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diff --git a/old/64241-0.txt b/old/64241-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 53136a2..0000000 --- a/old/64241-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5948 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Other Worlds, by Lena Jane Fry - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Other Worlds - A story concerning the wealth earned by American citizens and - showing how it can be secured to them instead of to the trusts - -Author: Lena Jane Fry - -Release Date: January 09, 2021 [eBook #64241] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images - made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OTHER WORLDS *** - -[Illustration: LENA JANE FRY.] - - - - - OTHER WORLDS - A Story Concerning the Wealth Earned by American Citizens and Showing - How It Can Be Secured to Them Instead of to the Trusts - - - By LENA JANE FRY - - - CHICAGO: - LENA JANE FRY, Publisher - 1905 - - - - - Copyright 1905 - BY LENA JANE FRY - CHICAGO, ILL. - - -[Illustration: 156] - - - - - THIS BOOK - IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED - TO - THREE OF AMERICA’S - BEST DAUGHTERS, - NENA N., BERTHA J., AND - KATHLEEN E. FRY. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS - - - INTRODUCTION. - CHAPTER I. - CHAPTER II. - CHAPTER III. - CHAPTER IV. - CHAPTER V. - CHAPTER VI. - CHAPTER VII. - CHAPTER VIII. - CHAPTER IX. - CHAPTER X. - CHAPTER XI. - CHAPTER XII. - CHAPTER XIII. - CHAPTER XIV. - CHAPTER XV. - CHAPTER XVI. - CHAPTER XVII. - CHAPTER XVIII. - CHAPTER XIX. - CHAPTER XX. - CHAPTER XXI. - CHAPTER XXII. - CHAPTER XXIII. - CHAPTER XXIV. - CHAPTER XXV. - CHAPTER XXVI. - CHAPTER XXVII. - THE WEALTH PRODUCING AND DISTRIBUTING SOCIETY. - THE PLANET VENUS. SECOND STORY. - WE ARE GOING TO BE INSPECTED. - - - - - INTRODUCTION. - - -In introducing myself to my readers I believe I can do no better than to -insert the following clipping, taken from a recent newspaper; for I am -answering the cry that is going out to those who are able to work out -the problem, of finding employment for willing hands to do: - - - “THE RIGHT TO WORK.” - - Is there such a thing as the “right to work?” If so, why isn’t it - enforced on behalf of the great army of unemployed? - - It does seem that there should be something for every willing pair - of hands in this great country to do. We have unbounded, unmeasured - natural resources. We have billions of idle wealth. Ought we not to - have wisdom enough to bring the idle wealth and natural - opportunities and the idle hands together? - - Think of the suffering women and children who are cold and hungry - because the husband and father cannot find work for his willing - hands. - - Think of this, you well-to-do, you statesman; yes, and you - workingman. - - Here is a black, horrid blemish on the Christian civilization of the - Twentieth Century. To wipe it out is a work far grander in the - possibilities of its results than to construct wonderful subways, - build libraries and monuments or to perform any of the wonderful - things of which we boast. - - And, bear this in mind, if every man will do his duty by his fellow - man, the time will come when the piteous cry, “I cannot find work,” - will be heard no more in this fair land. - -You will see, as you read this book, that I believe—as do many -others—that there are other worlds that are inhabited, as well as this; -but that is not the point after all. This is a story taken from every -day life as it is. Many events will be recognized, though no real -characters have been given. - -If my ideas are carried out, it means freedom to the oppressed. It means -wealth for all industrious people, in fact, the society I picture in -these pages will be able to confer not only wealth but honors upon all -deserving members. All thinking people know that we are in the midst of -the most awful crisis that this world has ever known; that the Trusts -have us hemmed in on all sides, that we seem to be helpless. I say “seem -to be,” for we are not helpless, only stunned by the immense power which -money has enabled the Trusts to use against us in taxing our -necessities. - -I have written this book believing I could give some practical ideas -that will help to win the battle that is going against us as a people. - -The Trusts are not our enemies in reality; they are only the whips that -have been used to draw us into line and show us how to manage our -affairs as a Nation instead of in the individual way, with its wasteful -competition. - -In all the ages past, when nations were menaced, a leader came to their -aid; but in this age we need many leaders along many lines to take hold, -for all people have been guilty of a crime that few even know was a -crime. - -It was money that gave the Trusts their power over us, and it was money -that has been the root of evil in all the ages. It is hard to know when -it was established as the world’s idol, but as an Idol it rules the -virtuous as well as the depraved. “Thou shalt have none other gods -before Me,” the Lord of Heaven has said. Down with the money Idol, or -destruction shall fall on your head, we say as we look around and see -the consequences of its power. It rules our lives, and is it necessary -after all? is the subject upon which I have written. - -I believe in justice to all, and I have written this book because I have -something to say in it that will help to bring prosperity for all. - -I have done my best, and, if I have not done the best that can be done, -my only wish is that others will take up the ideas I have given here, -until all humanity can clasp hands and say: Thank the good power of -united action that has shown us how to secure homes and our necessities -independent of the money powers. - -May all who read it, choose evolution and safety and not wait for war -and its attending calamities that the money rulers are bringing, is my -greatest wish. - - - HOW I HAPPENED TO WRITE “OTHER WORLDS.” - -[Illustration] - - ’Twas evening. I was sitting in my parlor alone in the home, not a soul - was near. - A strike was in full blast and had been for a year. - Lives had been lost and mourners would weep - As funerals passed slowly down the street. - Watching at the window as a procession passed, - Mentally I asked the question: how long O God! how long shall this thing - last? - Is the Idol of the Nation—aye, the Idol of the earth— - That thing, that is called money;—oh—is it of greater worth - Than the creatures thou hast created? - Not knowing I had uttered a prayer, in the fullness of my heart - I sat in the gloaming, and in time it became quite dark. - I was resting—sitting passive—not even trying to think, - When an angel stood before me! Perhaps ’twas—a dream; who knows? - Who can tell when a dream commences or when we doze, - Or when imagination creates a thing; if practical, why need we care? - To me it was a vision and the angel was most fair, - As she pointed to the stars in the heavens, shining there: - “They too, are worlds,” she whispered, “struggling to the light, - Gaining wisdom by experience and power by their might. - Go write and tell the world about them and how they won: - When powers and principalities seemed greater than the sun. - This monster called ‘money,’ that all love so well; - Has opened wide the very floodgates of hell, - Until you have a toiling, struggling mass called humanity. - Go, now, write the story; I bid you make haste - For your homes are menaced! Your country will be laid waste - By the Trusts who weave webs, as a spider to catch flies; - The Nation may be throttled until it dies.” - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - -In