The Penn's Grove record., 1920-09-24

rphan child whom the rector has he
riended, and for whom he is 1aSirol"
Il finding a home. Of all Mrs. Deland .
.reations more perhaps, is more u"
owed than is Doctor Lavender. WIS,
,enign, humorous; yet just at ~
imeS-a man who is never to rs
urned aside from a principle Nv ldi@
,entimentality. Doctor King is not utt-
ike him in this unflinching fealty IL
iuty and to honor.
These two persons put Their head
together to decide that since Mrs
Richie leads such a solitary life M is
l%bundantly able, she is the n to taE"
he homeless David. The conspiratorS
proceed with extreme caution. Inc
hid is brought to Doctor L~avendar's
house, and Mrs. Richie is given the OF
o~ortunity to see him.
He is a quaint, winsome, apneal'nn
little fellow-a decided personality.
md one of the most delightful and
consistent child portraits in modern
lotion. His greatest attraction lies in
he fact that one can never be sure
what he Will say next. Once. when
Doctor Lavender is telling him a story
re keeps his eyes fixed so intently on
he mems face that the old gentleman
: much fattered.
"Well. well. you are a great boy for
stories, aren't your" 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
insists on fitting him out with tiny gar.
nents, and brings him In triumph to
he "Stuffed Animal House"
Day by day the tie that binds her to
David strengthens until WE see this af-
lection the dominant motif of her
life. It ever overShadoIys 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
n Old Chester a youth much Mrs.
Riches junior, Sam Wright, who has
irifted into the habit of calling on her,
md who falls in love with her. 1t is
the blind worship of one who has
never known passion, and in IN at
tempt to break up the boys infatua-
lion his doting grandfather ZONES to
Mrs. Richie, and half in irritation ac-
uses her of not being a 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 at his gibes and sar-
aasm is like the whirlwind.
But the Lord was not in the wind.
1t is Sam Wright's suicide that first
home to her the gravity of defy
ing social responsibility. What she has
hitherto regarded as a scorn for con
ventiOn she now sees to be a crime
against humanity. All her being is
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 her
she must give up David, that we reach
he climax of the drama. Then all the
wild mother instinct of the woman
into being. She is a lioness fight
ing for her young. She will give up
in fact she does give him up.
But she will not part with David. She
Degs, brides, prays; but Willy Kings
conscience will not permit him to lis
.en to her e%ntreaties. She must send
he child back to Doctor Lavendar, or
re 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 pro
her doom.
"The whirlwind of anger had died
)ut; the shock Of responsibility had
subsidized; the hiss of those flames of
shame had ceased. She was in the
of all the tumults, where lies
the quiet mind of God"
When DR.. Lavender asks her If she
thinks herself worthy to keep the
she humbly whispers: mo"
And after the fire, the still Small
5oice.
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
in the shattered life, allowing
to taste to the full the dregs of
remorse and suffering; and yet how
mercifully and gently he leads her up
ward toward hope and a desire for res.
titution constitute the remainder IF
the story.
The kind old man suggests that
She make her future home in a distant
city where her past will not follow
Ter and where she may start anew,
and he asks that on the morning
Of her departure she come to him for
a package which he wishes her to take