The Press., 1922-07-13
The New Cult Leader
By MARTHA MAcwILLIAMs

or cut the throat of heady presump- tiOn. It had passed into a proverb among the younger setSthat you could trust her always to face and down a difficult situation. Hence the dismay, tinged hOtly with disgust, when she fell-fell ,hard-for the travelling apos- tie of the most ridiculous among ri- diculOus new cults, one whose jargon Twas incOmprehensible to folk of decent common sense-full of The Now, Up- fOrthings, Awarenesses and such. 1 What could be understood by way faring man was that the cult held 1t the whole duty of men, eke of woman, | to give all the money In both pockets to the spreading of the mystic creed. There was the rub. EIinOr had a tidy competence, one that might serve as the cornerstone to fortune, provided 1 it-and herself-were but properly husbanded. The apostle apparently had elected himself to the improper 1 husbanding of both. | Yet though The Larger Humanity was his favorite text appeals however poignant to humanity, common or
 
 1 as a ducks back to rain. But he had not quite succeeded in insulating i ElinOr from the electric current of 1 pity for starving children. She was i among the first to give a sum every body knew she ought not to afford for i famine relief. But no friend protested, not even her trusty some time guar dian, now her truStee-inarticulat 1 all felt that what the famine relief got was so much saved from apostolic ! greed.
 To say that her largesses peeved the ! apostle, LOrenzO-Magna-Re by name : Is putting the case more than mildly. Deeply as he grudged and sorrowed ; for the money, he was worse dis ! turbed to find himself not quite her absolute conscience. He dared not show that openly. Instead he said ! sOrrOwfully, haste in such giving was unwise.
 She ought to have let some friend investigate for her-he himself would have done 1t, failing anybody else. There Elinor broke in, her cheeks hot, her eyes shining with: Starvation does not wait to be investigated. If l have saved even one poor baby, shall be glad-and if the money does no good, giving 1t at least acQuits my conscience-I have done what could"
 "A lovely thought" murmured the doubly hyphenated one. feeling that he had gone too far.
 We hope you believe what you say, Bahawdur, Tommy Samson said be- hind the apostolic presence. Tommy had spent two years in India-hence, his cant name for the apostle. Prove that you do believe" Tommy ran on: Lots of folk are pining to see and hear you. If yOu'h let us--the relief committee, you knOW-well fix it so; you can speak in the Town hall-at $5 a throw, and every cent to go to the famine fund.-"
 Impossible! Simply impossible! !"' protested the Bahawdur. "Why impossible?" ElinOr cried: tremulOusly.
 He answered pompously: II dare not vulgarize anything so sacred as my mission. It, in way, cOnsecrates my poor human self-can let myself be- come the target of curiOsity"
 You do it for your own benefit" Tommy flung in nonchalantly. Be sport, general-cOme across in this ex- cellent cause. If you don't-well, some thing may happen-sOmething you won't like one little bit.'
 Tommy, there are limits to even friendly jestling," Elinor broke in with fat hot Ci0 oh more than ever to shield and save her.
 Sticking out his chin belligerently he flung back, "NO jest; I'm In dead earn est. But there are jokes in business very big ones. For example income tax returns-some of 'em''-wheeling upon the apostle. Say, Swami, have you put in yours? Remember, you can deduct what you contribute to charity. If you don't want to make holy show of yourself you can likely save money and trouble by contributing enough to bring you down peg or sO."
 Income taxi" the new Swami scoffed. Man, you know earthly laws do not touch me"
 'If 1t weren't so impOlite I'd say you were liar," Tommy answered. his hands clinching. And prove it into the bargain. But I don't yearn to make myself a nuisance. I repeat be sport-and come across, hand sOmely. You will, if you are wise as you should be-"
 Deliberately, without a word, the apostle turned his back, walked away at the top of the steps he was almost running nor did he slack speed until he was in his waiting car It had been Elinor's-a fine, small electric AS it sped him away, Tommy. breath ing hard, said through clenched teeth: Nell, wish you only knew how hard Pm thinking damn"
 Tommy left town. that night on a mysterious errand to the city four hun dred miles away. ElinOr was uneasy over his absence-he had been for so long part of her everyday conscious ness even the apostle had not washed him from her life. The apostle was uneasier still, but masked it with deeper mysteries of doctrine, more savage devoutness in privatiOns greater length of devotiOns.
  uhite needs must they both go into a. stlence-neither speak nor listen to any but inner voices for two days and nights Full of unQuiet wonder, Elinor Obeyed through half the allotted time. But upon the second morning she saw so strange group discharged by big limousine at her door she could not refuse Tommy's insistent summons Come down and see what I've brought you"
 "She found Tommy, her trustee, a strange uniformed person, plus the apostle, fronting her in the big hall Now you can explain, Swami," | Tommy said, jauntily, about those de- pOsits In bank-and things-especial- , ly the last big check from Miss Gray" "This is an outrage. You should recognize am beyond earthly law"