The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-07-31

per- I've got to have this iniquitous business fin
ished The idea of Alice Lese's expecting to- bring
up that child in poverty, when there's institu-
ton that viii take it and raise it in the best pos
sible manner"
81 wish" Jeff said, with as much irritation in
his tone as he ever showed, chat you'd let Alice
Leslie alone. She'll make out somehow My own
mother did, and there were five of us. [ wouldn't
give up the memory of those old days, when we
had to newspapers together for quilts and
when nickel riches, for life in any rich in
stitution IN the world and Alice Leslie's boy will
say the same thing when he grows up"
"Your mother wasn't an educated woman" an
swered Mrs. Warton, calmly. What did she know
about economies z"
"She knew how to make home!" retorted Jeff
Il tell you that"
MY dear old man." said his wife indulgently.
sit is she brought you up. Dear! dearl must
see Alice first and tell her to have the child ready
and then catch the train for the institution Good
bye!"
Jeff frowned
"a remarkable woman!" he thought. But too
well educated I'd like to help Alice Leslie to keep
her child, but I'm afraid | can't fight against my
wife's education. | wish some OF the Sisters would
drive down in their buggy for the mail before the
thing is settled. They're so fond of the picture of
the Virgin and the Child | reckon that they'd
somehow the real, human point of view"
In the meantime Alice Leslie was alone with
her thoughts and they were wretched thoughts.
For her the end of the world had come There was
no use IN going over the past Mistakes had been
made by both her father and her husband. Mrs
Warton had roughly pointed them out in her frank
way. But Alice did not care. She did not care
what mistakes they had made in this world if she
could only be sure that she should meet them in
the next, and if she could only keep her baby. To
think of parting with him was worse than death
And yet, as Mrs. Warton pointed out the rent
must be paid. She must enough to pay it.
But how! Mrs. Warton had, with cold truthful
ness pointed out that there was no answer to this
question. She had two accomplishments She
could play the piano with a certain dash and
precision. She did not smile she made the in
ventory. Mrs. Warton had made it for her with
sheer. intended to stimulate her to better things
She might give music lessons to small children {:
she was careful and exact enough. But where were
the children Mrs Warton had called up her gift
for the making of the flowers which she herself
had utilized festal occasions, only.to shatter its
value.
Il can't can't give him upr' Alice Leslie
said many times during the afternoon Whenever
she approached her door she caught sight of the
cross the convent chapel glittering in the sun.
1t seemed TO beckon to her.
Like most persons in the neghborhood she
looked at the convent with dislike 1t had been the
property of her people; but after all, the Sisters
were not responsible for her fathers failure to
keep 1t. That not her reason for regarding the
Sisters ntruders, was it that they were of a
different creed She was not positively attached
to any creed; but she, like most of her neighbors.
resented the fact that the Sisters had made their
convent an asylum for colored people 1t was an
industrial school for black boys. To this the best
house In the neighborhood had been reduced. 1t
was an insult which the more practical folk had
begun to forgive, though it the general opn-
ion that the blacks were being educated above their
position. But Alice Leslie not practical. Her
fathers dining room filled with black boys, who
not her fathers servants! 1t was too horrible
She avoided the Sisters whenever she happened
to meet them. One of them, once seeing her little
boy among the clover in the fields, had given him
a little lace-bordered picture of the Mother and
the Child She allowed him to keep it, but the only
excuse that she could find for the preoccupation
of the Sisters with the black people that ''they
were not southern ladies'" To think of that beau
tiful old mansion, the pride of the district with
the carved marble mantlepieces its Louis Seize
portico, and It's mahogany DOORS used by the grand
sons of her fathers slaves! There was a certain
jealousy too, among the poorer white neighbors.
with whom she sympathzed these colored chill
rem were receiving a practical education which
their children not given for the district school
poor and badly taught. Alice Leslie could not.
a rule, see the convent without impatience; but
today the gilded cross in the distance seemed to
look at her tenderly.
"Those Sisters wouldn't help me-" she sighed
"and l wouldn't ask them. But" (and she looked
at the little picture of Our Lady Of Good Coun
sell II they ike q picture OF tHaJ hlnu SHoulu
think they'd understand better than Mrs Warrior"
The cross glittered; but she turned away, half
in dsdain, half in longing
About / o'clock Mrs. Warton appeared again
Alice Leslie her coming and met her at the
garden gate.
81 want you to have that child ready to go to
Charlotte at o'clock tomorrow morning. Pm off
now to make the arrangements. And then you
come to live with me for while and I'll have you
taught plain sewing. Jeffs just foolish you
are He talked of the Sisters helping you but
my sakes they're so busy with their little Mig
gers they have time for you; don't get that
idea into your head. Besides, you're not Ro-
manist"
Alice would hear more; she broke into sobs.
ran up the path to the house. and locked herself in
She was however. not safe with her sorrow Mrs.
Warton came back and put her head through the