Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-01-01

tersnipes. He saw wanton women
kneeling with tears streaming down
their crimson painted cheeks; he saw
erstwhile staid men of respectability
hurrying into public houses. for what
purpose-good or evil-he could only
guess. He saw the stolid march Of the
undisturbed whom nothing short Of an
earthquake could impress; he saw the
satirical smiles Of the cynics. the
boisterousness of the reckless. the
maudlin bewilderment of the weak OF
mind as they swayed alternately be.
tween doubt and despair. and he saw
here and there an earnest faced one
hurrylng silently past or slipping into
church or chapel. From somewhere In
the city a church bell was booming
solemnly, and from this place and that
came the sound of voices that dis
corded in a tumble of rag time and
psalms. He saw human nature keyed
to Its highest pitch and taut as a harp
as 1t sounded It's manifold notes OF
harmony and jangle. He saw the
wicked become virtuous and the vir-
tuous wicked, the thief restoring and
the erstwhile virtuous thieving, while
above and around this human bedlam
hung the stiffness Of air such as often
precedes a great electrical storm. And
this was but one insignificant spot up
on the continent! And II this was but
a sample, what then was happening In
the great cities of the land which were
strewn from the Atlantic to the Pa
cifc-what nameless crimes and out
RACES which must be laid at his door
II he had erred. Fortunes gathered to-
gether by years of labor would be scat
tered riotously in n debauch. Muir.
ders would be committed, suicides
done, souls damned-and out OF 1t all
so little good could come. 1t would
have been better, far better, II he had
let them die as they had lived, un-
their sleep. He had been criminal In
his thoughtlessness. Alternately he
berated himself with savage emo or
prayed despairingly as he plunged
from street into alley and alley into
street as he sought by turnings and
doublings to escape from the things
which haunted him on every side.
He stumbled from a refuse cluttered
alley out into the light Of a broad
thoroughfare, sleekly groomed and
bordered by the houses of the city's
more fortunate and better class. Here
1t was quiet and orderly as usual and
in his relief at having left the rabble
behind he breathed deeply of the fra
grant air, Strengthened his hat and
hair and proceeded more leisurely
upon his aimless way. Before him he
saw a yard generously studded with
trees, from the limbs Of which pale
Japanese lanterns glowed in softly
tinted radiance. He paused and
glanced about as he collected his
thoughts. Yes, 1t was the residence of
Judge Fulton, and this was the lawn
party to which March, taking advan-
tage Of his W acquaintance with the
Fultons, had invited him in the name
Of Doris. He was neal enough now to
see the forms that strolled c~arelessly
about or sat upon the summer seats
beneath the trees, near enough to even
catch a tinkle Of laughter from some
softly cleaning white throat as the
lady responded lightly to the Jest Of
her companion as to the horror so
soon to come. He paused in indecision.
To return to the lights and sounds
from which he had just escaped was
unthinkable, while before him, though
there was more skepticism than in the
rabble, there was also decency and
order. For a moment his mind wa
vered between retreat to some soil
tary corner and a bold advance to the
companionship Of those beyond, then
with sudden determination he pressed
forward, threw open the gate and en-
tered.
March, espying the grizzled head and
tall, gaunt form of his friend as he
slowly approached up the walk leading
to the house, spoke hurriedly into
Doris ear 1T is Professor Desmond
of course you have met him. You
know l took the responsibility Of in
viting him to drop in among US. I
thought he might wish to be among
friends tonight in case-well, in either
case, you know" She smiled In swift
acknowledgment, and nowhere could
there be found q smile sweeter than
Doris either In her light or sometimes
serious mood.
II want to thank you for asking him
to come. We will make him our lion.
I have always admired him, and had /
known all this was to happen would
certainly have asked him to come, in
the hope of somewhat diverjng his
mind as well as our W He must
be under q greater strain even than
the rest Of us, for he believes more
implicitly than we." She went lightly
forward, her hand outstretched, frank
welcome shining in her large hazel
eyes.
Professor Desmond-I am delight
ed to be SO honored. Have you any
late news to encourage us?" He shook
his head with a grave smile AZ he first
bowed over her hand and then straight
ened up with his usual dignity and ran
his eyes over the assemblage.
tTo BE c~oNTINUED1