The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1915-08-26
EIGHTH INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER VII.

That SO great and conservative q
man as Barclay should lend the prom
ise of his backing to the doctrines and
tenets of Celestial aroused extraordi-
nary interest all over the country, and
even in England and on the CONT
nent
Celestial was showered with invita-
tons, most Of which she declined. But
she did not decline them all. It was
her duty, she felt, to convert to her
cause, all sorts and conditions of men
and women, the man who had been
born with golden spoon in his mouth
and the man who had been raised
with revolver in his hip-pocket.
She was asked to speak In the ball
room Of a great house overlooking
Central Park. The invitation to do SO
was instigated by Mary Blackstone,
but Celestial did not know this, and
the name signed to the note of invi-
tation was one which tempted her to
accept. 1t was a name which above
all others stood, in the opinion of the
man in the street, for all that Is rich
est and most foolish.
To this function, Tommy was among
those invited Gall part OF Mary Black
stones plan), but, though he yearned
to be wherever Celestia was, in spite
of their latest quarrel, he was too
busy tramping the streets of New
York in search Of q job to accept.
Mary had hoped that among those to
the manner born, Celes.ia, in spite Of
her genuine good looks and magnetic
voice would appear Insignificant If
not impossible. She was doomed to
disappointment.
Celestial, abandoning for the occa-
sion her work-girl dress, and assum-
ing once more that graceful flowing
white garment in which she was first
seen (outside Of heaven) not only set
a new standard of beauty. but started
a new fashion in dress, and a kettle
full of jealousy among the women.
At one end Of the long ballroom-a
great space of mirrors, and silk, bro
caded with garlands, flowers overflow
ing baskets and cupids-was a plat
form for musicians. Upon this, to
great assemblage of fashionable men
tia appeared suddenly-and there was
silence
The lovely low-browed face crowned
with the strong dark hair, the steady.
kind, unfathomable eyes were like
command that had to be obeyed.
Celestial never began at the begin
ming of a speech. She never started
by expressing surprise at being asked
to speak, or establishment at perceiv-
Ing SO many upturned faces. Nor did
she start by saying what she was 60
Ing to talk about when she really did
get started. At the point where Ce-
lestia began, another would have been
half through. She plunged right into
the heart of things with compelling
sweetness and seriousness that we're
Irresistible.
She finished speaking, her hands
dropped to her sides, and her eyes,
we'll, though they had been open all
along, they seemed to open, and she
looked almost frightened and puzzled.
A roar of applause rose, and in the
pack Of the room, Professor Stilliter.
who had been under great strain,
wiped the sweat from his brow.
Celestia came down from the plat
form, very shyly and the men began
TO crowd about her, and to shake her
nand. They crowded about to tell her
mat they believed her, that her cause
was theirs, that when the time came
she could count upon them for money
and for service.
But it won't be easy" she smiled.
It's greater house than this that
We have to clean. A hundred years
ot mistaken laws and customs are
not to be swept aside in a day. So,
indeed, shall need your service, and
your backing, and your votes"
Celestia's hostess took possession
OF her and women forced their way
among the men, in order to look closer
at that simple Greek dress which,
worn as Celest1a wore it, SO put to
shame their own bare arms and shoul
oers and nzardish costumes.
Among the poor, when she said that
Que came from heaven, among the un-
fortunate and the downtrodden, Celes-
ia was taken literally by SO many
mat 1t staggers belief. We have only
10 remember that less gifted prophets
nave succeeded in imposing their d.
Y1nlty on multitudes. About Celestta
mere was nothing that rang false.
one was goodness and sincerity per.
sonif1ed.
Among the more sophisticated. the
statement Of her origin was taken az