The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-05-06

! ScieECe, oi corrupt COURTS anu piCAeu
jurieS, and the whole city lying in a
coatcmptuous apathy that owned no
| god but Mammon and felt no indigna-
ton except that Of wrath over the fall
Of stocks OF the thwarting of personal
schemes for glory.
what can be done?' Gordon asked
| it, but had no answer "Of what use
is our gift from Mrs. Ehngham? Even
if Randall would sell the lots he has
bought he would demand outrageous
prices that We could not pay. 1t is
maddening to think that he has so cho-
sen the places for his tenementS, his
saloons and vaudeville halls that even
if we owned all the rest Of the district
we could do comparatively little to car
ry out our plan. The ward clubhouse
means, of course, the intrenchment Of
Tommy Randall in the heart Of his ter
ritory. Can you think Of anything ex-
cept q spider who has artfully spun his
web and sits waiting in it for victims?
0 God Of the children, is there no way
in all this great so called municipality
that these wrongs can be righted?"
He had never expressed himself so
strongly, and Luella, looking at him,
had never felt so much real emotion.
She was sitting by the window, and as
Gordon finished and slowly turned
away from Miss Andrews, to whom he
had put the question, Luella also
turned and glanced out the window.
why don't you put the law on him 2"
Mrs. Penrose exclaimed impatiently.
There must be some way Of executing
the ordinances Of this city,
II have used every method. within my
power during the last twelve years to
prevent the violation Of these city ordi-
nances relating to the tenement house
construction. In every instance, with
out one exception, we have been thwart-
ed when the case came into court. Mrs.
Penrose, you have no conception Of tie
tremendous political and social power
back Of Tommy Randall. It IS an abso-
lutte dictatorship. It is true, as he u1-
blushingly says, he or the powers back
Of him own courts, judges, juries, at
torneys. All our appeals to the people
themselves have been in vain. as the
years have gone on my work has
grown to be that Of some alienation Of
misery; it is not contribution to the
removal Of causes. The misery flows
on. The best we can dc seems to be to
make life Il little more bearable for
children, to put little light and good
cheer into these darkened, saddened
lives, to alleviate ever so little their
wretchedness. Sometimes I have
thought this was all we ever shall do"
Miss Andrews spoke with her usual
quiet intensity. There was no whining,
not even complaint; simply indomita-
BILE patience in the face Of everlasting
and unrelieved defeat Of purposes by
power so yri1nly fortified with money
and social entanglements and vice and
appeals to all human passions that it
seemed hopeless even 20 expect relief
from it's dominating grip on the situa-
ton.
do you know julius Chambers:"
Mrs. Penrose asked after moment Of
thoughtfulness. During that moment
she noted with a gleam Of quiet salts
faction that John Gordon had gone
oTer by the window and was talking in
a low tone to Luella, While Archie, who
unfortunately had seated himself the
other side Of Miss Andrews, had the
length Of the room and the big library
table between him and the two at the
window
sI have begun to hear about him, as
most Of US have done here" Miss An
drews answered.
"Let Mr.. Gordon see him. There is
some hope in that direction, I believe.
julius was a peculiar fellow in college
and law school He has got into his
present position, as you know, through
q very unusual set Of circumstances,
and it would be just like him to do
something. At any rate he has the
ability to do remarkable things"
"It is worth considering" Miss An
drews locked thougbtfully at this wo-
man who had apparently come down
to Hope House, like scores Of other fine
visitors, just to look at social expert
ment, but with no deeper or more seri-
ous purpose. Would Mrs. Penrose 80
any further than that? Would she use
influence and social place to put
leverage under wrong and help over
turn it?
Mrs. Penrose slowly and carelessly
got up and said: "Archie and I would
like to look over the house, Miss An
drews, if you can show US. Can you?
Come, Archie. Oh, Miss Marsh seems
to be interested in her discussion with
Mr.. Gordon He can bring her along
with him when they are through. What
delightful. old fashioned hall you
have here! I remember hearing my
father speak Of the time when the Ross
family built this mansion Very inter
esting."
She preceded Miss Andrews into the
hall and beckoned to the disgusted
Archie, who did not dare disobey. She
slowly inspected the new coffee room
and then asked to be shown the recent
Improvements in the peoples assembly
hall at the top Of the building. She lin
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