Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-02

| breakfast. Never mind the hour. What
| would you like best? ?"
You are so good, Ruth 1 should like
| nice breakfasts breast of chicken and
lsmushrooms, and some hot mullins and mar
malade would do. How comfortable you
look here Father, you are buried in news
| papers Is any one going to church,
! Ruth ordered the desired breakfast and
! Mr.. Rawdon took out his watch-'I am
afraid you have delayed us too long this
| morning, Ethel"
| Am 1 to be the scapegoat? Now, 1 do
| not believe any one wanted to go to church.
| Ruth had her book you, the newspapers. 1t
| is warm and pleasant here, 1t is cold and
| windy outside. I know what confession
would be made, if honesty were the
fashion"
Well my little girl, honesty is the fash
| ion in this house l believe in going to
| church Religion is the mother of duty,
and we should all make sad mess of life
| without duty Is not that so, Ruth?"
| Truth itself, Edward but religion is not
| going to church and listening TO sermons.
| Those who built the old cathedrals of Eu-
! rope had no idea that sitting in comfortable
pews and listening to some man talking
| was worshiping God. Those great naves
were intended for men and women to stand
! or kneel in before God. And there
| were no high or low standing or kneeling
places; all were on level before Him.
! 1t is our modern Professionalism which
/ has brought in lazy lolling in
cushioned pews; and the gallery. which
/ makes church as like playhouse as pos
| sible!'
What are you aiming at, Ruth?'
| Il only meant to say l would like going
| to church much better if we went solely to
praise God and entreat His mercy. l do
| not care to hear sermons"
| My dear Ruth, sermons are large fact
| in our social economy. When a million or
! two are preached every year, they have
| strong claim on our attention. To use
| trade phrase sermons are firm, and l be-
| lleye a moderate tax on them would yield
| an astonishing income"
See how you talk of them, Edward; as
| II they were a commercial commodity Ii
| you respected them"
! Il do 1 grant them steady pneumatic
| pressure in the region of morals, and even
| faith. Picture to yourself, Ruth, New York
without sermons. The dear old city would
| be like A ship without ballast, heeling over
| with every wind and letting In the waters
| of immortality and skepticism. Remove this
| pulpit balance just for one week from New
| York city and where should we be?'
| well then" said Ethel the clergy ought
| to give New York frst-rate article in SER
! mons, either of home foreign manufac-
| ture. New York expects the very best or
| everything, and when she gets 1t she opens
| her heart and her OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 1t and
| pays for It."
THAT is the truth, Ethel. was thinking
| of your grandmother Rawdon. You have
| your hat on--are you going to see herr"
| Il am going to see Dora Denning. had
| an urgent note from her last night. She
| says she has extraordinary news and begs
| me TO come to her Immediately l can
I not imagine what her news is saw her
| Friday afternoon"
"She has a new poodle, a new lover, or
| new way of crimping her hair, suggested
| Ruth Bayard scornfully. She imposes on
/ you. Ethel; why do yd0 submit to her sell
| fshness?"
Il suppose because I have become used
l to 1t. Four years ago / began to take her
part, when the girls leased and tormented
| her in the school room, and / have big
| sistered her ever since. / suppose we get
| to love those who make US kind and give US
| trouble. Dora is not perfect, but like her
| better than any friend l have. And she
must like me, for she asks my advice about
/ everything In her life.
/ Does she take it?"
''Yes-generally;. Sometimes have to
'she has mother. Why does she not
/ go to herr"
Mrs Denning knows nothing about
certain subjects. I am Doras social god
I.as / tell her to do. Poor Mrs. Denningl
/ / am so sorry for her-another cup OF
kdoffee, Ruth--it is not very strong"
Why sh9sid you be sorry for Mrs.
| rfch--she lives in a palace, and has
| crowd of men and women servants to
walt upon her-carriages. horses. motor
i cars what not at her command"
| "Yet really, Ruth. she is a most UNI
happy woman. In that little western
| town from which they came she was
everybody she ran the churches, and
was ohairwoman in all the clubs, and
| president Of the Temperance Union, and
| manager of every religious, social and
political festival; and her days were full
| to the brim of just the things she liked
4 to do. Her dress there was considered
magnificent; people begged her for pat
| terms, and regarded her as the very glass
| OF fashion. Servants thought 1t great
privilege to be employed on the Dem
ming place, and she ordered her house
and managed her half-score of men and
maids with pleasant autocracy. Now!
Well. l viii tell you how 1t Is now. She
sits all day in her splendid rooms, or
rides out in her car or carriage and no
one knows her, and. of course. no one
speaks to her. Mr.. Denning has his Wall
street friends"
And enemiees." interrupted Judge Raw
don.
And enemies! You are right, father.