a country place near a town called Lake View, on the planet Herschel, -lived a family of the name of Vivian. They were known all over the -country for their hospitality, wealth and their beautiful daughters. For -generations the name Vivian had been associated with brave deeds, honest -lives and intellect. The girls were even known as “those very clever -Vivian girls.” Mira, the youngest of the four girls, just sixteen as -this story opens, was a bright, winsome girl, tall and graceful, with -large hazel eyes, a pink and white complexion, and an abundance of -golden hair. - -On a bright autumn afternoon Mira was on the lawn watching the birds and -listening to their clatter as they collected in large numbers to take -their yearly journey to a warmer climate. “How wise they are,” she -pondered; “though so small, they know more than the people do. Away they -go to another part of the world. I wish I could go with them. I am so -weary of always staying in one place.” She gazed after them as they took -their onward flight, and her mother, who had been watching her from the -window, seemed to catch the thought, for she said aloud: “I am afraid, -like the birds, she will soon be leaving me alone.” - -“Why, mother,” said a young man, approaching her; “you are actually -talking to yourself. I thought Helen or Mira was with you. I want one of -them to go on the lake with me.” - -“Tom, look at Mira,” the mother exclaimed. “She is quite grown up. I -have never realized it till now. But before you call either of the -girls, I want to talk to you about the society you young people have -been organizing. The ideas are strange to me. When I was young, married -women didn’t take positions. Is it possible that you cannot support your -wife?” - -“Why, of course I could,” the young man replied; “but when you were -young you had no Trusts to absorb your income as we have in this -generation. Nellie and I are dedicating ourselves to this undertaking. -We intend to work together to free ourselves and all who join us from -their tyranny.” - -“It is quite an undertaking,” his mother replied. “I don’t see how you -are going to succeed without capital. It takes so much money now to -start anything to what it did when your father was young, and he -inherited the property.” - -“The world hasn’t shrunk,” Tom replied, “since father’s time. The only -difficulty is in our knowing how to meet the situation in a new way. The -industry of the masses in every way, is how wealth has been collected, -and the people are as willing to work now as they ever have been. But -here is Mira.” - -“Will you take a row with me, Mira?” he asks as she approaches them. “I -will tell you all about the society, mother, when we come back. I want -to rest my brain for a while out on the water. You don’t mind, do you, -mother?” he inquired. - -“Oh, no,” she replied; “there is time enough before you return to the -city.” - -Mrs. Vivian, her eldest son Geron and his family, besides Mira, lived on -the Vivian estate. The rest of the family had gone to the city to live, -after their father died; as their wealth had decreased it was necessary. -Tom was a lawyer; Libra had married a banker, and Scoris and Helen had -employment. The next day the rest of the family arrived at the old -homestead, for it was the mother’s birthday. - -The family dinner had been a success, and they had all assembled in the -old-fashioned drawingroom for the evening. Old friends had been invited -to meet the city members of the family, especially Tom, who at that time -was making a change in the industrial life not well understood by his -friends or some members of the family. The gentlemen in the party had -grouped around Tom to hear about it, for it had been a surprise to them -that he had set aside his profession to take up this new line of work, -for he had been a successful lawyer for so young a man. In another -corner of the room some of the ladies were discussing the fashions, -while still another group had centered around Nellie, Tom’s bride. - -The room was long and this evening the music room doors had been thrown -open on one side and the library opening into it also by large doors -afforded an opportunity for each group to converse without interrupting -the other. Mira had not been noticed when she and Jack Moberly (an old -acquaintance) had passed out on the lawn. He had something to tell her, -he whispered. He was going away nearly two thousand miles. An old uncle -had offered him a position superior to anything he could ever expect if -he stayed in Lake View. He wanted Mira to marry him and go, too. - -[Illustration] - -“I cannot leave you,” he said; and she in her inexperience thought she -couldn’t live without him. They knew her mother would never give her -consent, for she had been heard to say that if a child of hers married -under age she would break the marriage. No one had objected to Jack, but -none had suspected the true state of affairs between him and Mira. She -was so young. - -They joined the rest of the family after a time and the evening passed, -all having enjoyed the music and the singing, as well as the renewing of -old friendships. - -No one imagined that this birthday would be a day to be remembered as -the turning point in more lives than one among them, but it was. - -Libra, the eldest daughter, and her husband had returned to the city. -Scoris and Helen, as well as Tom and Nellie, remained for a few days -longer. The next morning Tom announced that he was going to take Nellie -across the lake, and possibly they would go on farther and see some old -friends, so would not be back until evening. The morning was bright and -the water was as clear as crystal as they passed out from the small lake -through the narrows into the larger body of water, then on to one of the -small islands to the wonderful cave Tom had discovered when a boy. They -had fastened the boat, climbed the steep hill and walked about half a -mile through thickly grown shrubs, trees and brush, and over rocks; -still no cave was in sight. Nellie looked at Tom inquiringly. She could -see a high rock on one side with shrubs growing on its side in places, -but no sign of an opening except almost at the top, but that was fully -ten feet high. - -Pushing aside the brush with one hand and holding the overhanging limb -of a large tree with the other, Tom said: “Now you follow me and I will -show you my old hiding place.” They went down a narrow passage rather -steep in places, but by hanging onto the roots of an old grape vine -managed to keep their footing until they landed on solid rock. They -walked a few feet, when, before them Nellie saw an opening about two and -a half feet wide. Beyond she could see a large chamber, lighted by the -opening she had seen on the outside. Part of the floor was flat and on -one side of the wall it was broken, as if it had been cut out for use at -some time, for it formed a seat and a table, or rather a shelf large -enough to hold the basket of provisions they had brought. Several boxes -were lying about, showing that it had been used at some time before. Tom -selected a box for Nellie, seated himself on the rock, then exclaimed: -“This is the place; what do you think of it?” - -“Think!” she exclaimed; “I haven’t got beyond wondering yet. And it was -here you thought out all the plans for the society?” - -“Yes,” he answered; “after I had lived in the city and seen all the -miseries the poor have to endure—the injustices.” - -“No, no, dear, don’t say it,” she interrupts him. “This is our resting -time, and in such a place we are not going to spoil our holiday by even -thinking of unpleasant things