The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-02-21

bitterness between classes"
II don't agree with YOU" the pro
fessor's smooth. easy voice answered
again. "She IL doing great good IN her
way. Mr.. GOrdon'-the professor was
sitting three chairs below Gordon on
the opposite side OF the table-"you
are surely in position to verify my
statements about this estimable wom-
an. set this misguided young man
right In the matter, lie has been mis-
informed by some one"
Every face at the table was turned
toward John Gordon except Luella's
She looked down at the table II was
very still. Penrose was red and nerv-
GUS. Just how he had precipitated the
discussion Gordon did not know until
several weeksafterward II was enough
that the entire subject Of his personal
life work was now at once the object
OF interest to all these people. II was
the last situation In the world he
/ would have chosen for himself, but
| II had been thrust upon him through
no seeking of his own. In the hush
! that waited his answer to the profess
or Gordon saw n blue eyed woman dig
Eing with bleeding hands at a ruin out
Of which CHASTITY faces peered and It
was the vision OF whole life that for
| fifteen years had flung itself down into
tile tragedy OF humanity 10 save It re-
gardlcss of suffering to Itself.
Miss Andrews" he said quietly, but
his soul was shaken with the passion
OF his long repressed feelings. ''is to
my mind the most gifted, niost useful,
NEST Christian woman In this whole
city. She is today suffering more. CIV
ing more and doing more 10 right the
wrongs Of our boasted civilization than
ans other woman OF my acquaintance.
The 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 tenslon. The
contrast between the selfish. heartless,
luxurious, even vicious social life rep
rsaented by some Of the persons at that
} nble I'm addition TO Archie Penrose
aad the patient, loving sacrificing life
NJ che head Of Hope House voiced his
Indignant assertion. Luella did not
look up. She sat as cold and stlll as n
statue.
Mrs. Penrosc, with a tact that did
hss great credit, broke the silence by
asking Just the right question. Just
b what It was Gordon himself did not re-
member when he went all over the
foono afterward; but, whatever It was,
lt led the way naturally TO Il descrip-
on OF Hope House settlement and
aan Gordon found himself doing what
: hal declared 60 Mrs. PcNrcse ho
= 81. .ould not do--hc was soon pouring out
, tho story OF Bowen street and Tommy
l Randall and Mrs. Caylor and Louie
{ ard VII the heartbreaklng cotditon'
= OF ths pale dwcllers In the tenements
Had ever man such an audiencei II
: Is not often the reformer can roach thu
men and women OF society. lie talk
Q to the crowd, vaguely conscious all tn,
: time that the rich, cultured, leisure
classes either do not care or do moi
know or do not understand and neyel
r 60 10 hear him.
But for over half an houf Gordon
said his say. He spared not one sylla
lie OF horrors The guests pnled at his
. description Of the fire aud shuddered
! az the picture OF the childs arm thrust
up out OF the ruins and c'-cling Bar
toms neck in a convulsive dgnth agony
Luella looked mp once. Her eyes
.glowed with feeling that John Cor.
do. interpreted Into deep compassion,
anc his heart bounded No. a moment
ne lost control OF himself Then he
wet on steadily.
When he was through, Yrs pcnrosc
quietly slgnaled for the Sl1puny "a
rise. Ia the other rooms as the guests
seated themselves at card tables foI
the rest Of the evening. III Slrent ones
took up the topic and certain unusual
hush peryaded the perfunlsd atmos'
pherp that was a stranger tp the gos
alp!ng company.
Mrg Penrose passed out ~ Gordon
, "Y0u made a deep impression she
, tald half admirlngly half seriously
y uuA ho AuNA gVh NVhAa AoAA ~ WNHs
II did not intend"-
"Of course not All the better Ar
chile got his answer. SO did wa" She
laughed little cynlcally. 1T will dc
US good. Did I not tell you We need
reforming worse than the slumsT
10 Gordon's great relief Mary came
up ana said she felt uneasy for heI
father, aud begged Mrs. Penrose TO ex
cuse her.
you VIII go home with me, John
won't youi came With the CranstOns
Father needs me. He did not look vel
when he came home this evening"
1T must be serious II Mary Is ready
TO leave this early" he thought. Blu
be was glad 20 escape the formallty ol
the rest Of the evening. AS he wen
out with bis sister he had a view ol
Luella seated listlessly at the tabli
where young Penr0se was.
On the way home Mary seemed un
easy. She was suffering also from I