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

his steps TO that Dunulng. lne hoio
overwhelming the authors argument
the fiercer became his rebellion and
the higher rose this cry of his heart
for a nobler faith in the possibilities
of humanity. He began dimly to feel
that the source of light and love might
be very near if he but had eyes to see.
AS vet he was in the dark, but he felt
in a dim way that he was cropping to-
ward the light and that suddenly his
hand might touch the spring of hid
den door which would open and reveal
the shining face of God! How strange
that these old ideas of the religion OF
his childhood should come surging back
into his heart from the past in just
this moment when he was apparently
fighting a losing battle to hold the last
shred of his faith in anything human
or divine!
He went to bed in a calmer frame
of mind than he had known for days.
His sleep was deep and refreshing and
for the second time since ne came to
New York he woke with the dawn.
sun spread from the eastern horizon
until its gray mantle covered the
world. And then came the first dim
notes of the call of the morning to the
great city, and then the long dull roar
along the line of battle where mil
lions were rising and girding them
selves for the struggle Of life.
He drew a breath Of gratitude for
the dawn of a new day, Gods miracle
of love-the old WEAKNESS gone, the
loneliness and heartacne easier to bear
because new thoughts and new hopes
had begun dimly to stir and the world
was suddenly flooded with the glory
of a new sun.
He went to his office with his mind
keyed to a higher pitch of power. He
felt that he was on his mettle. The
fight was not yet won, but this morn
ing he was winning. He plunged into
his work with tireless zeal. Every
thing he touched seemed illumined
with a new light.
At the close of the days work he
pity which had found no adequate ex-
preston in his labor on his clients
cases. His mind wandered to the dark
silent millions into whose world the
doctor had led him that night-mil-
lions who have no-veice in courts be-
cause they have no money to sustain
a fight for the enforcement of justice.
He had never thought about these peo-
pie before. They were calling now for
his help. Why? Because he had
been endowed with powers Of head and
heart which they did not possess
The possession Of these gifts carried
a responsibility. He felt this very
dimly as yet, but still he felt it. New
er before had he been conscious of
such an idea,
On reaching his club on Gramercy
Park he saw that the Primrose house
was closed. Mans mother had gone
with the bridal party on Bivens's big
yacht for a cruise which would last
through the summer. Somehow, for
all his brave talk he didn't feel equal
~
Mans old home from his club. He was
about to beat a retreat when he stop
ped abruptly and the lines of his
mouth frightened.
What's the use of being a coward?
I've got to get used to it'd as well
begin at once"
He deliberately took his seat on the
little pillared balcony of the clubhouse
and watched the darkened window
through the gathering twilight. For
the moment he gave up the fight-the
devil had him by the throat. He let
the tears come without protest. He
was alone. and the shadows were
friendly.
He looked at his watch at last by
the fickering light of the street lamp
and found to his surprise that it was
9 o'clock He had forgotten to eat ana
felt no hunger. But he must do some
thing. He might get drunk and make
a night of It, He couldn't feel any
worse. He was in hell anyway, and
he had as we'll join the festivities for
once.
He stepped inside, touched a bell
and ordered a cocktail. He placed the
glass on the little table by his side,
and looked at it. What an asinine
act, this pouring of poison into the
stomach to cure a malady of the soul!
He smiled cynically and suddenly re-
called something the doctor was fond
of repeating.
MY boy, I'm rich so long as there
are millions of people in the world
poorer than am"
Perhaps there was an antidote bet
ter than this poison. If he could lift
the curtain for a single moment in
another life more hopeless and wretch
ed than his? 1t was worth trying.
He rose, left the liquor untouched,
and in few minutes was treading his
way through the throngs of the lower
East Side. The pathetic figure of a
sleeping boy curled up beside a door
step caught his eye-he stopped and
looked at him. Somewhere on this
green earth a mother had bent over
the cradle of each of these little wild
arabs and taught them human speech
at least Now they were as the
beasts of the field-and worse-for the
fields in which beasts roam at least
are free. A great wave of pity swept
his heart and the hurt of his own
tragedy began to ease before the
greater pain of the world. How happy
his fate after ala sound mind in
sound body. youth. strength, power
friends. culture. the inheritance OF
proud, untaintcd hlood-what fool
he had been an hour ago!
His eye caught the light streaming
from a basement saloon on the corner.
Crowds of ugly looking wretches
were hurrying down the rickety stairs,
and the sound Of wheeZy dance hall
music floated up from below. He
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