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XSSTTKD ilMI'WElBL^ t. m. grist & sons, publishers. I % in ib Ikaspapcr: ?^or (lit promotion of the gotiticat, Social, Agricultural, and (Tommeeciat Jnteresfs of the fkople. iter * s?$2 a>o ea rj < a dm n c e . established 1855. ~ YORKVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1899. ISTO. 87. "What Woulc BY CHARLES CHAPTER IX. j Master. I will follow thee whithersoever thou 1 goest. j Tliu Sntnrdav matinee at the Andi- < toriuin in Chicago was just over, and | the usual crowd was struggling to get ( to its carriage before any one else. The < Auditorium attendant was shouting out ( the number of different carriages, and the carriage doors were slamming as 1 the horses were driven rapidly to the i curb, held there impatient by the < drivers, who had shivered long in the i raw east wind, and then let go to f plunge for a few minutes into the river ( of vehicles that tossed under the ele- i vated railway and finally went whirling < off up the avenue. i "Now, then, 0241" shouted the Auditorium attendant. "Six hundred and t twenty-four!" he repeated as there g dashed up to the curb a splendid span r of black horses attached to a carriage r having the monogram "C. R. S." in \ gilt letters on the panel of the door. I Two girls stepped out of the crowd c toward the carriage. The older one had f entered and taken her seat, and the at- e tendant was still holding the door open I for the younger, who 6tood hesitating t on the curb. t "Come, Felicia I What are you wait- c ing for? I shall freeze to death!" called j the voice from the carriage. 8 The girl outside of the carriage hast- 1 ily unpinned a bunch of English violets s from her dresi and handed them to a 1 small boy who was standing shivering j on the edge of the sidewalk, clmost j under the horses' feet. He tock them t with a look of astonishment and a 1 "manic ye. laayr ana instantly uurieu ^ a very grimy face in the bnnch of per- i fame. The girl stepped into the car- c riage, the door shut with the incisive I bang peculiar to well made carriages of c this sort, and in a few moments the a coachman was speeding the horses rap- t idly up ono of the boulevards. "Yon are always doing some queer s thing or other. Felicia," said the older p girl as the carriage whirled on past the great residences already brilliantly t lighted. f "Am I? What have I done that is queer now. Rose?" asked the other, I looking up suddenly and turning her t head toward her sister. n ' 'Oh, giving those violets to that boy t s He looked as if he needed a good hot supper more than a bunch of violets, s It's a wonder yon didn't invite him a home with us. I shouldn't have been i surprised if you had. You are always c doing such queer things. Felicia." "Would it be queer to invite a boy g like that to come to the house and get c a hot supper?" Felicia asked the ques- e tion softly and almost as if she were alone. ? "Queer iaji't just the word, of i course," replied Rose indifferently. "It t would be what Mme. Blanc calls outre a ?decidedly. Therefore you will please not invite him or others like him to hot c suppers because I suggested it. Oh, t dear! I'm awfnllv tired." t She yawned, and Felicia silently a looked out of the window in the door. "The concert was stupid, and the I violinist was simply a bore. I don't see how yon could sit so still through it E all." Rose exclaimed, a little impa- v tiently. a "I liked the music,'' answered Felicia v quietly. ' "Yon like anything. I never saw a girl with so little critical taste." c Felicia colored slightly, but would s not answer. Rose yawned again and then hummed a fragment of a popular t song. Then she exclaimed abruptly: 4 "I'm sick of almost everything. I t hope the 'Shadows of London' will be u exciting tonight." s " 'The Shadows of Chicago!' " mur- v mured Felicia. e " 'The Shadows of Chicago!' 'The c Shadows of London,' the play, the great 1' drama with its wonderful scenery, the d sensation of New York for two montha J You know we have a box with the De- o lanos tonight." ^ Felicia turned her face toward her sister. Her great brown eyes were very c expressive and not altogether free from a a sparkle or lnminons heat. "And yet we never weep over the I real thing on the actual stage of life, g What are the shadows of London on the i: stage to the shadows of London or Chi- s cago as they really exist Y Why don't I we get excited over the facts as they areY" a "Because the actual people are dirty and disagreeable and it's too much s bother, I suppose." replied Rose carelessly. "Felicia, you never can reform the world. What's the use Y We're not to blame for the poverty and misery There have always been rich and poor, and there always will be. We ought to be thankful we're rich." "Suppose Christ had gone on that principle." replied Felicia, with unusual persistence. "Do you remember Dr. Bruce's sermon on that verse a few SrmduYs n>ju. 