The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-03-04

room, but before he had gone out Mary
rose and came quickly up to him.
''This is not goodby, John"
eyes" He turned and looked at her
earnestly.
"Of course" hesitated - "of
course the reason I don't show more
feeling is because cannot believe you
are really going to leave US for good.
You will try the reforming business a
little while, and after you have learned
that you cannot do anything you will
come back and let father work out his
plan for you, which, must say, Is far
more sensible than what you propose.
So don't intend to say goodby, John,
and I hope Luella will be as good to
you as am"
She instantly went back to the piano.
sat down and began to sing and play
gayly. John Gordon looked at her for
moment, then went into the other
room and found his father still writing
there. He went up to the. desk and
waited until his father laid down his
pen.
"Well?'' he said as he lifted his head
and looked up at his son. "Iou have
something more to say?'
There was not hint in the tone or
manner to suggest to John Gordon any
affection or feeling. He was not sur
prised. He had not expected anything.
But he put out his hand toward his
father almost like one who Is sinking
and sees some floating object swept out
Of reach on receding wave.
"You understand, father, that I do
not. ask anything of you. Grand
mothers share Of the Waller estate is
due me next year. will take care Of
myself until them
Rufus Gordon did not speak, and
John Gordon continued:
"All this-my action is and always
will be strange to you, father. The re-
liGous experience through which l
passed while abroad makes any other
course impossible for me. AS I said to
you before, the life we have been iT-
ing In this city seems now to be
monstrous life for civilized people to
live. The term Christian has no mean
ing at all unless it means service, sac
rifce, sharing in some real sense with
the worlds needs. The civilization
which means simply getting all it can
out Of the world instead Of putting all
it can into it is a civilization that can
net be called Christian. My soul is un-
able to rest, my life cannot go on with
such contradictions torturing it. That
ia the reason, father, that our ways d.
vide. World to God that we could see
and walk togetherH'
The cry was wrung from him BY a
sharp and sudden pain that took ac-
count Of the fact Of blood kinship. 1t
was the cry Of human fellowship, the
exclamation of personality that had
always placed great stress on the value
Of companionship. But there was no
cry from the man who sat colGly look
ing at him. Rufus Gordon was father,
but he was also that personifcation
Of the net product Of our un-Christlan
methods-he was crystallized selfish
ness-none the less selfish because civ
ilized, all the more selfish because it
was more effective in civilized form.
Ignorant self is not SO destructive as
educated self.
'Is there anything more?" Rufus
Gordon asked the question as bus1-
ness proposition to close an interview
that was taking valuable time needed
for more important transactions.
Nothing more except that I hope
you will-you will not bear any hard
feelings toward me. Oh, father" John
Gordon suddenly exclaimed, taking a
step toward the impassipe figure. "You
said you loved me. Cannot you believe
in me and the life have chosen"
For a moment over the hard face
there swept a tremor. 1t was gone In
moment and Rufus Gordon answered
slowly:
'You have chosen. When you change
your mind, you may come and see me
about it."
II shall never change my mind"
'sThat is all, then?'
eyes except that my love for you
and Mary is still the same. Some
time, when you have felt what I have,
you will believe as I do."
Rufus Gordon made no answer, and
John Gordon slowly turned to leave
the room.
"I will arrange to have my things
taken over to Barton's. am going to
stay with him until I arrange for my
permanent quarters"
BE left the room and went upstairs,
where he busted himself with packing
the few possessions he had brought
home with him from abroad. During
1t all his highly imaginative and even
poetical nature took account Of the
prosaic and matter Of fact way IN
which be was taking leave OF the
house where be was born and OF the
home In which be had been reared.
There had been no melodramatic dis
Inheritance Of him by his father, al
though he knew him well enough to
know that the life he had chosen, dl-
rectly contrary 70 his fathers lifelong
wishes, practically swept him outside
the financial thought so far as Rufus
Gordon was concerned. The impossible
ity Of staying in home, with all us
acts CT disobedience to the greatest rule
of life, was what made the removal
Of John Gordon absolutely imperative.
That this removal was taking place
without the outward spoken words or
tragedy made the real action no less
real or painful.
When he finally came downstairs, he
found no one in the house. At first he
felt strangely oppressed Afterward ne
felt relieved. He had chosen his life
as he had said, and his choice had ser1-
ously begun. AS he laid his hand on
the door to open 1t the consciousness
of his uncertainty regarding Luela
80 hi fhn11 Oht even