The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
CHAPTER VII
The House of the Five Gables

The House of the Five Gables Ii was six o'clock as the carriage | passed Swiss Cottage station and ten min utes later when they had climbed the stiff hill to the Heath Alban had not often ridden in a carriage, but he would have found his sensations very dlflcuit to set down. The glossy cushions, the fine Ivory and silver fittings, were orna- rnents to be touched with caressing ing CTS as one touches the coat of beautiful animal or the ripe bloom upon fruit. lust to loll back in such a vehicle, to watch the houses and the people and the streets. was an experience he had not hitherto ina gined. The smooth motion was A delight to him. He felt that he could continue such journey to the ends of the earth. resting at his ease, un- troubled by those never ended questions upon which poverty insisted.
 'Ts it far yet, sir-is MT. Gessner house A long way offT'
 He asked the question as one who de- sired an affirmative reply. The parson' however. believed that his charge was already wearied; and he said eagerly:
 "It is just over there between the trees. my lad. We shall be with our good friend In five minutes now Perhaps you know that you are on Hampstead Heath?'
 "T came here once with little Lois Bo- risl5off-on a bank holiday. It was not like this then. If MT Gessner Is rich, why does he live in place where people come to keep bank holiday? l should have thought he would have got away from them"
 "TIe is not able to get away. His bus mess takes him into town every day he goes by motor-car and comes oack at night to breathe pure air. Bank holidays do not occur every day, Mir. Kennedy. Fortunately for some of us they are but four year. all those poor people MT. Geary. ma. natural I didn't until I had to, ana then I found them much the same as the rest. You havn't any poor in Hamp- stead, I am told"
 Mir Geary fell into the trap all un- suspectingly.
 rrhank heaven"-he began, and then checking himself clumsy. he added. that is to say we are comparativeiy wen ol. as neighborhoods go Our people are not idlers however Some of the foremost manufacturers in the country live in Hampstead.' l..
 while their work-people starve in Whitechapel. It's an old world, isn't It, MT GearyAand I don't suppose we small ever know much about 1t. If I had maoe my fortune by other people, "orh, | think I should like some of them to i've
 
 judiced.
 Sidney Geary looked at the boy as though he had heard heresy. TO nm the gospel of life meant a yearly doie of coals at Christmas and bout or pleasant charity organizations during the winter months. He would as soon have questioned the social position or the Archbishop of Canterbury as nave criticised the conduct and the acts Of the manufacturers who supported his church so generously.
 q am afraid you have received some pernicious teachings down yonder ne said with shake of his abundant lochs' aMr. Gessner, I may tell you, has an an- horrence of socialism. If you wish to please him. avoid the topic
 But I do not wish to please hlm-l oo not even know him. And I'm nota so- cialst. sir If MT. Gessner had ever lived in Whitechape; if he had starved m garret he would understand me don suppose it matters, though, whether he does or not. for we are hardly likely to discuss such things together
 My dear lad, he has not sent TOT you for that. believe me. His conversation nI be oltoeether of a different nature. Let me implore you to remember that he desires to be your benefactor-not your judge. There is no kinder heart, no pfore l worthy gentleman in all London touay than Richard Gessner. That much know and my opportunities are unlaue. Alban could make no reply to thls, npI did he desire one. They had passed ,hs l Jack Straw's Castle by this tune, an. anu 1Anow the carriage netered small circuial drive upon the right-hand side ol tne road and drew up before modern reu- bricked mansion, by no means os.eita tlous or extremely characteristic ol tne luxury for which it's interior was iaiiieu, Just a trim garden surrounded the muse 1 and boasted trees sufficient to hlde .ne picturesque gables from the eyes ol tne 1 curious. There were stables in the hortii- ern wing and a great conservatory pun. 1 ont toward the south Alban hau put ,l instant to glance at the beautiful laeaue when young butler opened the door ro them and ushered them into vast na,, panelIed to the ceiling in oak ana oiniiy 1 lighted by Gothic windows Of eXcelieht l stained glass. Here silence ainazlns in it's profundty. permitted the very uehl.s ! of the clocks to be heard. All sounds l from without. thAhoot of the motors the 1 laughter of children, the grating voices of loafers on the Heath, were instanny | shut out. An odor of flowers and fine shrubs permeated the apartment. The