'For ve know the trrace of onr Lord Jesus Christ, that, though c he was rich, yet for our sakes he be- t came i>oor. that ye through his poverty { might become rich " I "I remember it well enough." said Rose, with some petulance. "And * didn't Dr. Bruce go on to say that there i was no blame attached to people who t bad wealth if they are kind and give to * the needs of the poor? And I am sure i the doctor himself is pretty comfortably 1 settled. He never gives up his luxuries < just because some people in the city go i hungry. What good would it do if he 1 did ? I tell yon, Felicia, there will al- s ways be poor and rich in spite of all we can do. Ever since Rachel has written i about the aueer doings in Raymond t STIPSh 1 Jesus Do?" M. SHEliDON. pou have upset the whole family. People can't live at that concert pitch all ;he time. You see if Rachel doesn't ?ive it up soon. It's a great pity she loesn 't come to Chicago and sing in ;he Auditorium concerts. I heard today ?he had received an offer. I'm going to R-ritt? and nrire her to come. I'm just lying to hoar her sing." Felicia looked out of the window and was silent. The carriage rolled on past two blocks of magnificent private resilences and tnrned into a wide driveway nnder a covered passage, and the <isters hurried into the house. It was in elegant mansion of graystone, furnished like a palace, every corner of it warm with the luxury of paintings, sculpture, art and refinement. The owner of it all. Mr. Charles R. sterling, stood before an open grate fire moking a cigar. He had made hie noney in grain speculation and raiload ventures and was reputed to be vorth something over two millions, lis wife was a sister of Mrs. Winslow >f Raymond. She had been an invalid or several years. The two girls. Rose ind Felicia, were the only children, iose was 21 years old. fair, vivacious, i >ducated in a fashionuble college, just ntering society and already somewhat ynical and indifferent, a very hard *oung lady to please, her father said ometimes playfully, sometimes sternly, i Felicia was 10, with a tropical beauty omewhat like her cousin, Rachel Winsow, with warm, generous impulses ust waking into Christian feeling, ca)able of all sorts of expression, a puzzle o her father, a source of irritation to ler mother and with a great, unsur- < reyed territory of thought and action n herself of which she was more than i limly conscious. There was that in Felicia that would easily endure any condition in life if only the liberty to ict fully on her conscientious convic* ions were granted her. "Here's a letter for you. Felicia," aid Mr. Sterling, taking it out of his Kjckct. Felicia sat down and instantly opened he letter, saying as she did so. "It's rom Rachel." 1 "Well, what's the latest news from i taymond?" asked Mr. Sterling, taking 1 lis cigar out of his mouth and looking ' t Felicia, as he often did. with half < hut eyes, as if he were studying her. < "Rachel says Dr. Bruce has been 1 tudying in Raymond for two Sundays ' ind has seemed very much interested 1 n Mr. Maxwell's'pledge in the First I hurch." "What does Rachel say about herein" asked Rose, who was lying on a 1 ouch almost buried under half a dozen ] legant cushions. "She is still singing at the Rectangle. 1 5ince the tent meetings closed she sings 1 n an old hall until the new buildings 1 ier friend Virginia Page is putting up 1 re completed." 1 "I must write Rachel to come to Chi- 1 ago and visit us. She ought not to hrow away her voice in that railroad own upon all those people who don't ippreciate her." Mr. Sterling lighted a new cigar, and lose exclaimed: "Rachel is awfully queer, I think. She might set Chicago wild with her oice if she sang in the Auditorium, nd there she goes on. throwing her oice away on people who don't know chat they are hearing." "Rachel won't come here unless she an do it and keep her pledge at the ame time." said Felicia after a pause. "What pledge?" Mr. Sterling asked he question and then added hastily: 'Oh. I know! Yes; a very peculiar hing that. Powers used to be a friend if mine. We learned telegraphy in the ame office; made a great sensation vhen he resigned and handed over that vidence to the interstate commerce ommission. and he's back at his teegraphy again. There have been queer loings in Raymond during the pear. I wonder what Dr. Bruce till f it, on the whole. I must have a la... vit h him about it." "He preaches tomorrow," said Feliia. "Perhaps he will tell us something ,bout it." There was silence for a minute. Then i'elicia said abruptly, as if she had ;one on with a spoken thought to some nvisible hearer, "And what if he hould projKtse the same pledge to the Nazareth Avenue church?" "Who ? What are you talking about ?" isked her father, a little sharply. "Alnrnt Dr. Bruce. I say what if he hould propose to our church what Mr. if ovn-nll Tir/kTt/wa/l f/i nnrl n air fnr 'olunteers who would pledge themselves ' o do everything after asking the ques- \ ion, 'What would Jesus do ?' "There's no danger of it." said Rose, 1 ising suddenly from the couch as the ' ea hell rang. 1 "It's a very impracticable movement ' o my mind." said Mr. Sterling sharply. ' "I understand from Rachel's letter J hat the church in Raymond is going ' 0 make an attempt to extend the idea 1 >f the pledge to the other churches. If ' hey succeed, they will certainly make s jreat changes in the churches and in I leople's lives," said Felicia. 