Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-08-28
CHAPTER VIII.
The Bread Line.

The Bread Line.
Miss Wentworth, what does 'Hilda
in The Master Builder mean to you?"
asked Grant Oswald during the first
lull of quiet they met after leaving
the theater. Their cab had beer held
up in a Broadway blockade and the
street became suddenly still. "She
means something. Ibsen, first, last,
and all the time. deals in parallels. Six
people whom 1 know, intelligent
people, have six different interpreted
tions of Hilda.' 1 am curious to
know what she stands for to you"
Dorcas turned her candid gray eyes
to his.
Il see only one thing-conscience.
She appears when the Master Build
err by one cruel, unjust, selfish action.
is bound to go down to the depths.
Nothing can save him but his on
science. 'Hilda' is his conscience. of
course"
THAT is my Interpretation exactly.
1t is a wonderful play!"
1T is a wonderful play" She point
ed to a crowd on the sidewalk. what
is that string of menu" she asked.
Their cab had been moving step by
step for half a block. Again it came
to a standstill.
Its the bread line. Had you never
seen 1t before?"
mo. Who are the men?"
God knows!" answered the Eng
lishman, with a thrill of compassion
in his voice. "They are a lot of half.
frozen. starving. human wreckage,
who have been waiting there for an
hour to get a loaf of bread"
Dorcas lowered the carriage win
dow and gazed out Oswald watched
her. The girls face mirrored her feel
ings so keenly he could feel what was
passing in her mind. Her lips quiz.
cred and tears hung on her lashes
She could not trust herself to speak
Il shall never forget how that pitiful
line appealed to me the first time
saw it." the man continued, although
IL had known the poor of London since
boyhood. This homeless. famished
orderly column, growing and growing
as one man after another creep
ing from his burrow to hold a place
was too much for me. l stood watch
ing it from that corner" he pointed
across the street, might after night.
used to try to help. In a few cases
J did manage to put a man on his feet
The task was generally hopeless, ex
cept that l could satisfy the hunget
of the moment. During hard winters
in New York l have seen the lin,
grow till there were hundreds in it
! Sometimes it goes down Tenth stree
and around the corner"
Dorcas turned to look at him. Tear
stood in her eyes and her lips quiv
cred.
81 understand" he went on. "Yo,
are wondering why we, well clothed
fed and sheltered from the wind, ar,
here, and they are-there. l do no
know. 1t is a problem as old as tn
world itself. All we can do is to he'll
individually, man to man"
Dorcas' gaze vent back to the brea,
line. Oswald sat in thoughtful silence
Don't think me sacrilegious, MI
Oswald" she confessed, but when
see such misery it makes me wonde
if the Eternal himself has a cor
science" She sat watching the lin,
of patient, pa1lid men. Straggler
crept up to join it from every direc
ton. Il simply cannot imagine a Go,
who-Mr. OSWALD" She grasped hi
arm with a half-stifed scream and lai
her trembling hand upon his.
What is it," asked her companion
rising. What frightened you, Mis-
Wentworth" He stared past her GU
into the street. The block of vehicle
had begun to move. They were agai
driving slowly down Broadway.
Nothing" she answered quickl,
nothing but a chance resemblance
I thought I-saw some one whom
once knew. 1t must have been q mi
take"
The E~nglishman glanced at her cur
ously. She began to chat about th
play and other things. She was tr.
ing to forget whatever had startle
her. She said "Good-by" at the doc
of her home. Oswald realized thu
she was eager to have him go. AS b
; drove away he tried to recall anythin
which could have happened. A won
+ an of her poise would not be disturbe
by a trife.
Dorcas shut the street door and "a
upstairs to her brothers study, whel
the phone stood. She searched di
tractedly through the directory for til
address of a livery from which occ
:. sionaIly she called a cab. The nam
had escaped her. She stood for a m
t ment trying in vain to recall it, the
she rang the bell. Her wait SCENE
endless before the old servant a
peared. .
t Jason" she cried impatiently. "wt
is Mr.. Wentworth's livery MANI"
Costello, missy"
Stay here a minute" she said
d she paused for central's answer. The
she stopped to the phone.
Send a cab, please, to 26 Waiver
l place, Immediately"
" She turned again to the old servar
h JASON" she asked. you have wa.
d ed on Mr.. Merry when Enoch broug.
him here-sick-haven't your"
6 Deed l has, missy. Many's
time Marse Enoch en- rs done all sor