Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-02

| for the first time that the lights were
not hung on high for the JOY of those
who pass. They were flames in the
temple of the new god Mammon. They
we're the signs of hucksters who hat
goods to sell to the crowds at profit
The profusion Of light, the rush of ca
ger throngs to the theatres, the flash
and clatter of posing carriages, the
streets piled with debris, the half-fin.
ished steel skyscraper whose black
ribs stood out against the stars, al
brought to his imagination this even
ing the impression of exhaustless
power.
But what power?
Certainly not the power of love,
pity, heroism, and unselfish devotion
to ideals. There could be but one an
swer. These flaming signs in the sky
were the signals of the advance skir-
mish line of huge host-growing in
number and power each hour-the
army of Mammon!
He paused before a theatre into
which a stream of pleasure seekers
were pouring. The ticket spectators
were yelling their wares on the side
walk. The play was a famous musical
comedy. He knew tonight why mu-
sical comedy had such a vogue in the
money centres of the world. 1t had
become the supreme expression Of the
utterly absurd-the reduction of life
to the terms of an absurdity expressed
In rhythmic and sensuous beauty. For
men whose god was money, it would
doubtless become ultimately the only
form of public entertainment.
He began to negotiate with one OF
the young Hebrew philanthropists OF
ped in disgust and moved on. There
was something inside that hadn't sur
rendered. He began to be dimly con-
sciors of the fact that the real fight
had scarcely begun. The philanthropy
lists feelings were hurt by his abrupt
departure. He followed for half a
block holding to Stuart's coat, protest
ing his affectionate and earnest desire
to promote his pleasure without cent
of profit. He offered to cut the price
of a seat to $3.50 and solemnly swore
that the unfeeling and unprincipled
manager had made him pay $500 for
the ticket.
Stuart paused a moment, his imagi-
nation caught by the ravenous eager
ness of the mans face. Here surely
was a true worshipper in the modern
temple.
The young lawyer smiled and said:
Il salute you, my brother-Tm think
ing Of Joining you soon!"
The speculator suddenly let go his
sleeve and hurried back to his place,
glancing over his shoulder with a
vague fear that the lunatic might fol-
low him.
Stuart hurried on to one of the more
dignified and serious theatres just off
Broadway. He bought ticket and
entered, wondering If he would find the
house empty. To his surprise it was
full-orchestra, balcony and gallery.
The play was serious effort by q
brilliant young dramatist of the mod
ern school of realism. In two minutes
from the rising of the curtain the play
had gripped him with relentless pow
er. Slowly, remorseless as fate, he
saw the purpose of the author unfold
itself in a series of tense and terrible
scenes. The comedy over which the
crowd laughed with such contagious
merriment was even more sinister
than the serious parts. No matter
what the Observation-Disclosures set to
laughter, to terror, or to tears-Ee-
meath it all throbbed one insistent
question:
Has the woman who sells herself
for money a sOul?"
With breathless interest he watched
the cruel carving of her body into
tiny pieces. Without shifting, whin-
ing, or apology, with arms barred and
cleaning scalpel firmly gripped in a
hand that never quivered once, the
author dissected her. Always he could
hear this white invisible figure bend
ing over each scene talking to the au-
dience in his quiet terrible way:
We'll, if be she has soul, we shall
find it. Perhaps it's here!" The knife
flashed and the crowd laughed. The
-
markable they had to laugh.
We'll try again." the white figure
said with a smile, Perhaps we should
go deeper"
And then with firm strong hand the
last secret of muscle and nerve and
bone was laid bare and the white face
looked into the eyes of the audience
through a mist of tears.
I'm sorry, my friends. But we must
face the truth. It's better to know the
truth, however bitter. than to believe
a lie. | do not dogmatiZe. / do not
draw conclusions. | merely show you
The thing that is"
With a soft rush the big curtain
came down i'm silence that could be
felt. The dazed crowd walked from the
spell and poured into the aisles, while
Stuart still sat gripping the arms OF
his seat with strangling emotion.
At last he said to himself with chok-
ing emphasis.
He was cruel, inhuman. unjust
refuse to believe it-she has a soul
she has a soul"
And yet a question had been raised
in his mind that was destined to
change the whole motive and purpose
of his life.
ITO be Continued)
AND FARMER LOST HIS BET.