1 "Oh. well, ht's have some tea first " 1 ;aid Rose, walking into the dining ' oom. Her father and Felicia followed. ' md the meal proceeded in silence. Mrs. sterling had her meals served in her ' oom. Mr. Sterling was preoccupied. ' 3e ate very little and excused himself ' ?arlv, and. although it was Saturday ' light, he remarked as he went out that f ie would be down town late on some 1 ipecial business. "Don't you think father looks very ' nuch disturbed lately?" asked Felicia ' 1 little while after he had gone out. . ' "Oh. I don't know! I hadn't noticed anything nnnsnal," replied Rose. After a silence she said: "Are yon going to the play tonight. Felicia ? Mrs. Delano will be here at half past 7. I think you ought to go. She will feel hurt if you refuse." "I'll go. I don't care about it. I can see shadows enough without going to the play." "That's a doleful remark for a girl 19 years old to make." replied Rose, "but then you're queer in your ideas anyhow, Felicia, it yon re going up to see mother, tell her I'll run in after the play if she is still awake. " Felicia went up to see her mother and remain with her until the Delano carriage came. Mrs. Sterling was worried about her husband. She talked incessantly and was irritated by every remark Felicia made. She would not listen to Felicia's attempts to read even a part of Rachel's letter, and when Felicia offered to stay with her for the evening she refused the offer with a good deal of positive sharpness. So Felicia started off to the play not very happy, but she was familiar with that feeling, only sometimes she was more unhappy than at other times. Her feeling expressed itself tonight by a withdrawal into herself. When the company was seated in the box and the curtain was up, Felicia was back of the others and remained for the evening by herself. Mrs. Delano as chaperon for a half dozen young ladies understood Felicia well enough to know that she was "queer." as Rose so often said, and she made no attempt to draw her out of the corner, and so Felicia really experienced that night by herself one of the feelings that added to the momentum that was increasing the coming n of her great crisis. The play was an English melodrama full of startling situations, realistic scenery and unexpected climaxes. There was one scene in the third act that imnressed even Rose Sterling It was midnight c*? Blackfriara bridge. The Thames flowed dark and forbidding below St Paul's rose through the dim light, imposing, its dome seeming to float above the build ings surrounding it The figure of a child came upon the bridge and stood there for a moment, peering about as if looking for some one Severul persons were crossing the bridge, but in one of the recesses about midway of the river a woman stood, leaning out over the parapet with a strained agony of face and figure that told plainly of her intentions Just as she was stealthily mounting the parapet to throw herself into the river the child caught sight of her. ran forward, with a shrill cry more animal than human, and. seizing the woman's dress, dragged back upon it with all her little strength Then there came suddenly upon the scene two other characters who had ulready figured in the play, a tall, handsome, athletic gentleman dressed in the fashion, attended by a slim figured lad. who was as refined in dress and appearance as the little girl clinging to her mother was mournfully hideous in her rags and repulsive poverty These two. the gentleman and the lad. prevented the attempted suicide, and after a tableau on the bridge where the audience learned that the man and woman were brother ?nd sister the scene was transferred to the interior of one of the slum tenements in the east side of London Here the scene painter and carpenter hud lone their utmost to produce an exact ,*opy of a famous court and alley well known to the poor creatures who make up a part of the outcast London humanity The rags, the crowding, the rileness. the broken furniture, the hor rible animal existence forced upon LTeatures made in God's image, were so skillfully shown in this scene that more than one elegunt woman in the theater, seated, like Rose Sterling, in a sumptuous box. surrounded with silk hangings and velvet covered railing, caught herself shrinking back a little, as if :ontami nation were possible from the nearness of this piece of painted canvas It was almost too