Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-10-30

Lay C anu oc1Au
Mrs. Hayes, the next time you go
to the mission l want you TO take me-
Several days later Gloria went with
Mrs. Hayes to view at close range the
work being done in the poorer quar-
tiers of Belmont by the Presbyterian
Mission. She met Mrs. Wallace, the
matron, and from her learned the
story of the humble but unfortunate
toilers, and the evils to which they
were constantly a prey through their
ignorance and inability to protect
themselves. Gloria then accompanied
her on a round of visits, and soon the
girls interest was such that on the
days Mrs. Hayes went to the mission
she was glad to go. with her. =
The boss vas dist6Ibed at MS
daughters Trip into the I9west quar-
ters of Belmont.
This amt no kind O. play, girl"
he complained. why don't you stick
to society?"
Society" she replied with fine
scorn. why doesn't society stick to
me-"
What's the matter?'
He had been quick to catch the note
of unhappiness. His daughter had not
meant to say anything, but the words
had slipped out before she could think.
She now tried to erase the impress
sion by saying:
Matter? Nothing. Why?"
The boss suspicious were not to
be so lulled.
You're keepin' somethin' back from
me, Gloria. What is it?"
No, I'm not" she insisted
HAS anyone done snythin' or said
anythin' to you?"
Nothing"
But somethin's back O. all this. You
amt happy Anybody can see that.
Now what's it all about?" He wait
ed for her to reply, but she would
not speak. Cant you answer"
-it's-weII-it' just an atmos-
pierre"
You go every place"
ITO all the big things, yes"
People are nice to you"
She hesitated, but finally said.
'Ye-es"
Amt they?"
"Oh, I suppose So" she admitted in
a ufeless manner. Perhaps I'm not
used to western ways, yet the nice
people look just like nice people look
back East"
What's different. then?"
They seem to keep me at arms
49,
biggest man in Belmont and yet l."
She did not finish the sentence.
'Yet-I-what?" he urged.
81 don't understand, that's all"
who, for instance?"
Gloria thought for a moment, and
resolved only to name persons in a
general way.
We'll. Lefty LOomis."
"OId John LOOMS daughter?"
is he the big wholesale grocer?"
That's him. What d she do?"
Il tell you-she didn't do anything.
It's just-an atmosphere"
Huh! A beautiful lot o. airs she's
got a right to put on" snorted the
/ boss. Cd you know how old Loomis
made his money!"
'Out of groceries, didn't he?"
Groceries, nothin'. That's just q
stall. He's got a warehouse chuck
/ full of rotten whisky he sells in pro-
| hibition Kansas. That's his real bust
/ ness. He don't sell enough groceries
/ in q year to feed a first class boardin'
/ house. l wouldn't let him sell any
! thing to the poor farm. Don't let
/ that girl O. his put it over you any.
And they say he passes the plate
in church! Cad. I hate a hypocrite.
III make him sweat for IT."
! Her father was so wrought up that
| Gloria was afraid to speak further,
! but when he insisted she told of sew
| eral instances of which she had been
! pleased to term antagonistic atmos-
! phere. and in each case Kerr related
some disgraceful characteristic Of the
head of the family. Once he did not
hesitate to give his opinion of soci-
| ETY. woman whose history he knew
well. This intimate knowledge Of Bel
mont affairs and his belittling refer
ences to leading citizens made Gloria
reach the conclusion that in some. way
he was in a class by himself. This
caused her to soothe him with the
remark:
Father, I think they're Jealous be-
cause you're head and shoulders above
them all"
! She might not love him, but her
tricians to take him around the ship;
the electricians know every inch OF
deck, sides and mast space. Eighteen
feet below the water line they found
an ammunition passageway, well light
ed and artifcially ventilated.
Two tons Of gun cotton 1oated in
} tanks just forward of the spot; tons
of Explosive D." the most deadly ex
plosive known, were piled up in mag
, azines on either side; casks of de
J tonating caps were piled in the com
partment just aft. And here Reader
and the sailors sat and studied the