today. So you came here to be quiet and -plan for the future?” - -“Yes, the most important rules were written on that table of stone.” - -“What a lovely memory so many of you have who were born and raised in -the country,” she continued. “How little the city people know about its -resources. Why, this cave would answer for a summer home. I wish it was -earlier in the season. We could bring in branches of trees and cover -them with pine needles for a bed, some bedding, rugs, etc., and what -more could we wish for as a quiet place to rest in?” - -“Your enthusiasm would make up for deficiencies,” Tom answered. “While -you arrange our lunch I will go to a spring for water, so we can make -tea. Do you see the stove over there under that opening where the light -comes from?” - -“I see a pile of stones,” she answered. - -“Oh, you poor, ignorant city girl,” he laughed, “not to recognize the -camper’s most useful kitchen utensil.” - -While her husband was gone for water, Nellie looked around the cave, -feeling the calmness of this God-made Temple. Only the twitter of birds, -and the rustle of falling leaves could be heard. She arranged the table -for their lunch, then waited till he came. Tom made the tea after he had -boiled the water over the twigs he had gathered and burned in the stone -stove. After lunch they strolled on through the woods, gathering -flowers, while Tom showed her all the beauties of the place. Evening -came before they realized it and as they ascended the hill on their -return home after securing the boat, when out from the shadow of the -trees they saw a calf tied to a tree. - -[Illustration] - -“Oh, Tom!” Nellie exclaimed, “look at that poor, helpless creature. It -cannot even lie down. Who tied it like that?” - -“No one,” he replied. “Don’t you see it has wound itself up by twisting -the rope about the tree as it ran around it.” - -“Such a look of resignation,” Nellie said. “It reminds me of the people -in the cities. They, too, are tied by the rope that the trusts and -custom have wound them up with. - -“They suffer and die without knowing how easy it is to—go back—just -like—the calf. Oh!” she cried; “it will run over me. I didn’t know the -rope was so long.” - -“Look out, or he will kick you before I can get hold of the rope. I had -to drive him back the way he came, and I forgot that you didn’t know the -ways of calves,” Tom said hurriedly, as he ran to secure it. She had -moved far enough away to feel safe before she continued in the same -train of thought. - -“It has trampled its food down as it ran around its shelter, besides -amusing itself. Again that is like the majority of city people. The -infants play with rattle boxes, but the grown children with politics and -money. A shelter and food are gambled for until the age limit confronts -them.” - -“There you are, old fellow,” Tom exclaims, not noticing Nellie’s reverie -as he unties the rope. “Now, Nellie, you go on to the house, and tell -them I am coming as hungry as a bear. I’ll give him a drink before he -does the same thing over again.” - -Nellie started and was crossing the orchard when she saw a number of -cows eating apples that had fallen on the ground. She thought of little -children in the city who rarely tasted an apple and could be seen -looking longingly at the street stands. The abundance of fruit -everywhere on this large estate of several hundred acres was amazing to -her, as she compared the need of these things in the cities. “Oh, what -an unnecessary waste,” she thought. “It would have seemed incredible if -I had been told it. Here are cows feeding upon the rarest varieties.” - -“Well,” exclaimed Mira, laughingly, as she appeared around the corner of -an outbuilding, “are you trying to cheat the cows? We have been keeping -dinner until I expect it is spoiled, waiting for you. Mother became -uneasy and sent me to hurry you up.” - -As Tom overtook them he laughed also at seeing the fruit in Nellie’s -arms. After dinner he took her to the cellar and showed her the great -bins of apples without a flaw that were stored for winter, besides all -the vegetables and all kinds of fruit; then they went to the parlor, -where the rest of the family had assembled. - -A low fire burned in the grate to make the room cheerful as it had -turned chilly. - -Scoris, the eldest unmarried sister, was trying to interest Geron’s wife -in the society, but in spite of her own enthusiasm, Grace did not seem -to respond. Just at this time Scoris found it hard to talk on any other -subject for any length of time, it seemed so all-important to her. -Helen, the other sister, and Nellie exchanged glances, both realizing -that there was a prejudice against the society in the home circle they -had not expected. Scoris, with Tom, had been the means of starting the -society, which had grown so fast that Tom had finally sold out his law -partnership so that he could devote his whole time to it. In the city -almost every one responded that they had been able to reach, and here -were their own relatives absolutely indifferent. - -Several times during the evening Nellie would ask questions about the -abundance of things that were thrown away or given to the animals. Geron -finally explained that all those things were of less value to them than -the labor would amount to. “We live so far away from the cities that it -doesn’t pay to ship them. Tom’s idea is the best, evidently, for he -intends to bring the people to the farms where they can secure all the -surplus. You will have your hands full, I can promise you. If I wasn’t -so far away I would advise you to take my place; farming don’t pay any -too well.” - -Tom answered: “You must remember I am not starting a farm, merely using -the land to provide the necessities at first hand. The object of the -society is to secure homes for its members, then food at first cost, -while it aims to give them employment as nearly as possible according to -their talents and the society’s needs. We take the farms to build our -town because it has to be started under new conditions, for we must -compete with the old money system for many years.” - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - -“Tom,” Geron said, after arising and moving around aimlessly, “you are -going to waste your time. The trusts are too strong for any one man to -undertake to down them.” - -Tom, who had been sitting with his chair tipped back, reached out to the -table to balance himself before he answered, then he stood up, -stretching out his arms and yawning, said, “I am not trying to down -them. You remember the story of the lion and the mouse, don’t you, -Geron?” - -“Yes.” - -“Well, for the sake of the case at point, I will liken the masses to the -lion; I will merely pose as the mouse, as it nibbled the cord that let -the lion go free.” - -Just then Mrs. Vivian, who had been looking after the comfort of the -room by poking at the fire in the grate, asked: “What lion are you -talking about, Tom?” This caused all the family to roar with laughter. - -“He is trying to convince Geron that he is as harmless as a mouse,” -Scoris replied. - -The two men left the room laughing, Geron saying that he was going out -to smoke. - -Then Scoris explained it to her mother: “Geron thought that Tom was -trying to break the trusts, and Tom took that way of explanation, for he -is merely showing the people how to live independently of the trusts.” - -“Tom promised to explain to me what you are all doing in the society, -but he has not had time yet,” the mother said. “I wish you would tell me -something about it. Geron says it will fail, he knows it will.” - -“Well, it will not,” Nellie answered, her eyes flashing, as