realistic, und yet it had a horrible fascination for Felicia is she sat there alone, buried back in a cushioned seat absorbed in thoughts that went far beyond the dialogue on the <tage From the tenement scene the play shifted to the interior of a nobleman's palace, and almost a sigh of relief went np all over the house at the sight of the iccustomed luxury of the upper classes The contrast was startling It was brought about by a clever piece of stag ing that allowed only a few minutes to jlapse between the slum and the palace scenes The dialogue continued, the ictors came and went in their various roles, but upon Felicia the play made but one distinct impression In reality the scenes tin the bridge and in the slum were only incidents in the story jf the play, but Felicia found herself living those scenes over and over She aad never philosophized about the ;auses of human misery She was not lid enough She had not the temperament that philosophizes But she felt intensely, and this was not the first time she had felt the contrast thrust into her feeling between the upper and the lower conditions of human life. It lad been growing upon her until it had made her what Rose called "queer" and the other people in her circle of wealthy icqnaintances called "very unusual.' It was simply the human problem in its extremes of riches and poverty, its efinement and its vileness. which was. in spite of her unconscious uttempts to struggle against the facts, burning into iier life the impression that would in the end transform her into either a woman of rare love and self sacrifice for the world or a miserable enigma to herself and all who knew her "Come. Felicia I Aren't yon going hornet' said Rose The play was over, the curtain down, and people were going noisily ont. laughing and gossiping is if "The Shadows of London" was simply good diversion, as it was put on the stage so effectively Felicia rose and went out with the rest quietly and with the absorbed feeling that had actually left her in her seat oblivious of the play's ending. She was never nbsentminded. bat often it thoagbt herself into a condition that bi left her alone in the midst of a crowd. hi "Well, what did yon think of it?' ti asked Rose when the sisters had reached hi home and were in the drawing room Rose really had considerable respect for m Felicia's judgment of a play tc "I thought it was a pretty picture of oi real life " "I mean the acting. " said Rose, an- hi noyed a' "The bridge scene was well acted. ^ especially the woman's part I thought n the man overdid the sentiment a little.' 111 "Did yon? 1 enjoyed that And ?* wasn t the scene between the two cons " ins funny when they first learned that ** they were related 1 But the slum scene " was horrible 1 think they ought not to show such things in a play They are ei too painful " ?* "They must be painful in real life. re too. replied Felicia. J m "Yes. but we don't have to look at ^ the real thing It's bad enough at the ^ theater where we pay for it " la Rose went into the drawing room ge and began to eat from a plate of fruit tb and cakes on the sideboard. cj "Are you going up to see mother?' go asked Felicia after awhile. She had remained in front of the drawing room to fire. m "No." replied Rose from the other ui room; "I won't trouble her tonight. If cl you go in. tell her I am too tired to be in agreeable." in So Felicia turned into her mother's E: room As she went up the great stair- in case and down the upper hall the light d( was burning there, and the servant who w always waited on Mra Sterling was it beckoning Felicia to come in. ei "Tell Clara to go out." exclaimed m Mra Sterling as Felicia came up to the bed and kneeled by it. Bi " " ? J _i? .... Felicia was surpnseu, urn sue uiu ?a her mother bade her and then inquired m how she was feeling. li, "Felicia." said her mother, "can a| you pray?" r The question was so unlike any her aj mother had ever asked before that Fe- e3 licia was startled, but she answered: "Why. yes, mother. What makes gj vou ask such a question?" 0f "Felicia. I am frightened Your fa- Vc ther?I have had such strange fears ^ about him all day. Something is wrong ea with him. I want you to pray." ta "Now? Here, mother?" y( "Yes Pray. Felicia." cl Felicia reached out her hand and took m her mother's. It was trembling. Mrs. V( Sterling had never shown much tender- m ness for her younger daughter, and her m strango demand now was the first real tb sign of any confidence in Felicia's 8tl character. j fr The girl still kneeled, holding her w mother's trembling hand, and prayed, te It was doubtful if she had ever prayed ^ aloud before. She must have said in tb her prayer the words that her mother j( needed, for when it was silent in the jn room the invalid was weepmg softly. m and her nervous tension was over. Felicia staid some time. When she jqwas assured that her mother would not n( need her any longer, she rose to