The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-17

tanglement; furthermore his business
demands his time; it Is less and less
convenient to come to Old Chester;
and he is no longer young. He Is a
selfish, sensual being. with the typical
masculine distaste for everything that
renders him uncomfortable either in
mind or body. While he is willing, in
an indolent sort of way, to continue
his relation with Mrs. Richie; is even
honorable enough to marry her If he
must, it is obvious that he would glad
ly be rid Of the whole affair.
But to Helena Richie this incident
lie not an affair" It is her life. She
loves Prior with q devotion engender>
ed by her lonely, heart-starved exist
ence, and she looks forward to the
moment when Frederic's death shall
release her from her present precar1.
GUS position. and allow her to confront
the world with a clear name. That
an ultimate marriage between them
will wipe out the blot on their past
she does not question. In the mean
time she can only possess her soul
Of patience, and make the best of her
enforced seclusion. No one knows her
secret No one can know 1t. There
fore she feels quite secure-that is,
as secure as 1t Is possible in the face
Of the everpresent danger of exposure.
Into this fevered life of hers three
important characters project them
selves: DR.. Lavendar, the minister
Of Old Chester; DR.. William King. the
village physician, and David. an or
phan child whom the rector has be-
friended, and for whom he Is DESTROYS
of finding a home. OF all Mrs. De-
lands creations none, perhaps, is more
beloved than Is DR.. Lavendar. Wise,
benign. humorous; yet just at all
times-a man who is never to be turn
ed aside from a principle by idle SEN
timentality. DR.. King is not unlike
him in this unflinching fealty to duty
and to honor.
These two persons put their heads
together and decide that since Mrs.
Richie leads such solitary life and is
abundantly able, she Is the one to take
the homeless David. The consp1rators
proceed with extreme caution. The
child is brought to DR.. Lavendars
house, and Mrs. Richie Is given the
opportunity to see him.
He is a quaint. winsome. appealing
little fellow-a decided personality,
and one OF the most delightful and
consistent child portraits in modern
fiction. His greatest attraction lies
in the fact that one can never be sure
what he will say next. Once, when
DR.. Lavendar is telling him a story
he keeps his eyes fixed SO intently on
the mans face that the old gentleman
is much fattered.
well, we'll. you are a great boy for
stories. aren't you?" remarks the de-
lighted minister.
you've talked seven minutes" said
David thoughtfully. "and you haven't
moved your upper jaw once"
AS can be imagined the child makes
instant conquest Of Mrs. Richie, who
garments, and brings him in triumph
to the Stuffed Animal House"
Day by day the tie that binds her
TO David strengthens until we see this
affection the dominant motif Of her
life. 1t even overshadows her love for
Prior. although it is some time before
she is conscious that it does so.
In the meanwhile. quite by chance,
the security Of her miniature world
is shaken to its foundations. There
lives in Old Chester youth much
Mrs. Riches Junior Sam Wright, who
has drifted into the habit Of calling on
her, and who falls in love with her. 1t
is the blind worship of one who has
never known passion, and in an at
tempt to break up the boys tnfatua-
ton his doting grandfather comes to
Mrs. Richie, and half in irritation &C.
cuses her of not being a good woman.
The shot is random one, but the in
slant the charge is made, the speaker
realizes he has hit upon the truth.
Helena's anger at his gibes and sar-
casm is like the whirlwind.
But the Lord was not in the wind.
1t is Sam Wright's suicide that first
brings home to her the gravity of de-
flying social responsibility. What she
convention she now sees to be a crime
against humanity. All her being is
rocked with self-reproach.
But the Lord was not in the earth
quake.
1t is not until DR.. King forces her to
confess her guilt, and tells her she
must give up David, that we reach
the climax of the drama. Then all the
wild mother instinct Of the woman
leaps into being. She is a lioness
fighting for her young. She will give
up Prior; in fact she does give him
up. But she will not part with David.
She begs, brides, prays; but Willy
Kings conscience will not permit him
to listen to her entreaties. She must
send the child back to DR.. Lavendar,
or he must acquaint the good minister
| with the entire story.
In an effort to forestall this action
Mrs. Richie herself goes to the rectory
and before she leaves it she looks into
the face of her own soul and pronoun-
ces her doom.
The whirlwind Of anger had died
ont; the shock of responsibility had
subsidized; the hiss Of those flames OF
shame had ceased. She was in the
center Of all the tumults, where lies
the quiet mind of Cod
When DR.. Lavendar asks her If she
thinks herself worthy to keep the child
she humbly whispers: NO"
And after the fire, the still Small
Voice.
At last the woman's conscience is
aroused. her repentance is sincere,
and we have the true Awakening OF
Helena Richie"
How wisely DR.. Lavendar meets this
| rricic IN a no Hpo ,1lowir =, O