you before
he"-
.sDid he send you here?'
.No. But know he longs to see
you. VIII you Gomez"
eyes" Luella trembled. "But ! am
sure he does not love me! Oh. Miss An
dcews. Have pity on me! If I loved
him truly, would refuse to accept his
test for me? Why do I shrink> from
that:"
''Do you expect me to answer all the
contradictions Of your heart? You have
been born into social life that reck-
ons up It's wealth in physical things. 1t
is also true-pacdon me for saying it
but It is true that you women Of wealth
and social activities are as class des-
titute Of any real love FOR humanity.
You can feel remorse or momentaTy
pity. You will weep at the representa-
ton Of wrongs upon the stage in
well lighted, warmed and upholstered
theater from comfortable seat for
which you have paid an exorbitant
price, but you will not take the price Of
that seat and go with it yourself to
a real human sufferer. or If you do it
it IS in a spasmodic effort to relieve
dull day or a compound with con-
science that will not always leave you
alone in your selfshness. The broad
basic element Of genuine love Of hui
manity is not known BY you Or women
like you. The richest, most cultured,
most favored women in this city ere as
rule destitute Of real human love for
the masses. They are born without it,
they live without it, and, may God have
mercy on them, they VIII die without it
and receive the final condemnation
spoken to those who, like the rich man
in Jesus story, have their good things
in this world, but will be shut out By
an impassa bic chasm from the joys Of
Lazarus In the bosom Of Abraham"
Again the syMii Of this woman, who
had for all those dreary years Of lone
some burden bearing felt the crushing
weight Of a proud city's wealth and
fashion which lifted no finger to help
in proportion to its enormous response
bility, rose up and flowed over It's life
long repression in the presence of
woman who had refused the great love
Of a great man because she did not
want to miss the things that Lazarus
had to do without.
And again Luella was painfully still
She uttered no denial; she apparently
did not resent 8 syllable. She simply
looked down, folding her hands in her
lap, and Miss Andrews, gazing at her,
could see no sign Of anger Or pride.
But suddenly Luella rose. and,
stretching out her hanGs toward her
visitor, she said, while tears were in
her eyes:
"All this may be true, but you say
is dying Is it the time to say all this
to me now? love him. I DO love him!
You do not, or you would not be saying
these things to me now--while he is
dying"'
She came up close to Miss Andrews
tnd stood near her, with her hands
clinched and her whole attitude ex-
pressive Of the deepest feeling. 1t is
no wonder John Gordon loved her."
Grace Andrews said to herself with
pang at the thought of beauty that
had been dulled By years Of contact
with trouble, for Lucia was maGnih-
cent in her strong young womanhood,
and it needed only that one human love
for the multitude to make her a crea-
ture Of boundleSs affections worthy Of
the bravest. best man that ever lived.
II did not say he was dying. He IS
very i'll. The issue is doubtful. But he
is perfectly conscious, and it may be
it may be-that your presence will help
him"
Come then, let US go" said Luella.
On the way to Hope House Luella
asked again if John Gordon had sent
for her.
HE has spoken your name" Miss
Andrews hesitated, but he has not
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