go. w "Good night, mother. You must let Clara call me if you feel bad in the qT night." m "I feel better now." Then as Felicia <jc was moving away Mrs. Sterling said. m "Won't you kiss me. Felicia?" o tt7ont on/\ honf. nvav Vipt L' CllV/lO ? vvuw w* v* mw m mother. The kiss was almost as strange jg to her as the prayer had been. When bo Felicia went out of the room, her cheeks were wet with tears. She had not cried de fiince she was a little girL ei, Sunday morning at the Sterling man- th sion was generally very quiet. The girls tb usually went to church at 11 o'clock tii service. Mr. Sterling was not a mem- i0 ber. but a heavy contributor, and he as generally went to church in the morn- m ing This time he did not come down m to breakfast and finally sent word by a w: servant that he did not feel well enough ap to go out. So Rose and Felicia drove up to the door of the Nazareth Avenue gi< church and entered the family pew th alone In When Dr. Bruce walked out of the pi room at the rear of the platform and went up to the pulpit to open the Bible, th as his custom was. those who knew sh him best did not detect anything un- F( usual in his manner or his expression wj He proceeded with the service as usual He was calm, and his voice was steady te: and firm His prayer was the first intimation the people had of anything new R< or strange in the service It is safe to m say that the Nazareth Avenue church th had not heard Dr. Bruce offer such a ch prayer during the 12 years he had been in pastor there. How would a minister be fa likely to pray who had come out of a revolution in Christian feeling that had wi completely changed his definition of "t what was meant hy following .Jesus? wi Nn nni- in Nazareth Avenue church had W any idea that the Rev. Calvin Bruce, D D.. the dignified, cultured, refined sv doctor of divinity, had within a few wi days been crying like a little child, on of his knees, asking for strength and cour- he age and Christlikeness to speak his Sunday message, and yet the prayer was an ta unconscious, involuntary disclosure of Y< the soul's experience such as Nazareth th Avenue people seldom heard and never before from that pulpit tu In the hush that succeeded the prayer <j0 a distinct wave of spiritual power to moved over the congregation The most D( careless persons in the church felt it ju Felicia, whose sensitive religions nature responded swiftly to every touch of do emotion, qnivered under the passing of lai that supernatural power, and when she R( lifted her head and looked up at the minister there wjis a look in her eye9 l that announced her intense, eager an- m< ticipation of the 6cene that was to fol- Ct Iato And she was not alone in her atti- a | tnde There was something in the Fc prayer and the result of it that stirred sit many and many a disciple in Nazareth wi Avenue church All over the house men ch and women leaned forward, and when ur Dr Bruce began to speak of his visit to ar Raymond (n the opening sentences of a his address, which this morning pre- th ceded his sermon,.there was an answer- ou ig response in ine cnnrcn tnai came ick to hiui us he spoke and thrilled ira with the hope of a spiritual bap8Di snch as he had never dnring all is ministry experienced. "1 am just back from a visit to Raytond." Dr Bruce began, "and I want i tell yon something of my impressions ' the movement there. " He pansed. and his look went over is people with yearning for them and t the same time with a great uncerlinty at his heart How many of his ch. fashionable, refined, luxury loving lembers would understand the nature ' the uppeal he was soon to make to iem 1 He was altogether in the dark i to that Nevertheless he had been trough his desert and had come out of ready to suffer He went on now aft' that brief pause and told the story ' his stay in Raymond The people aliady knew something of that experiient in the First church The whole rantry had watched the progress of le pledge as it had become history in i many lives. Henry Maxwell had at at decided that the time had come to ek the fellowship of ether churches troughout the country. The new displeship in Raymond had proved to be i valuable in its results that Henry axwell wished the church in general i share with the disciples in Rayond. Already there had begun a volateer movement in many of the lurches throughout the country, actig on their own desire to walk closer i the steps of Jesus. The Christian ndeavor societies had with enthusiasm i many churches taken the pledge to > as Jesus would do. and the result as already marked in a deeper spirual life and a power in church influice that was like a new birth for the embers. All this Dr. Bruce told his people mply and with a personal interest that ridently led the way to his announeeent. which now followed. Felicia had stened to 3very word with strained itention She sat there by the side of ose. in contrast like fire beside snow, though