Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-24
THE R EF F0 R N E R
By Rev. Charles Nj. Sheldon.
Autbor of I'm His Steps," "Rober Hardys Seven Days. Etc.
1901, by Charles M. Sheldon.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
John Gordon, heir to riches, refuses
q nosition in his fathers bank and
leaves home, father and sister to WorR
for the people of the slums. Sord1o
money getting and a life of frivollty
are revolting to him. Gordon's society
sweetheart, Luella Marsh, refuses rc
share his life at Hope House, "an
oasis Of refuge and strength" among
tenements, saloons and vaudeville nails
They part. Gordon goes to Hope
House and meets its head, Miss Grace
Andrews. He decides to join the slum
settlement. His friend, David Barton
a successful yellow" journalist with
bad cough, asks him to conduct q re-
form page in the Daily News, edited
by one Harris. Gordon considers the
offer. The offer tempts Gordon, put
he scores yellow" journalism. Edl-
tor Harris overhears the conversation
but gives no sign when he joins Cor
don and Barton. Harris offers Gordon
$500 a month to edit slum reform
page. Barton's cough grows worse.
Gordon refuses Harris offer because
he thinks Harris wants the page for
sensational, not reform, purposes. Cor
don finds that his father and Luella'
own the worst tenements in the slums.
Gordon asks his father to destroy his
illegal, insanitary tenements, but is
repulsed. Luella's father, who owns
the worst dumb-bell tenement, visits 1t
in company with Gordon. They also
visit disreputable vaudeville house
near by. The indecency shocks Mr.
Marsh. He promises to do something
about the dumbbell tenement. Bar
tons cough is worse. Mrs. Captain
George Efflngham calls and Gordon
learns that Barton has been sending
consumptives to Colorado at his own
expense. Miss Andrews tells Gordon
that Tommy Randall, political boss,
blocks all tenement house reform. Cor
don meets Randall at the bedside of
Louie Caylor, a victim of the barbar-
Gus tenement system. Gordon and
Randall oppose each other concerning
the funeral arrangements, and Gordon
defeats the boss. Gordon arranges a
decent funeral. The dumbell tenement,
owned by Luella's father, catches fire.
There Is a terrible holocaust. Among
the victims is Mrs. Caylor, Louie's
mother. Hope House Is saved by deS-
perate efforts. Barton, Gordon and
Miss Andrews do heroic work at the
fire and Barton collapses. Tommy
Randall, responsible for the deathtrap
tenements, poses as the slum's friend.
Gordon calls to see Marsh, who has
left town, meets Luella and intimates
that her father is responsible for the
death Of over sixty children in his lille
gal tenement. Luella's love is still
warm, but Gordon does not note the
fact, and they part coldly. Barton
dies, a victim Of yellow" Journalism.
Mrs. Effingham offers to give money
toward the slum reform work. Mr..
Marsh, conscience stricken because OF
the fire, gives the dumbbell tenement
lot for park purposes.
CHAPTER vIII-CoNr1NuED.
When Gordon reached Hope House,
he found waiting for him q note from
Archie Penrose's aunt, Mrs. Constance
Penrose.
Mr.. Penrose was a society young
man who had no visible means Of sup
port aside from the money his father,
recently deceased, had left him. Archie
Penrose had never made a cent Of
money by a stroke Of labor Of any
kind, but that was nothing against
him in the eyes Of fond mothers with
marriageable daughters. There were
thousands Of women In the city who
would have counted themselves or their
daughters as specially favored If
Archie Penrose had come into the
house as a suitor. 1t made no differ
ence that his reputation had suffered
in various ways. He had money. he
was Of distinguished family, his man.
ners were regarded as elegant, and he
had an aunt who gave the most select
receptions and entertainments in the
city. In the sight Of any man or wom-
an of right definitions of manhood this
young figurehead Of an aristocratic
family was simply one Of the ciphers
Of civilization. He made nothing that
added to humanity's comfort or knowl-
edge. He contributed absolutely not
one grain Of helpfulness or comfort or
hope to suffering, struggling, needy
world. He lived to get all the pleasure
he could himself, much If not all Of 1t
gained with total disregard for any
one else's pleasure, and yet he moved
through what is called the best society.
courted, admired, fawned on, eagerly
invited out to an endless round Of So
cial functions which a certain class Of
rich people in America make the most
important business of their lives.
Mrs. Constance Penrose was q person
Of more value than her distinguished
nephew. She was rich, but not given
over altogether to society and its shall
low enthusiasms. There were other
things in which she was genuinely In.
terested, and among them was the ca,
reer of John Gordon. She had known
him as boy, had watched him through
his college course and his trip abroad
and, being a woman Of very decided
and individual opinions, she had more
than once expressed her interest in the
experiment Gordon was making. More
than once she had compared him tc
her nephew, to that young mans great
disadvantage.
The note which Gordon found al
Hope House was an invitation to an
evening at the Penrose mansion II
Park avenue.
Why have you cut yourself off from al
of your former friends? Do you owe
nothing to US rich sinners. as we'll as tc
the poor ones? Come and reform the
boulevard If you are really In the reform
business. for we need 1t as much as the
slum. Why are there no social settle
ments among US? 1t strikes me that peo
pie like your Miss Andrews are living a
the wrong end Of the problem. If W.
could only be saved. we have the mean:
and ability to save the other END; but
want YOU to come and see me and tell me
about Miss Andrews Have you fallen II
love with her? And how about Luella
Young man, come and give an account o.