she changed -her seat to get nearer to Mrs. Vivian, “Tom never fails.” - -“No,” Scoris exclaimed, she also resenting Geron’s idea; “and if he did, -some one else would take it up! The people are ready now to free -themselves from the trusts. They have only been waiting for a leader, -and Tom is that man.” - -Nellie had arisen and was standing by Scoris. Helen raised her head, for -she had been absorbed in a new poem, and Nellie’s voice had actually -sounded sharp. - -Geron’s wife looked apologetic. She stood up, then sat down, not knowing -exactly what was expected of her, for it looked for a second as if there -was going to be a family dispute. Mrs. Vivian looked distressed until -Scoris laughingly asked: - -“How much do you know about it, mother?” - -“Not much,” she answered; “only Geron says that each member pays only -one dollar per year for membership, and that no society could be kept up -on such a cheap basis; that Tom intends to build immense hotels and -factories, and he can’t see where the money is coming from to do it -all.” - -“Mother, dear,” Scoris answered, “you only know a very small part of it. -The fee is small so as to reach the very poorest class. They can start -as members on twenty-five cents per week, after the membership fee is -paid, ’tis true, but it is not their money that we value, but their -labor. They can become members by their labor alone. The poorest member -must secure one share each year, which only amounts to twelve dollars. -We have two hundred such members, but we have one hundred that are -securing twelve shares yearly, besides two hundred more that are ranging -from twenty shares each year to many thousands, invested already. -Considering that the society is only one year old that is encouraging. -The society also owns a number of automobiles that we have been using -instead of cars. I am sure that don’t look like failure. We employ a -large number of men to manufacture bricks, and what is more, they did it -by hand labor, the old-fashioned way, using horses to turn the -machinery. The men were those that had been crowded out of employment by -the age limit. Two men, seeing the advantages of the society, advertised -for such men, explained the advantages of the society to them, then -secured the clay land suitable for bricks. The results are that there is -enough to start the first apartment house in the spring. They have also -made artificial stone to beautify the buildings. Another man has been -burning lime stone on his own place. These are the principal building -materials and they are either found already or will be by some member, -for all are contributing either their labor or money to secure the -success of the society. Mother, dear, you cannot imagine how many poor -souls were glad to get the work to do, especially when they knew they -were not expected to work more than six hours each day and that they -were provided with shelter and food besides being able to save for the -future. Some who had always been accustomed to digging and hard work -will dig the foundations in the spring. Now this is the strange thing -about it. The men who gave them the work did not have to pay them one -dollar in money. They were only too glad to secure a permanent home for -at least this winter. Every one of them has scrip and shares in the -society as a result of their summer’s work.” - -“Well, that is a good thing for poor men, but how did the society get -the benefit of those two men’s labor who superintended the work, as well -as using their capital in paying the rent for the brick-clay land, -buying horses, and feeding them as well as the men?” her mother asked. - -“The society bought the bricks from them, exchanging farm produce, and -shares as well as scrip, in payment for two-thirds of their value. The -balance was paid in money; don’t you see?” - -“Where did the society get the money?” - -“Why, it was taken out of the permanent shares. I forgot to tell you -that we issue two kinds of shares. The ones of which all members have to -secure at least one each year are the permanent ones. They are paid to -the society in money or labor, and the money representing them can only -be used for buildings or any kind of permanent wealth. These same men -are going to set the workmen to putting up roughly made buildings on the -farm we have secured, to store ice in for the summer, as well as a house -for themselves to live in. They are not particular where they live, poor -fellows, so long as it is a shelter and that their food is sure, as well -as clothing. These two men I mentioned have secured materials from the -wrecking companies in the city, for the buildings will be only temporary -ones, boarded inside and out, and filled in between with sawdust.” - -While listening to Nellie’s account Mrs. Vivian had been anxious when -Scoris began, but gradually relaxed as the explanation advanced. “How -very simple after all,” she remarked. “It is like a broken stitch in a -stocking. Stitch by stitch we draw the thread in and out until it is -whole again!” But she started up, exclaiming, “Who is going to redeem -the scrip?” - -“Tom is,” Nellie answered. “At present he has charge of all produce, and -the different members are providing for all kind of exchanges.” - -“Well, girls,” their mother said, “don’t think me stupid for not -understanding all about it, but how is Tom to derive an income from what -he sells to the members and redeem the scrip besides?” Scoris and Nellie -exchanged glances to see which would explain. Scoris motioned to Nellie -to proceed, feeling that she knew more about it. - -“Our immediate income,” Nellie answered, “is from what Tom sells to the -members, and we have five hundred members besides their families that -consume food. Tom has been buying it from the farmers at wholesale and -selling at retail. It has been enough to keep us so far, and we take -charge of the first farm next week, so then we will be able to buy to -better advantage and have no rent to pay besides, for the society -provides that by the $1.00 membership fee. You see we have over five -hundred members, and they represent that amount. You know Tom sold out -his law partnership. Well, he has used the money to buy with. Besides -vegetables and fruit, we have charge of the milk which he sells to the -dealers, who allow the members a percentage on all they buy. The members -bought our scrip, then Tom used the money to secure the milk; he then -redeems the scrip as payment for the milk consumed.” - -“Well, I hope it will be a success,” Mrs. Vivian declared, with a sigh. - -“Why, it has already,” both the girls exclaimed together. “No one had -ever imagined that it would succeed so soon. We all hoped it would in a -few years, but it is growing so fast that it is taking nearly all of -Tom’s time just to manage it. That is how I happened to become his -secretary,” Nellie said. - -During the conversation some young people had called, and Mira had shown -them into the library until her mother and sisters had finished their -talk, then joined the rest. Jack Mobray was there and it was hard to -remember afterwards how he and Mira could have had a chance to talk over -their arrangements to leave the old home as they afterwards did, but -when the young are in love they find a way. - -In a few days the two girls had returned to the city. Tom and Nellie to -the farm that the society had secured to start the colony, and, as the -mother had predicted, Mira left her also a few days afterwards, although -she had never thought of her child marrying so young, nor did she -suspect the attachment between them. She did think that Mira might wish -to go to the city. The whole