even Rose was as alert and :cited as she could be "Dear friends." he said, and for the st time since his prayer the emotion the occasion was revealed in his )ice and gesture. "I am going to ask iat Nazareth Avenue church take the me pledge that Raymond church has ken I know what this will mean to >u and me. It will mean the complete lange of very many habits. It will ean possibly social loss It will mean :ry probably in many cases loss of oney It will mean suffering. It will ean what following Jesus meant in te first century, and then it meant iffering. loss, hardship, separation om every thing un-Christian. But hat does following Jesns mean? The st of diecipleship is the same now as len. Those of you who volunteer in ie Nazareth Avenue church to do as ?8us would do simply promise to walk i his steps, as he gave us commanden t." Again Rev. Calvin Bruce, pastor of azareth Avenue church, paused, and >w the result of his announcement as plainly visible in the stir that went rer the congregation. He added in a liet voice that all who volunteered to ake the pledge to do as Jesus would > were asked to remain after the orning service. Instantly he proceeded with his seron. His text was from Matthew viii. I, "Master. I will follow thee whither ever thou goest." It was a sermon that touched the iep springs of conduct It was a revation to the people of the definition eir pastor had been learning It took em back to the first century of Chrissnity. Above all, it stirred them be w the conventional thought of years to the meaning and purpose of church embership. it was such a sermon as a an can preach once in a lifetime and ith enough in it for people to live on 1 through a lifetime. The service closed in a hush that was jwly broken. People rose here and ere a few at a time. There was a rectance in the movements of the peoe that was very striking. Rose, however, walked straight out e pew. and as she reached the aisle e turned her head and beckoned to ;licia. By that time the congregation as rising all over the church. Felicia instantly answered her sisr's look. "I'm going to stay." she said, and Dse had heard her speak in the same anner on other occasions and knew at Felicia's resolve could not be anged. Nevertheless she went back to the pew two or three steps and ced her. "Felicia." ehe whispered, and there as a flush of anger on her cheeks, his is folly What can you do? You ill bring disgrace upon the family hat will father say? Come" Felicia looked at her. but did not an;er at once. Her lips were moving ith a petition that came from a depth feeling that measured a new life for r. She shook her head. "No; I am going to stay. I shall ke the pledge. I am ready to obey it ;u do not know why I am doing is." Rose gave her one look and then rned and went out of the pew and wn the aisle. She did not even stop talk with her acquaintances. Mrs ilano was going out of the church st as Rose stepped into the vestibule "So you are not going to join the ctor's volunteer company?" Mrs. De no asked it a qneer tone that made jse redden "No. Are yon? It is simply asburd have always regarded the Raymond svement as fanatical. Yon know ?usin Rachel keeps us posted about it' "Yes; I understand it is resulting in ap-eat deal of hardship in many cases >r my part. I believe Dr. Brace has nply provoked a disturbance here It 11 result in splitting Nazareth Avenue nrch You see if that isn't so There e scores of people in the church who e so situated that they can 't take such pledge and keep it I am one of em. " added Mrs. Delano as she went t with Rose. I w nen Kose reacned nome, ner rami was standing in bis nsnal attitude b fore the open fireplace, smoking a ciga "Where is Felicia?" he asked asRoi came in alone "She staid to an after meeting," r< plied Rose shortly She threw off h( wraps and was going up stairs whe Mr. Sterling called after her: "An after meeting? What do yc mean?" "Dr Bruce asked the church to tat the Raymond pledge " Mr. Sterling took his cigar out of h: mouth and twirled it nervously bi tween his fingers. "I didn't expect that of Dr Bruo uiu any or me meutuers stay i "I don't know. I didn't" replie Rose, and she went np stairs, leavin her father standing in the drawin room After a few minutes he went to th window and stood there looking out s the people driving on the boulevarc His cigar had gone out, but he still fir gered it nervously. Then he turne from the window and walked up an down the room. A servant steppe across the hall and announced dinner and he told her to wait for Felicit Hose came down stairs and went int the library, and still Mr. Sterling pace the drawing room restlessly. He had finally wearied of the walkin apparently and, throwing himself int a chair, was brooding over somethin deeply when Felicia came in. He rose and faced her. Felicia ws evidently very much moved by th meeting from which she had just com( At the same time she did not wish t talk