The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-08-20

creations none. perhaps. Is more be-
loved than is Doctor Lavender. Wise.
benign. humorous: yet just Mt al!
times-a man who is never Tn be
turned aside from principle by idle
sentimentality. Doctor King Is not IN
lite him In this unflinching fealty To
| duty and TO honor.
| These two persons put their heads
together 20 decide that since Mrs.
Richie leads such solitary life and IL
abundantly able. she is the one To take
the homeless David. The conspirntOrs
proceed with extreme caution. The
child Is brought TO Doctor Lavendar's
house. and Mrs. Richie is given the op.
portunity to see him.
He is quaint. wlnsome. appealing
| little fellow-a decided personality.
and one of the most delightful and
consistent child portraits In modern
fiction. His greatest attraction lies I'm
what he will say next. Once. when
Doctor Lavender is telling him story
he keeps his eyes fixed so intently on
the mans face that the old gentleman
is much fiattered.
"welI. well. you are a great boy for
stories. aren't your" remarks the de-
| lighted minister.
"Youve 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
insists on fitting him out with tiny gar.
ments. 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 af-
fcctIon the dominant motif Of her
life. II even OvershadOws her love for
Prior, although II IL some time before
she IL 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 It IA
the blind worship of one who has
never known passion, and in nm at
tempt to break up the boys infatua-
ton his doting grandfather comes to
Mrs. Richie. and half in irritation &C.
cuses her Of not being good woman
The shot is a random one, but the in.
slant the charge Is made the speaker
realizes he has hit upon the truth
Helena's anger ut his gibes and sar
casm Is like the whirlwlnd.
But the Lord was not In the wind.
| 1t Is Sam Wrlght's suicide that frs,
brings home to her the gravity of defy
ing social responsibility. What she has
hitherto regarded as scorn for con
vention she now sees to be a crime
against humanity. All her being Il
rocked with self-reproach.
But the Lord was not in the earth
quake.
1t Is not until Doctor King forces
her to confess her guilt, and tells he
she must give up David. that we reacI
! the climax Of the drama. Then all tn,
wild mother instinct Of the womal
, leaps into being. She is a lioness fight
Ing for her young. She will give VI
E Prior; In fact she does give him uE
But she will not part with David. Sh
), begs, bribes, prays; but Willy King
conscience will not permit him to lis
e ten to her entreaties. She must sen
r the child back to Doctor Lavendar. o
r he must acquaint the good ministe
K; with the entire story.
n In an effort to forestall this actio
n Mrs. Richie herself goes to the rector
l. and before she leaves 1t she looks int
II the face Of her own soul and pr,
ic nounces her doom.
N "The whirlwind Of anger had die
,r out; the shock of responsibility ha
lie subsidized; the hiss Of those flames I
s. shame had ceased. She was in ii
is centre Of all the tumults. where III
* the quiet mind Of God"
Or When DR.. Lavender asks her IL 81
~ thinks herself worthy to keep Il
20 child she humbly whispers: mo"
IN And after the fire. the still Sms
e. Voice.
"a At last the woman's conscience
aroused, her repentance is SINGER
ID and we have the true awakening
r.. Helena Richie"
is How wisely DIR. Lavender meets tn
OF crisis In the shattered life allowiI
~ her to taste to the full the dregs
Of remorse and suffering: and yet nc
is mercifully and gently he leads her u
IS ward toward hope and desire for n
Id titutiOn constitute the remainder
70. the story.
he The kind old man suggests III
w. she make her future home in a dista
lie city where her past will not foil,
is her ana where she may start ane
to and he asks that on the morni
g: Of her departure she come to him
er n package which he wishes her to tn
Id with her on her journey. The reat
shares her shock Of joyous surpr
!. when David energies from the corr
he Of the stage-coach crying:
~ "1'm the package!"
y a q