family had become restless as they grew up; -even Geron had hinted that he was tired of living all his life on the -estate. - -Tom and Nellie were settled in the farm house, for though it was in the -fall of the year they had decided to take up their residence then so as -to get ready for the spring building. Materials were being collected so -as to cause no delay. The past year Tom had gone in different directions -from the city looking the country over before this place had been -selected. In this way it gave him an opportunity of locating just the -kind of land needed for the many uses that would be required of it. - -A large lake was on one side with clear, cool water, an abundance of -large trees on its edge, sufficient to make a pleasant place for a -summer resort and yet not interfere with the farm. This lake was not -very far from the farm buildings and was not on the road but partly on -the next farm adjoining, with sufficient, however, on the society’s -property to enable them to control or have the use of it. - -They had not intended to take up the land in the fall, but Tom had seen -the advisability of securing it while it was in the market. The owner -had died suddenly, leaving it to his widow, and she being anxious to go -to the next town to her children who were married, it was arranged that -the rent would not begin until the following spring. The house was not -large or of much account, but it answered the purpose, and the land had -been obtained cheaper on that account. It was the land and fruit that -had first attracted Tom’s attention after he had proved the nature of -the soil. He had secured a lease for ninety-nine years with the -privilege of buying the whole of it at any time at a set price, of -erecting any kind of buildings that the society might deem proper, the -said buildings to belong to the society exclusively. - -They enjoyed their new home, these two enterprising people, because they -liked to know that they were making a start for many hundreds, if not -thousands, of others to live happily and contentedly in years to come. - -There, however, I will leave them for the present and go back to the -beginning of the society before Tom’s marriage. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - -The society met at first in the Vivian parlors, that is, in Tom’s flat, -where Scoris and Helen, his sisters, assisted in entertaining their -friends as well as helping to form the society. On the evenings of the -society the rugs were taken up and all the furniture excepting one table -and the chairs were stored in a smaller room. This was done to save -expense, for it was not a money scheme, remember, and “infants creep -before they walk.” In the same way the society wished to know how to -keep on its feet when it got there. - -The new ways of earning a living were talked over at the meetings held -in the Vivian parlors. - -“Automobiles are one of the first necessities in this society,” a Mr. -Suegran declared one evening, and it caused such a roar of laughter that -it was some time before he was allowed to explain his meaning. No one -had taken him seriously, and when they saw that he was in earnest, they -tried to hide their lack of interest by taking up a less important -subject; and he, feeling rather crushed, let the matter drop. The next -evening he called on the Vivians. Helen was the only one in. He said -that he wished to see Mr. Vivian and would wait till he came in if he -wouldn’t be intruding. Helen assured him that he was welcome and in a -few moments the conversation turned to the usual topic, “The Colony.” - -“You know, Miss Helen,” he said, “I want to talk to your brother about -the subject I mentioned last evening, I am sure that I am right, -automobiles are the greatest necessity the society has at the present -time!” - -“What about capital?” Helen asked. “Automobiles cost more than our -society could afford at the present time.” - -“That is where I don’t agree with you,” he replied, “the society has men -who work in automobile factories. They are willing to give a certain -amount of their time evenings and on holidays to make one to start with, -and we have a young man who has invented a new model that he is willing -to have us use.” As he said this Tom came in and Mr. Suegran repeated -the advantages he had told Helen about, then asked Tom if the society -could supply the money to buy materials? Tom told him no, that according -to the rules that had been made to protect the members’ wealth, the -shares could only be invested in buildings, land, or anything that would -yield an income, or in the implements of labor or in its products. - -“I can tell you what to do, though,” Tom continued. “You bring these -facts before the meeting and I will see that you have a hearing. In the -meantime go to any of the members that you think will help you out, tell -them that I sent you; then you can form a company among you, each paying -for shares representing the amount required, but remember the price of -all materials, labor, and everything concerning the transaction must be -kept on record. If you are successful, then the society will buy it from -you and in all probability will start the men in business who gave their -time. I have no right to risk any wealth intrusted in my keeping by the -members, but they may risk any money they have to spare over and above -what the society exacts, and you may promise them 10 per cent for the -risk and we will pay you that amount on your time as well as your labor, -and you know we pay union wages.” - -At the next meeting the subject of transportation was taken up and the -members were shown the advantages to themselves in owning a system of -traveling that would not necessitate the laying of tracks or limit them -to any one street. Mr. Suegran then proposed his automobile scheme and -asked the members to buy shares. In a few weeks the amount was vouched -for. Mr. Suegran was required to give security as well as to keep an -account of every item of expense. This was done not only to test the -honesty of the men who were manufacturing the machine, but to protect -the management against any unjust suspicion. There was another reason -also and it was an important one. It was taxation. The society expected -to pay all just taxes, but had no intention of paying for inflated -stock. The officer in charge of that meeting explained to the members -that the society was formed to protect its members’ wealth in every -possible way and that in doing so it was necessary to guard the small -items. “We all realize the importance of homes, and the most of you know -that to secure them is not the whole difficulty overcome. We must have a -way of getting to them. Automobiles solve that difficulty, especially -when we own them. Then they can be used as soon as they are ready right -here in the city to take the members to and from their employment. The -society might as well have the benefit of fares and by providing our own -conveyances the members may use the society’s scrip to pay them. For, -remember, the more scrip the society can issue the sooner it can secure -employment for its members. The automobiles once established as means of -transportation will bring about the settlement on the land of those who -would otherwise stay in the city for several years to come. As we cannot -lease any land to build upon until we have enough members to represent -the amount of rent that we will have to pay each year, we may as well -devote ourselves to securing our transportation first.” - -The members who risked their money to perfect the first automobile were -given a good percentage, and they either loaned it again