The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-12-16
THE ROOT Of EVIL
Continued from Fourth Page

! where. from every one. seiZes. tears
1 and despoiis the fruits Of toll. has
never added a penny to the wealth of
/ humanity And what do we find him
| doing? In the midst of poverty that
means hunger and nakedness, disease
/ and death. we have the shameless
/ Haunting Of insane luxury. And t.
what purpose? To challenge the env
Of the vain and the foolish. to dazzle
the minds Of the poor and infame
the lusts of the criminal.
DO we believe that such things are
the DEGREES of a just and loving God
who created this world? These things
are not the result of his law. but the
results of the violation of law
The speaker paused. drew close TO
/ the judge and then in low, impassioned
| tones told as if he were talking TO
father the story of Woodlands life and
| the events which drove him to NADINE
on the fatal night of his crime. In
flashes of vivid eloquence he described
! the magnificent ball and drew in som
| Der. heartbreaking contrast the desoa
! ton and despair of a proud and senSi-
! tive man made desperate by want and
ruin, the man who had given his blood
to his country and his daily life in an
unselfish ministry to the homeless and
! friendlesS.
Il do not ask of your honor" he
| cried in ringing tones. 1.-The repeal of
the law against theft-thou shalt not
steal! L only ask the suspension of
it's penalty on this heartbroken man
! until we can extend it to his Oppressors
as well. until its thunder shall also
echo through the palaces of the rich
| thou shalt not steal,
The man who has fallen was weak
and poor. The man who demands his
| life is rich and powerful. | ask for &
| heartbroken man another chance
| ask this court to suspend all sentence
against the poor bruised and bleeding
/ spirit that lies in tears at our feet
/ today"
| The Judge wheeled in his armchair.
I cleared his throat and looked out of the
window to hide from the crowd
tear that had stolen down his furrowed
! cheek
! He turned at length to Bivens' law
I yers and quietly asked:
'The state insists on the enforcement
of sentence without mercyT'
| absolutely" was the sharp answer.
! This is your desire, Mr.. BivensE
| the judge asked with some severity.
YES" the financier fiercely replied.
"And yet you say that you are
| Christian. Well. see to it, Your Mas
! ter says:
"'He that saith 1 love God and
hateth his brother is a liar Henry
! WoOdman. stand up. The judgment
! of this court is that sentence in your
! case be suspended so long as you obey
the law.
"And 1 may say to you. Henry
Woodman, that my faith is profound
that you will never appear in this
| court again. And if you ever need the
help of a friend you'll find one if you
come to me. You are free man
Stuart hurried the doctor out of the
crowd He had important work yet
! to do He determined that no story
of the scene should ever be printed in
n New York paper. He would save
Harriet that too.
As the court adjourned Bivens ours
ed his lawyers in a paroxysm of help
less rage. Then he suddenly threw
his hand to his forehead. staggered
and sank to the floor.
A doctor who was near rushed to his
side and lifted his head into his wfe's
arms
What is it? Has he tainted. doe
tor?" she whispered. glancing toward
the door through which Stuart had
just passed.
| He has had q stroke of paralysis
madam, fear" was the answer.
Stuart's appeal to the New York pa
pers in behalf of Harriet was success
full. For a week he bought every
morning and evening edition and read
them eagerly. Not line appeared to
darken the life of his little pal.
Bivens' illness shook the financial
world The men who had professed
their friendship most loudly to his face
now sharpened their knives for his
wounded body. Every stock with
which his name was linked was the
target of the most savage attacks.
The tumblIng or values IN MS Securl-
ties carried down the whole market
I from five to six points in single day.
; The great palace that had a few
nights before blazed with lights. and
echoed with music, laughter. song
and dance and clinking glasses, stood
dark and silent behind its bristling
iron fence
+ Within the darkened palace the
, doctors were supreme. In his great
/ library they held consultation after
consultation and secretly smiled wheI
they thought of the figures they would
write on his bills. They disagreed il
details, but all agreed on the maiI
conclusiOn-that the only hope was
that he should quit work and play fol
, several years.
\ When they made this solemn an
nOuncement to Bivens. he smiled fol