The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-02-10
VIII.
The Mine for the Golden Altar.

The Mine for the Golden Altar.
Vedder Court was a very drunkard
among tenement groups. Its decrepit
old wooden buildings, as II weak
kneed from dissipation and senile de-
cay, leaned against each other crook
edly for support, and leered down at
the sodden swarms beneath, out OF
b~roken-paned windows which gave
somehow a ludicrous effect OF bleared
eyes. There had once been a narrow
strip of curbed soil in the center OF
the street, where three long-since-de-
parted trees had given the quarter its
name of court" but this space was
now as bare and dry as the asphalt
surrounding it, and, as it was too
small even for the purpose OF children
at play, a wooden bench, upon which
no one had ever sat, as, indeed, why
should they? had long g been placed
on II, to become loose-jointed and
weather-splintered and rotted, like all
the rest of the neighborhood.
As for its tenants; they were exactly
the sort Of birds one might expect to
find in such foul nests. They were Of
many nations, but Of just two main va
r~ieties: stupid and squalid, or thin and
fprtive; but they were all dirty, and
they bore, In their compilations, the
poison of crowded breathing spaces,
and bad sewerage, and unwhoiesoms
or insufficient food.
Into this mire there drove an utterly
~out-of-place little electric coupe. At
the wheel was the ~fresh-cheeked Gail
Sargent and with her was the twin.
~kling-eyed Rufus Manning, whose
white beard rippled down to his Sec
ond waistcoat button. They drove
slowly the length of the court and
back again. the girl studying every de-
tail with acute interest. They stopped
In front Of Temple Mission, which,
With its ugly red and blue lettering
nearly erased by years of monthly
%scrubbings, occupied an old store room
once used as q saloon.
$50 this Is the ~chrysalis from which
1.-The butterfly cathedral il to emerge"
commented Gail, as Manning held the
door open for her. and before she rose
she peered again around the uninvit-
Ing court" which not ever the bright
winter sunshine could relieve OF its
dinginess; rather. the sun made 1t
only the more dismal by presenting
the ugliness more In detail.
This IL the mine which produces
the gold which Is to gid the altar" as
serted Manning, studying the side
walk. Il don't think you'd better come
in here. You'll spoil -FOUR shoes"
II want to see 1t all this time be-
cause I'm never coming back" insist
ed Gail, and placed one d~aintily shod
foot on the step.
Then I'll have to shame Sir Walter
Raleigh" laughed the silvery-bearded
Manning. and, to her gasping surprise,
he caught her around the waist and
lifted her across to the door, whereat
several soiled urchins laughed. and
one vinegary-faced old woman grinnsd.
in horrible appreciation. and dropped
Manning a Familiarity respectful curtsy
as he passed.
There was no one In the mission ex-
cept a broad-shouldered man with a
roughly hewn face, who ducked his
head at Manning and touched his fore
finger to the side Of his head. He was
placing huge soup kettles In their
holes In the counter at the rear of the
room. and Manning called attention to
this.
"A practical mission" he explained.
I'VE start In by saving the bodies"
do you get any furtherY" inquired
Gail, glancing from the empty benches
and the at~rociously colored religious"
pictures on the walls to the windows.
past which eddied q mass of humanity
all but submerged in hopelessness.
"Sometimes," replied Manning
gravely. Il have seen a soul or two
even here. II is because of these t~s
OF thro possibilities that the mission
Is kept up. 1t might interest you to
know that Market Square church
spends fifteen thousand deilars a yssr
IL charity relief n yedder coast
1aoue."
Gals eyelds olssed, h1 iasAee
sUfved on her cheeks fer an tnstaqA
and ~ corners e her lips tvAcnsa.