The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-29

ing to Hope House John Gordon was
asking himself whether Miss Andrews
had ever had romance in her life.
The question went without an an
| swcr; indeed it was not much more
than L vague suggestion prompted oE
Miss Andrews appearance during the
evening of that eyentful Cay, and the
next moment Gordon was busy talk
inc over the innumcrable plans and
projects eagerly discussed at the table
for using to best advantage the Won
derful gift from the old sea captains
widow.
1T all comes back to parks and Play
grounds" was Miss Andrews sum-
ming up when they had all had their
say about the disposal Of the money.
:'My heart has achcd long enough at
the SIGHT of childhcods misery. We
can lessen its duration even if we can.
not remove its cause. I know some of
YOU people have got model tenements
on the brain. That's all right and good
enough, but it's not the end and aim OF
our work entirely. Let Us give starved
nature a chance at nature itself. Ihe
first hundred thousand for breathing
spaces. flowers, water, grass, trees; the
next for buildings, additions to Hope
uouse-what you will"
So the next day Gordon and Ford,
with Miss Andrews and Miss LIAM
mond, who, next to Miss Andrews, had
been the longest at Hope House, sat
down to make definite and positive
plan for tEa transformation OF the
burned out district into an oasis for
the desert Of Bowen street that still
swarmed with wretched and desperate
humanity.
The evening that was. marked by
Hope House as turning in its affairs
large enough to be called q crisis Mrs.
Constance Penrose was having sharp
interview with her nephew, Archie
Penrose.
''You are your own master Of COURSE"
Mrs. Penrose was saying to her
nephew, who lounged carelessly in one
of the bow windows Of the drawing
room, but at the rate you are going
You Will soon exhaust your resources.
You are a spendthrift not only OF your
money. but Of your health, which is
worth more than money"
"Oh, that's all right, Aunt Con-
stance" Archie answered, yawning. II
know when to stop
Every gambler has said the same
thing"
I'm no gambler, aunt
'eYou are. You stake your reputation
and the good name Of the family every
lime you put your health and money
up against the world, the flesh and the
devil II you have no respect for your
own name, you ought to have some for
mine"
"Wnat have done to catch all this?"
Archie looked annoyed and also lit
lie afraid There was one person in
the world who had the power to stir
fear in him, and that person was his
Aunt Constance.
"You have never done anything.
What have you ever done, Archie Pen
rose, to dignity or ennoble the name
you bear. To your fathers credit, If
he was a money grubber he at least
had business. He actually did some
thing besides hunt for pleasure all the
time. You-you have no business.
You waste every energy God gave you
In senseless expenditure Of time and
means. And, in addition to all the
rest, you are fool enough to think Luel-
Ia Marsh will be the wife of the most
useless man in the city"
"If I am a fool to think it, am 1 a
fool to wish for il:"
Mrs. Penrose stared.
'You don't mean to say you actually
love Luella?"
"I do I love her with all my soul"
That's not saying much. Your soul
has been reduced to the smallest COM
mon denominator.'
"Aunt Constarce!" The young man
came out from the bow window and
stood in front of her, lis bands
clinched and his eyes angrily blazing.
'.What right have you to talk So to
me? How big is your own soul? What
I do YOU ever Go for anybody but your
self? When it comes to wasting ener-
Gy, who wastes more than you IN what
you call senseless ways? I may be
useless and all that, but don't toady
to a lot of good for nothings like the
Journeys and the Carlisles and the
Cranstons just to get into Washington
circles next season." He was tread1ng
on dangerous ground now, for be had
touched his aunt's real weakness as
society woman, and she was in the
mood to be deeply angered at what he
said. But he went on recklessly, and
before he finished Mrs. Penrose had
settled back again into the easy, care
less attitude habitual with her.
81 know what you invited the Four
news here for the other night when
that ass Emory and Gordon got of
their stuff about the slums. But ali
that is Of no account to me. You have
no business to interfere with my af-
fairs with Luella. That's my own
business. If I can get her consent, l
am going to marry her"
SIT is kind Of you to get her consent
Archie" his aunt said, with quiet
irony.
"You have no right to interfere" he
said sullenly. Il don't mind saying l
love her, and 1 arn going to have her
for my wife if it is possible
'She will never have you. She loves
g far better man than you ever can be,
Archie Penrose.'
"Who? John Gordon? Hes crank.
Luella has broken with him."
eyes, her eyes looked it the other
night. Did you see how her eyes fol-
lowed Gordon all rhe evening:
Penrose was in q torture OF Jealousy.
he almost cried:
NO, she didn't! I tell you she's
| h-ot-on with him