too much about it Just as she ei tered the drawing room Rose came i from the library. "How many staid?" she asked. Ros was curious. At the same she was ske{ tical of the whole movement in Raj mond "About a hundred." replied Felici gravely. Mr. Sterling looked surprised Felicia was going out of the room. H called to her. "Do you really mean to keep th pledge?" he asked Felicia colored Over her face an neck the warm blood flowed as she ai swered. "You would not ask such question, father, if you had been pref ent at the meeting." She lingered moment in the room, then asked to h I oTfvnsod frnm dinner fnr awhile an went up to see her mother. No one ever knew what that intei view between Felicia and her moth* was. It is certain that she must hav told her mother something of the spk itual power that had awed every perso present in the company of disciples froi Nazareth Avenue church who faced Di Bruce in that meeting after the morz ing service. It is also certain that F< licia had never known such an exper ence and never would have thought c sharing it with her mother if it had nc been for the prayer the evening before Another fact is also known of Felicia' experience at this time When sb finally joined her father and Rose e the table, she seemed unable to te them much about the meeting. Thei was a reluctance to speak of it, as on might hesitate to attempt a descriptio of a wonderful sunset to a person wh never talked about anything but tb weather When that Sunday in th Sterling mansion was drawing to close and the soft, warm lights throng! out the dwelling were glowing throng the great windows, in a corner of he room where the light was obscure Fe licia kneeled, and when she raised he face and turned it toward the light i was the face of a woman who had al ready defined for herself the greatee issues of earthly lifa That same evening, after the Sunda evening service, the Rev. Calvin Bruce D. D.. of Nazareth Avenue church, wa talking over the events of the day wit his wife. Thev were of one heart an mind in the matter and faced their ne\ future with all the faith and courag of new disciples. Neither was deceive as to the probable results of the pledg to themselvee or to the church. They had been talking but a littl while when the bell rang, and Dx Bruce, going to the door, exclaimed a he opened it "It is you, Edward Come in I" There came into the ball a command ing figure. The bishop was of extraor diary height and breadth of shoulder but of such good proportions that ther< was no thought of ungainly or even o unusual eize. The impression the bisho] made on strangers was first that o great health and then of great affection He came into the parlor and greete< Mm Bruce, who after a few moment was called out of the room, leaving th< two men together. The bishop sat in a deep easy chat before the open fire. There was jus enough dampness in the early spring o the year to make an open fire pleasant "Calvin, you have taken a very seri ous step today." he finally said, liftinf his large dark eyes to his old collegi classmate's face. "I heard of it thi afternoon. I could not resist the deeir< to see you about it tonight " "I'm glad you came. " Dr. Bruce sa near the bishop an i laid a hand on hi ehoulder. "You understand what thii means. Edward 1" "I think I do?yes; I am sura" Th< bishop spoke very slowly and thought fully. He sat with his hands clasped to gether. Over his face, marked witl lines of consecration and service anc the love of men, a shadow crept, j shadow not caused by the firelight Again he lifted his eyes toward his ol< friend. "Calvin, we have always underetoo< each other Ever since our paths led tu in different ways in church life we havi walked together in Christian fellow ship." "It is true." replied Dr. Bruce, witl an emotion he made no attempt to con ceal or subdue. "Thank God for it prize your fellowship more than an; mnn's I have always known what i meant, though it has always been mor< than I deserve." The bishop looked affectionately a his friend, but the shadow still reste< 5r on nis race Alter a pause ne spose e- again r "The new discipleship means a crisis 3e for yon in your work. If you beep this pledge to do all things as Jesus would a- do. as I know you will, it requires no JT prophet to predict some remarkable sn changes in your parish." The bishop looked wistfully at Bruce and then con>u tinned "In fact. I do not see how a perfect upheaval of Christianity as we re now know it can be prevented if the ministry and churches generally take is the Raymond pledge and live it out." He paused as if he were waiting for his friend to say something, to ask some a question, but Bruce did not know of the fire that was burning in the bishop's id heart over the very question that Maxsr wall unH himnplf had fnncht nnt g "Now. in my church, for instance.' continued the bishop, "it would be le rather a difficult matter, I fear, to find it very many