for the same -purpose or withdrew it for some other enterprise. These undertakings -paid a large profit, but were not secured by the society and only those -who could afford to risk losing in case of failure were allowed to -invest. No money was lost, however, and the members who were natural -speculators found in it an opening to increase their money faster than -in shares, “for,” they argued, “we can buy extra shares with the -interest so obtained.” At all times the value of numbers had to be kept -in view, because every member added to the society increased its market. -The society by its numbers secured a market for anything its members had -to sell. The first automobile, being a success, was bought by the -society, as were others made later, and when the land was secured a -factory was built upon it to manufacture them as well as implements of -labor. - -In this way the society gained control of the industry and kept the -wealth so produced in trust for its members. After the factory was built -on the land controlled by the society, the society took charge of it and -paid the workmen the same price as the union paid for the same work. The -advantage gained by living in the Colony decreased their expenses to -such a degree that it was equal to double the amount of money in the -city. Of course all had to agree to accept scrip or shares in payment -for labor, but scrip bought everything, even money, so was just as good -and safer. - -The president was appointed for five years with this proviso: That he -proved himself capable of directing the affairs of the Colony in a -satisfactory manner to at least three-fourths of the members; that he -had the ability to manage so as to ensure the returns from the money or -labor invested that the society guaranteed to its members; that he was -working for the advantage of the largest number instead of a privileged -few; that he was keeping all revenue on record as well as expenditure, -so that the members could at any time have the accounts audited; that -his security was increased as the wealth of the Colony advanced, so that -he could not endanger the members’ shares as so many people have done; -that when the temptation became too strong (from the members’ -indifference or overconfidence) he could not if he would “feather his -own nest” by neglecting the members’ interests. - -Tom Vivian made these rules, not to protect the members against himself, -but all members in all societies that were formed later. He saw the -temptations that inexperienced members left in his hands, and he knew -that riches harden the majority of people’s minds, so he intended to -protect them in every possible way that he could think of. - -A president had to be an honorable member of society, and not addicted -to any habits that would bring disgrace upon said society. He had to be -honest and truthful in his dealings. He had to live in the Colony that -he was overseeing and give his undivided attention to its interests -(except in its beginning when he had to provide for his living as well), -attending to the society’s business transactions, etc. The president had -to be free from all burdens that would interfere with his giving his -whole attention to the society except as stated in the first year or -two, or as long as it took him to place it on a paying basis. - -The president being organizer as well as manager of the society was -allowed a percentage of shares instead of a salary. The members -realizing that he had devoted several years of his time and energy to -the cause, presented them to him when the first farm was secured. He, -realizing that he had to be self-sustaining at first when he took up his -duties on the farm, purchased enough cows to supply the members with -milk and butter. He also bought poultry (particularly hens), as milk and -eggs were always in demand, they helped to secure him an income. He was -also given the benefit of all the garden truck he produced the first two -years, the members being allowed 10 per cent on anything they bought -from the society. He also received a percentage on each member that was -enrolled on the day the society was organized. - -This percentage was one dollar per member, but was not paid in coin but -was allowed him on the purchase of permanent shares. In paying for labor -on his personal account he could sell these shares, excepting the amount -the society compelled him as well as all other members to keep in the -society. - -He could issue scrip with the consent of the members to the amount of -his personal wealth or security. - -The third year the society was able to buy out both the hennery and -dairy, for they were in a position then to give him a percentage of all -its business transactions. Several farms had to be secured at this time -for pasture lands, and a separate place for the hennery. The president -secured a large number of shares by the transaction, but he could not -exact money. His shares secured him a suite of rooms in an apartment -house, then the percentage he received on all the business he managed -for the society secured him a better income. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - -There is a direct law of attraction that very few people recognize. In -the beginning of the society, if Tom Vivian had been told that he would -marry soon, he would have scorned the idea. “I am devoted to the cause -of the people,” he would have told you, “and I have no time to devote to -love affairs,” and yet he was the first to succumb. Nellie Gaylord was a -friend of Scoris Vivian, and when the society was started she took an -active interest in it. It was soon seen that Tom Vivian referred oftener -to Nellie’s opinion than he did to others in cases of importance, until -he believed that she was necessary to the success of the society. That -he was in love no one doubted, and it was a satisfaction to many members -when they were able to say: “Didn’t I tell you so? Oh, you can’t fool -me.” - -Nellie’s life had been a sad one in some respects before she became -identified with the society, then everything changed for the better. She -had some one to love, honor, yes, almost worship, in Tom Vivian. I am -going back in her life, though, to the time when she was earning her -living before she was married. She had been a stenographer and when her -eyesight troubled her she found that she would have to take employment -in something that would require less application. At this time she was -in a factory where she was head forewoman over a large number of girls, -all running power sewing machines, making ladies’ underwear. Her duty -was to inspect the work and see that no one wasted time. She sometimes -regretted that she had to work among a class who never seemed to think -of anything beyond pay-day or “their fellows,” as they expressed it. The -idea of bettering their condition never seemed to enter their mind -unless it was perhaps some day to marry a rich man like some other girl -they had heard of. To marry one day was fully expected, but pay-day -generally outweighed all other considerations. Today, however, she was -thinking of herself as this was her twentieth birthday and it brought up -the sad memories of a time when her mother used to remember it by some -little gift, or her father would arrange to take her to some amusement -in honor of the occasion. Now both had gone from her and she was among a -lot of girls to whom she thought she couldn’t possibly talk of the -things that interested her most. She looked up presently and saw two -girls holding out a silk waist for the admiration of their friends. “I -am thirty-six bust measure and will try it on if you like,” she