The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-02-13


to see her. The swift and eventful
current of events that flowed around
Hope House had carried him along SO
tumultuously that he had let the old
relations with his home drift. and yet,
in spite of all that had to be counted
into a swift receding past. he could
not deny the strength Of the blood re-
lationship.
He turned from the professor with
feeling of relief and began to chat with
his sister.
She was the same careless. thought
less. superficial creature she had al
ways bean, and yet she had an affec-
ton for her brother that John Gordon
felt was very real. 1t touched him.
even while he was wounded by many
things she carelessly uttered about his
own choice Of life.
Father is not very WELL" she said
IN reply to a question. He fell one
day last week and had to be carried
home from the office. l feel worried
over him sometimes. l wish you were
at home again"
do you miss mer'
do L? You know do, John. Aren't
you coming back everf"
81 don't know. The old life seems
| unreal to me-"
Does this seem unreal?" She tapped
his arm with her fan and then de-
scribed a little circle with it that in
cluded the rooms and their brilliant
contents. 'It seems very real to me-"
she added with a light laugh.
| John Gordon let his look go over the
interior Of that princely residence. All
the soft. easy, luxurious appliances of
modern civilization within the reach of
lavish wealth were evident on every
side. Velvet carpets, golden decora-
tions, the most costly pieces of art.
wood carving from Bavaria. exquisite
medallions. portraits by Sandalio, and
paintings the price of any one of
| which would have been more than the
life earnings OF hundred families i'm
the tenements-before he was aware he
was putting flesh and blood values up
against all that physical luxury. Then
he suddenly looked into Mary's face
and said. with Il smile:
THE things are real enough; it is the
life that is unreal
Don't be tragic. John" she pouted.
Have some fun tonight. You don't
look as If you had been having much
lately. Tell me, Is II true that you and
Luella have quarreled: Tell me all
about it. She is coming tonight. Will
it be embarrassing TO your And then
lbefore he could answer she ratified on
lcarelessly:
"And Miss Andrews-the papers say
she is a remarkable person. Tell me,
is she handsome. like Luella? Are you
impressed? But how do you live in
those horrors? should think the sights
and smells would be simply Oh, Mis-.
Cranston, you have met my brother
John?"
Miss Cranston had met Mr.. Gordon
while he was student in the univer-
sity. John stood chatting with her
awhile. and was still talking with heI
when dinner was announced. He took
her out, in obedience to a nod from
Mrs. Penrose. and when once at table
he looked. quietly enough outwardly
but with inward tumult at the guests
and noted Luella seated by young Pen
rose at the farther end, but facing Cor
don. while Penrose was almost wholly
obscured by Gordon's right hand neigh
Dor.
The dinner proceeded as usual will
such dinners, only the gifted art oi
being all things TO all guests that Mrs
Penrose possessed i'm such a large de
. gree saving the occasion from the in
sufferable dullness of many similar
gatherings. A seven course dinner II
, u rich woman's house may and ofteI