people who would take a L pledge like that and live up to it Mari tyrdom is a lost art with us. Our Chrisd tianity loves its ease and comfort too d well to take up anything so rough and d heavy as a cross, and yet what does folr, lowing Jesus mean? What is it to walk t in his steps?" o The bishop was soliloquizing now, d and it is doubtful if he thought for the moment of hie friend's presence. For g the first time there flashed into Bruce's io mind a suspicion of the truth. What if g the bishop should throw the weight of his great influence on the side of the ls Raymond movement I He had the folia lowing of the most aristocratic, wealthy. ). fashionable people not only in Chicago, o but in several large cities. What if the i- bishop should join this new discipleship I n The thought was about to be followed by the word. Dr. Bruce had reached ie out his hand and, with the familiarity >- of lifelong friendship, had placed it on r. the bishop's shoulder and was about to ask him a very important question a when they were both startled by the [ violent ringing of the belL Mrs. Bruce e had gone to the door and was talking with some one in the hall There was a e loud exclamation, and then, as the Disnop rose ana ijt. nruce was stepping d toward the curtain that hung before the entrance to the parlor, Mrs. Bruce a pushed it aside. Her face was white, j. and she was trembling. a "Oh. Calvin 1 Such terrible newsl ie Mr. Sterling?oh. I cannot tell it 1 What d a fearful blow to those two girlsI" "What is it?" Dr. Bruce advanced r. with the bishop into the hall and conx fronted the messenger, a servant from e the Sterlings. The man was without r. his hat and had evidently run over with n the news, as the doctor lived nearest of n any friends of the family. P. "Mr. Sterling shot himself, sir, a i- few minutes ago! He killed himself y. in his bedroom I Mrs. Sterling"? [. "I will go right over. Edward"?Dr ,f Bruce turned to the bishop?"will you >t go with me? The Sterlings are old y friends of yours." '8 The bishop was very pale, but calm. e as always. He looked his friend in the face and answered: "Aye, Calvin. I U will go with you, not only to this house e of death, but also the whole way of hue man sin and sorrow, please God." a And even in that moment of horror 0 at the unexpected news Calvin Bruce e understood what the bishop had prome Ised to do 8 TO BE CONTINUED. I- ???? b A WOMAN'S VETO. T ^ Why it Certain Naval Appointment Was j Never Confirmed. * ? ti.Utnh Annnpro/1 ftnrinnr [J All 1 uuiucui nuitu vvuuii v\? uu*?i?g [ the first Cleveland administration ilit lustrates the good feeling existing between the newspaper men and the y chief of the bureau of naval construci, tion. A certaiu correspondent, who s was on particularly intimate terms h with the chief, called at his office aud d was received with unusual cordiality, v Calling the correspondent by bis first e name, the chief said : "Look here, d Blank, Mr. 's appointment to a e place in tbis department, after being fought through two congresses, has e prevailed, has been signed by Secretary '. VVbituey and only waits the signature a of the president. You, of all men in I Washington, can find out what action the president will take, and I think . you know a way to prevent the docu. meut being signed." The correspondent replied, "I think 9 I know a way." He left the building f and went for Miss , who was at p that time doing Washington society for f the Associated Press. To her he told . the story and explained what he wan1 ted done. a Miss obtained an audience with a Mrs. Cleveland and told what she came for. Mrs. Cleveland went to the r president's desk and singled out a t paper with the remark, "there, I guess f that is the one you mean." She then turned a corner of the document down - and left it. ' 1, J in ine course ui mo wuiiv mc j/icoi9 dent came to the paper and then, in a 9 surprised tone, said to Secretary La9 mont, "Dan, do you know anything about this appointment?" t Mr. Limont did Dot know anything 9 about it. 9 "Well," said the president, "Frances has evidently turned this down for a 9 purpose. I guess it's all right." And * the official signature was not attached.. i t@T A Mississippi farmer, while in 1 Memphis recently, entered a welli known cafe and ordered a sirloin steak. . A bottle of tabasco sauce was on the 1 table, and, mistaking it for catsup, he spread it quite lavishly on the steak, J and settled down to enjoy the meal, a He cut off a big piece, sopped it around 9 in the tabasco, aud stuck it into his mouth. Then he began to feel as if ? it. * his tongue was ou nre. ne iwisim i and turned and soon had the eyes of - every one io the cafe fastened on him. I The more he twisted his face the hotj ter the steak in his mouth got. He t could stand it no longer and reaching 9 up his hand he jerked out the burning bite, threw it on the floor and ext claimed: J '-Now, confound you, blaie !"