The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-03-27

| who never lifted his finger to help
, make better world"
"You have set me the example by
your own conduct" the young man
sneered feebly He walked back into
the bow window and sullenly turned
, his back OH his aunt.
You're right. Archie" she replied
calmly. ITS practically case of pot
and kettle. One is as black as the
other. The guilt of nearly all unjust and
wretched conditions in this city can
without doubt be laid at the door of us
rich people. who have the power that
wealth can use, and use it for our am
billions. 1t is probably true that the
Judgment day will rightly condemn us
as the cause of most of the misery
Grace Andrews and John Gordon are
living to relieve. We have it absolute
ly in our power to change political and
social conditions that create nearly all
the human wrongs that exist in soci-
ETY., and instead of exercising that
great privilege we go our ways with
colossal egotism and monstrous selfish
ness. Sinking all duties and burdens
of citizenship and flinging our money
into riotous and demoralizing luxury
of life that infames the passions Of the
poor and keeps constantly in sight the
vast inequality of human existence.
ut is a fact, Archie that we rich
people, with few noble exceptions so
rare AS to excite constant newspaper
comment. are as a class the cause Of
practically all the misery of the city.
We have no place for service in our
programme of life. We neither know
nor care for the brotherhood. We exist
for our own pleasure. And suppose it
will be no more than fair that in the
other world we shall long for drop or
water to cool our tongues while the
Lazarus we despised here shall recline
In Abraham's bosom. Do you ever think,
Archie. of the time coming when things
are going to be evened up, when the
f1rst shall be last and the last first?
OF course God will never permit all
this human injustice to continue for
ever, and he will see to it that our
earthly SelfiShneSS shall some time or
other face some kind of judgment"
Archie turned around and laughed. 1t
was a laugh that made his aunt shud-
der. 1t was the laugh Of society at it's
worst. the pagan Indifference that for
all the centuries has faced humanity's
woes with dance and jest, and flung to
the begSar the crumbs of the feast.
1WoI aunt x,on,ro oooS 0pof Miss
Andrews couldn't do better. Why don't
you offer her your services as lecturer?
If you got off all that stuff in the draw
ing rooms, it would create sensation,
and of course it would fill the contribu-
tion boxes when they were passed for
the cause"
Mrs. Penrose did not answer. She
lay back in her chair, her eyes closed,
and to Archies great surprise when
she opened her eyes tears were on the
lashes. To his added surprise his aunt
arose and went out of the room. She
was gone several minutes. When she
came back, she spoke as if nothing had
been said of an unusual nature.
Miss Marsh and are going down to
Hope House tomorrow afternoon to see
Miss Andrews and the place Will you
go with us?"
ITO Hope Housed!
81 said so. Miss Andrews has in
vited me to come several times. l con-
tributed little at the time of the fire.
So did Luella. Miss Andrews wants
us to see what has been done. I have
never been down there, neither has
Luella. OF course you never have. If
you care to go, I'll speak for Luella
that she will not object to your escort"
why, I'll go all right. Tomorrow
afternoon?
Eyes Well start from here prompt
~ at 2"
"All right" He started to go and
then hesitated.
Promise me, aunt, you will not pref
udice Luella against me-"
mo need. You do all that is neces-
sary without any help" She had evi.
IDENTIFY not forgotten his indictment of
her social weakness.
you'll see. Luella Marsh win be
my wife one of these days"
"She has my sympathy when the day
arrives"
Look here Aunt Constancew He
spoke almost brutally, coming back
into the room. IF you feel that way.
why do you ask me to go with her and
you tomorrow"
81 want you to see some human mis-
cry before you die. l want you to
know that God has some good reason
for the judgment he will some time
deliver to- your selfish SOUL"
How about yours?"
And again he laughed the laugh that
centuries of idle society has not been
able to soften or civilize
land mine, too," she answered, with
s-dcep gravity that made her nephew
stare in establishment
"Well, I'll be here at g" he said as
be turned from her II don't care
what your reason is, but I'll go any
where Luella goes"
When he had gone, Mrs. Constance
Penrose did a remarkable thing, or at
~ LM1 ! )