said, as -they were looking at her after asking who was that measurement. - -“Oh, what a pretty waist; whose is it?” she asked. Their mother’s -birthday present, they told her, which would be next day and the mother -would never suspect they had walked to and from work every day for two -months to save car fare, and had done without fruit or cake for their -lunch, just to be able to make it their own present. “For you see we -give her all we earn and it is all we three have to live upon, and she -makes it spin out someway by earning a little, sewing when she can get -it to do, but she does our sewing and washing and takes care of the -home, so this is something she will prize, and we are so glad we could -get it in time,” they explained. - -“Well, girls, you are lucky to have a mother, and your mother is to be -congratulated for having two such self-denying daughters. I lost my -mother just two years ago and this is my birthday.” One of the girls -took her hand and held it lovingly, while both remarked how nice she -looked in the waist and hoped their mother would look as well. - -[Illustration: Mary Smith, the only support of the family.] - -This little incident, born of sympathy, the touch of the hand, the -kindness to the mother, spoke volumes to Nellie, and she and the sisters -became friends. She had felt alone when she first came into the factory. -When one spends long, weary hours with people who have different ideas, -life is more lonely than if one were in a solitary place. - -She had been considered reserved, or “proud,” as some had called her, -but her quiet, firm manner had been her main recommendation to the head -of the firm. She acquired a great liking for many of the girls, however, -as their little difficulties came under her notice. Their hardships with -poverty, although never called by that name, were borne so bravely. The -insults they endured from girls employed in offices or stores on their -way home at night, the sneers and the drawing of their clothes aside for -the fear of coming in contact was enough to make them feel inferior, -even though they were not. To Nellie this was abominable, for labor is -labor, in the banking house, store or factory, in the home, or anywhere, -and should be respected. - -One day a little cash girl had been hurt by a street car. The newspapers -told how this little child of eleven years was the only member of a -family of four who was earning anything, and all she got was two dollars -a week; how she lived two miles from her work and had to walk each way, -then run from eight in the morning until six at night. - -When one evening while returning home the accident occurred. It was -pitiful to hear her cry after her ankle had been attended to, for the -pain was not the worst part of her trouble. Oh! if she should lose her -employment, what would they do at home? she cried. Baby Bob couldn’t -have his milk. Why, they couldn’t have any food at all. Her anxiety -about the money touched the girls’ sympathy who were taking her home. -They had carried her to the car and were trying to comfort her. - -The girls found an old frame building that had been abandoned as unsafe, -propped up to keep it from falling. There were no lights and voices were -heard asking what had happened. They got her to bed, still in the dark, -and no one offered to help. Through sobs that shook the whole building, -the mother explained that she couldn’t move because of rheumatism. The -father was also too weak to do anything and the baby cried because Mary -and his mother were crying. The girls went home for their mother and a -light and when they returned saw the most pitiful sight they had ever -seen. Four helpless people, and not enough food in the house to satisfy -the hunger of one. - -The Healey girls did not forget little Mary Smith, the cash girl, but -said nothing at the time in the factory. Every few days they went to see -that she was not in need and did all they could for the family. Mrs. -Healey soon drew the story of their wretched life from them, and their -gratitude to her and her daughters was the opening of a friendship that -only those who have gone through such misery can realize its strength. - -John Smith, the father, had been a builder and carpenter, and though he -was a first-class workman and his labor had helped to build some of the -best homes in the city, yet he had only a condemned shell to die in, for -dying he was, from the effects of poverty, sickness and inability to get -work. This last stroke of misfortune, Mary becoming helpless, at least -for a time, was too much for his shattered nerves and two days -afterwards he died. The shock had been so great that both mother and -child were stunned as well as helpless. They had one comfort, he at -least had not been separated from them, which had been his greatest -fear. Many times he had laid on his bed, unable to escape the cold winds -that blew through cracks in the wall or the rain that fell through the -roof. There was no comfort for him unless it was being with his loved -ones and they knew if the authorities discovered his condition, he would -be taken away and possibly they would never see each other again. - -Before coming to this place, the Smiths had been unable to pay their -rent, the husband had been ill for more than a year; so one day feeling -better than usual, had gone for a walk. When he returned, he found all -their possessions on the sidewalk, the door shut against them and -nowhere to go. His wife was away washing. He saw the things they -treasured scattered around at the mercy of any one and was too weak to -gather them up. All he could do was to watch them until some kindly -neighbors came and moved them to this old ramshackle place. - -When Mary came home at night, weary, footsore and worn out, there was no -warm supper to cheer her, not even a shelter, and it was some time -before she found her parents and Bob. Poor little soul, she had been -forgotten in the efforts of getting the household goods under cover -before night. All events till now were dated back to this last -degradation. The mother had become unable to work since then, and now -even Mary was helpless. What would they do? It was a trial an older -person might find hard to bear, but a child of eleven years looked upon -it in desperation. - -“Surely there must be something wrong with our whole social structure,” -Nellie had thought when the girls told her the next day. “What can we do -to help in such cases? Simply nothing. We have all we can do to earn -enough to exist ourselves.” - -Fortunately the city sent help, and as the girls talked it over in the -large work room, it was rather interesting to hear the old wornout ideas -get their quietus as a quiet, pale-faced girl sitting in a corner by -herself remarked, “But this was not a case of drinking or laziness, but -misfortune caused from ignorant management in the affairs of our city -and we may say, in our country itself. Employment should be provided for -all, then such things wouldn’t occur.” - -“Well,” one of the girls said, “we never receive charity and I don’t -believe any one needs to become so poor as to need help from the city.” - -“I don’t see why they shouldn’t,” the pale-faced girl continued, “when -they are the ones who contribute all their labor to provide, not only -for themselves, but their employer besides, and make it possible for the -city to have a fund for that purpose.” - -This caused a general roar of laughter from most of the girls. The bell -rang. Work began and was continued for the rest of the day, but the next -day some one of the girls asked her what she meant, and Nellie, seeing -them a little excited, joined