The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-12-23

knitted and the sweat came.
Stilliter handed him the |. o. o.
There is no hurry about this he
said sweetly; still if you could let me
have a couple OF million on account
It's my writing" said Kehr,. but
| don't remember writing it."
/ He was in agony.
/ And still you don't believe in hyp-
notism?"
That crystal-I-"
He turned a panied astonished face
from one to another.
You may tear up that /. o. u.,' said
Stilliter grandly. But We shall keep
the actual cash you have distributed
as a souvenir Of the OCCASION
Just then door opened quietly, and
Barclays private secretary ushered
Celestia into the room The capital
lists rose as one man. 1t was theiE
homage to dignity and beauty. Bar
clay stepped quickly forward
Thank you for coming" he said.
! We are busy men, and 1t is difficult
for US to get to hear you. But from
what have gathered it seemed to me
that we ought to hear you. And now
he smiled with a kind of gentle old
fashioned gallantry, Il am sure of it
Her eyes fingered a moment with
Barclays and he looked away. Then,
her lips parted in a serene smile, she
looked slowly at each of the others.
You don't look like evil men," she
said But | have been told that you
grind the poor, and that there is no
mercy in you But that's all rubbish.
isn't it?"
Rubbish or not, they all looked a lit
t'e ashamed of themselves.
"Of course you've made Mistakes
she went on sweetly, but that wasn't
malice. was it? 1t was ignorance. For
you can't want the poor to remain
poor. and the wretched, wretched. |
have been sent to show you how this
great house, which we call the world.
may be clean and fit for human beings
to live in. You shall ask me questions
if you don't understand" And then
she spoke for long time, gently and
pcrsuasively looking slowly from face
to face, using simple words that chill
drcn might have understood.
In a far corner of the room, Stilliter
stood. His ewes never left her, and
he looked like a man laboring under
great strain.
The effect of Celestia upon the capi-
talists was curious. At first they looked
cynical and amused, but physically
attracted to her Then they looked
interested, and then astonished. Only
Kehr retained his expression Of
shrewd conservatism. Now and then
he asked terse question, and did not
seem convinced by her answers. But
to the others, after a while her an
swers seemed unanswerable.
And So she finished, Il don't ask
you to give up anything. You shall
even have more if you must | only
ask you to help me with the others
to see that the billions which are
wasted shant be wasted-so that
through cleanliness we shall do away
with disease. and that through the
general well-being, every man, woman
and child shall have a right to be
happy"
How about the constitution"
snapped Kehr.
Some of YOU" said Celestia, will
sit in the convention which is to write
the new constitution"
He gave a hoarse, harsh laugh.
ha aAlid CCt,th oN
Celestia shook her head at him as at
a pugnacious and pig-headed child.
we shall have to liquefy it," she
said Then, her voice, once more
became grave, and her great eyes
swept the circle.
who is going to help me-" she
asked; I'VE shall need millions-mil-
lions in money-millions in brains"
Barclay stepped swiftly to her side,
= and with that same smile of gentle.
old-fashioned gallantry:
"My dear" he said. Don't worry
= about that"
And he turned to the others:
You have heard a new gospel in
= the world" he said If it's a pipe
dream I'm crazy. Gentlemen-what
she wishes can be done. And II you
are with US, it shah be done"
One by one they came forward, like
men in a trance, and shook hands with
Celestia. All but Kehr
Anything to stand in with old
friends" he said especially when
that's the side your breads buttered
on: but IL it's question Of believing
that what we've listened to is any
: thing but nonsense, you can count me
out"
We'll run YOU" said Barclay. as
senator from Pennsylvania. And you'll
I co as you're told"
. Cclestia laurhed merrily.
ITO n fDN-INITEDl