The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-02-20

I'm novel that was too good to be sim
pie fiction. After reading her letters I
am sure my theory is true"
Then maybe the check she mentions
rs being In the bank is fiction. too"
Falmouth suggested. "And the next
thing you know the old lady will van
ish and you will have to hunt for her
in the pages Of some colonial romance
to which she has returned"
Heaven forbidw Gordon answered
might be true.
Miss Andrews smiled. 81 was In the
Bank of Commerce this morning and
was informed OF the deposit there. So
whether Mrs Captain George Effing-
ham Is real or not, her check is certi-
fed as good for the amount" She
laughed at the look Of actual relief in
John Gordon's face.
1T seems too good to be true" Cor
don said. returning the laugh. 'If l
were an author. I would put the old
lady into a book. II she has not already
been immortalized. But you cannot
persuade me that she is Just ordinary
flesh and blood"
Before night every one in Hope
House knew OF the great gift of $780,
900 to the settlement. The little group
of residents at the supper table was
in a fine state OF excitement. Plans
were discussed for redemption OF sur
roundings that would have shamed the
widest tales of Aladdin and the slaves
of the magic lamp. Miss Andrews.
seated at the head of the table. looked
ten years younger. One of the young
women spoke of 1t to John Gordon.
do you notice how handsome Miss
Andrews looks tonight? She must
have been a remarkably striking wom-
IN ten years ago."
"Not more so than now, do you
Think Gordon did not intend that
the head Of the house should hear. and
supposed that the noise of general
conversation at table had made It i'm
possible for her to catch either the
question or the answer. But a faint
color appeared I'm Miss Andrews
cheeks as she turned to the young wo-
man ard said. with a laugh. when
was as young as you. my dear Miss
Hammond. I assure you I was quite
noted for my good looks"
I'VE all think you have renewed your
youth, Miss Andrews" Gordon spoke.
and Ford led of pleasant ripple of
applause by saying Hear! Hearw
Thank you ALL" The head of the
house seemed genuinely embarrassed
and looked more interesting than ever
on account of ii. AT this rate au-
other 100000 gift would put me back
in my teens"
She spoke lightly. and her blue eyes
filed with wonderful light. so beautiful
in its expression of joy over the new
opportunity to help suffering humanity
thar the whole company was affected
by it, and for the first time since com
: ing to Hope Ho,sc John Gordon was
, asking himself whether Miss Andrews
| had ever had romance In her life.
) The question went without an an
, swer; indeed II was not much more
than a vague suggestion prompted by
I Miss Andrews appearance during the
evening of that eventful day. and the
: next moment Gordon was busy talk
! ing over the innumerable plans and
projects eagerly discussed at the table
for using to best advantage the Won
derful gift from the old sea captains
: widow.
"It 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 ached long enough at
the sight of childhood's misery. We
can lessen its duration even II we can
. not remove its cause. l 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 chance at nature itself. The
first hundred thousand for breathing
spaces. flowers. water, grass. trees; the
next for buildings. additions to Hope
HoLse-what you will"
, So the next day Gordon and Ford.
| with Miss Andrews and Miss Ham
mond, who. next to Miss Andrews. had
been the longest at Hope House. sat
, down to make n definite and positive
plan for the 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 a turning in its affairs
; large enough to be called q crisis Mrs.
! constance Psnrose was having a sharp
interview with her nephew, Archie
iPenrose.
"You are your own master Of course"
!. hfrs. Penrose was saying TO her
nephew. who lotnged 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 spendthrift not only of your
money. but Of your health, which is
worth more than money"
| 1 "Oh. that's all right, Aunt Con-
stance" Archie answered. yawning. 81
know when to stop"
Every gambler has said the same
, thing"
| I'm no gambler, aunt"
: "You are. You stake your reputation
3 and the good name of the family every
q time 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"
! what have done to catch all this p
, Archie looked annoyed and also "a lit
tie afraid. There was one person In
r the world who had the power to stir
p fear In him, and that person was his
z Aunt Constance.
, You have never done anything
What have you ever done, Archie Pen