Mower County transcript., 1903-10-07


Ito his by force or lured to it By pity?
Was the hunger of life ever satisfied
with the husks Of reality? Up from
the lowly place Of his spirits depres-
sion he rose step by step until he rested
his affections in his growing fate that
the future would satisfy him with a.
human. love tha t knew no such thing as
doubt or fear. s#
During the day that followed this
grouing strength that looked into. ans
future with confidence he had severa1:
interviews with friends who came to
Hope House to- con graduate him on his
recovery and talk over the work Of the
settlement. se @54 *s
Among these callers one day was Mr..
Mars " gt& ss. ;s5 5 j s 3s ~ X M
Gordon ~ 4ss::s#* sz sssz ,,ssl:r sIsef re
had expressed ]l1s ss1sSsl II, r. shs Iso-
posed usa OF the property se kai s2ly~s.ed
over tn the settlement, II ain '1Msply
sorry that ysp' apd Luella have decided
to go your ways apart. She needs just
your strength. She is goins to lead a
life of aimless effort ID, z&, = r
ut is best as it is, sir,'' Gordon had
answered. !. E:%' =: \
"There is no possibility Of any recon-
ciliation, then!' x.
% mo; we have not quarreled; we have
simply understood. There can be no
other way for her or me- ~.. a5,.s IL
II am sorry" Mr.. Marsh sighed.
"She needed you, and SO do ~ r5 $
He spoke wistfully. Gordon read in
it whole history Of human weakness,
struggling up ~ toward light and
strength. = - ~ ~ ~ '.:$ r
He put his hand into the older mans.
IF my friendship is of any value to
you, Mr.. Marsh, you have it." &1
Marsh went away, and Gordon mused
over his future. How far would the
man use his wealth, his education, his
responsibility, to help the weak and
overcome his horror of humanity's sin
and trouble because he learned to love
instead of tremble? ,g..... = Y.
Paul Falmouth was a welcome visit
or. He was much encouraged over the
results of the city campaign. s s y
Il learned my share from it." he said
after giving Gordon his experience
with the young peoples civic league in
his church. "The church is not all bad.
There is great hope in it's young life
There is where I am going to put my
own strength and enthusiasm. have
stopped preaching great sermons to old
people. have begun to teach my chill
dren. have begun to learn that the
office of the ministry is not to draw the.
crowd, but to instruct a handful and
make disciples. 8 Gordon, I see some
hopeful signs III the church of the fu-,
ture." r. -. &C.,.
"Glad toahear it." Gordon answered
gladly. "I always believed the church
contained leaven. There is always
hope for any institution that has leav-
en- in it. s4sazesy9 e. %> > 81 1&
'The leaven Of the church of this
century is it's children" the minister
said and went his way, leaving Gordon
to muse over the power of that force
that represented through all the ages
the love of Jesus, an organization OBJ
scured and at times almost extinct,
but glowing yet with an inward illumi-
nation that has not forgotten the COM
mands of a Master who loved the
church and gave himself for it, that he
might sanctify it and make of it an in
stitution at last without spot or wrin-
kle or any such thing. ~-...- a.. <.
Mrs. Penrose was one of Gordon's
most interesting visitors. She came in
and chatted familiarly and at times
fippantly of all things on earth and
under heaven. At last she said sud-
denly: ,.. LIZ. a
| $50 Luella has got her feshpots.
They contain bitter brew for her. Are
you satisfed?" III {s..:= os
'"'There was nothing else for her to
do," Gordon answered after a mo-
ments silence. .@Ss. W.
''You're going to grow better for it.
She's going to grow worse I did my
best for you.'' y. +. / .fs. r., .s,< .s.a
f''Thank you," Gordon answered sim-
ply. s.@ +$2.':'
"Archie tried again the other day. He
will never make another attempt. I
have advised him to go abroad. He
! sails next MONTH ss5
Gordon made no reply. Mrs. Penrose
sighed. u 81 *zs= d
&"Why don't you and Miss Andrews
! Gordon gave her look that stopped
her. r. 'sssss5j
| Pardon me. Go on with your good
work for the children. Let me come
down once in awhile and help I'm
tnot altogether bad, Gordon. Simply
born SO. But life's a dreary sort Of
tumble to me. made my choice.
lGoodby. Best wishes to you.'' vi
When she was gone, Gordon, hesitat-
ingly to himself, lifted the curtain Of
her future as it might be. It was {.
future Of contradi ictions. Poor, wasted
! life of an immortal spirit! How you
have missed and shall miss forever the
joys Of triumphant womanhood! Poor,
| pitiable crea ture! Homeless! Child
less No two words in all human