them also. Then she said that Annie, which -was the girl’s name, was right. - -“We are all employed by Mr. Forbes. He pays us so much for our labor or -time. Well, he has to have a large profit, or it wouldn’t pay him to -hire us. Out of our labors, he has to pay rent, support his family and -see that he gets sufficient interest on his capital. All this comes out -of our labor. He merely manages the buying and selling and it does not -end here; his landlord has to have the rent to pay taxes and receive his -living. That is what Annie meant. Who do you think is most dependent, -Mr. Forbes, or us?” - -“Why, we are,” they all exclaimed. - -“No, you are wrong. We could take our sewing machines at home and earn -just as much as we do here, if the market was assured us. He could not -earn single-handed what we earn for him, we three hundred girls, don’t -you see? Now in this case you have been so interested in, that man has -built a large number of homes right here in this city and yet he was -unable to even have the use of one to die in, let alone to live in. -Girls, I belong to a society that some time I would like you to visit. -It would help you to solve some of the problems of life, that no one has -a right in these days to shirk, for it is our industry and every other -working person’s that keeps the machinery running, not only of the -factories, but of the cities.” - -“Then we sent money and provisions to keep that family from starving,” -one of the girls remarked, “even though we did it unconsciously.” - -“Yes, all who work do their share towards paying the taxes and when the -society called ‘The Wealth Producing and Distributing Society’ is -stronger and been in operation twenty or fifty years, we will cease to -have human beings living at the mercy of so-called charitable -institutions, poorhouses, or, worse still, starving to death, as they -are at the present time. There is another thing, girls, that I want to -tell you; whenever you are called ‘factory girls,’ as you are so often -by shop girls, just keep a dignified silence. Your labor is just as -necessary as theirs and if you only considered it a little, you are of -as much importance also. Every intelligent person should honor his own -industry and remember that he is fulfilling his mission in life, and if -all did so, heartaches would cease. Any bright person would do the best -he could under existing circumstances and would even raise conditions -which he considered beneath his dignity to his own level, as you may -learn if you join our society. Respect yourselves and address each other -as you do Mr. Forbes. Learn to appreciate yourselves, your advantages, -and then create new opportunities as your ability points out the way. -All useful employment is honorable, and now is the time to raise labor -to its proper dignity among all honorable people.” - -Many of those girls not only attended the meetings, but joined the -society. Even Mr. Forbes, who owned the business, saw that he could do -better by becoming one of them, so he became a member and eventually -moved out to the Colony. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - -[Illustration] - -Nellie stood looking out of the window one morning early in the spring, -and as she hummed a merry tune and was so bright and happy, she seemed -to reflect the brightness in everything about her. The sunshine smiled -and the very trees breathed contentment. This was her first spring in -the country and the arrangements for the coming colony were bringing -some funny experiences. A large number were there already and each day -more were applying or inquiring about the resources before venturing, -questions would come up and have to be answered until Nellie said she -could fairly sing the answers, for they had told so many the same thing. -She laughed aloud finally and Tom, who was reading, looked up and said, -“What is it?” “Oh, I was thinking of the men who were here yesterday, -and do you know, Tom, most of them had the same helpless expression as -the calf you liberated last fall. Do you remember how helpless and -perplexed it looked? You unwound the cord for the calf, and now you have -some cords to unwind in dealing with these people, for they need their -freedom as much as the calf, but don’t see how to go about it. - -“Ideas and actual demonstrations are necessary to teach most of them. It -seems so simple to us who have studied the situation from every -standpoint, and when one of them asked you how you are going to collect -the rest of the materials for building without money, he looked so wise -in his own conceit and convinced that he had you in a corner, I noticed -he winked at the rest. I had to leave the room, for I knew I would laugh -aloud if you ever tried to show him up in his ignorance. He certainly -did deserve it. Every one of them were from ten to twenty years older -than you are. All had a trade or some means of earning a living, yet had -to appeal to you to explain every working plan separately.” - -Tom replied: “I told them that as members they would not only receive -their wages at the time, but have an interest in the permanent buildings -and improvements. That instead of a capitalist owning the property the -different labors each produced, the society got it and kept it in trust -for those who earned it. - -“It was hard to make them comprehend that it was a Wealth Producing and -a Wealth Distributing Society, giving to all industrious people an -opportunity to secure for themselves the full value of their industry, -and explained that all buildings represent permanent wealth and so did -fruit trees. The trees remaining but the fruit was consumed; that when -we give up the tree, we have no right to the fruit. - -“I further explained that as members of our society they had an interest -in all the wealth created, whether it was fruit trees or buildings; that -fruit would pay for any necessary article or food needed. I tried to -make them see that it was just as good as money to them and represented -a part of their wealth. I succeeded at last in making them see that when -they worked for the society, they received their wages the same as when -they worked for an outsider, with this difference, they still retained -an interest, for the buildings represented the value of their shares in -the society, and that the materials they spoke of were produced in the -same way. I told them we were already making bricks and producing lime -and also had a sand suitable for mortar, which were brought within the -control of the society by the industry and perseverance of individual -members, who over and above actual necessities were leaving all they -produced with the society, for knowing it was safe and that their labor -was as valuable to the society as money it could be entered in the books -to their credit; that we kept an account of their labor as the banks do -of money. Before another year, I told them, we expected to control a -lumber district and saw mill, for all classes were awakening to the -necessity of protecting themselves and their own labor, which is wealth, -and they never could do so under any other system, and all other -exchanges were meeting us half way at least. - -“The wealth each member creates belongs to him or her individually and -by the society’s holding its value would be increased to a greater -extent than if held separately. As the society increased in numbers and -resources the necessity of money would decrease. When I made this -explanation one of the men wanted to know if they did our building what -they were going to do for cash with which to support their families. I -told them they could come out here and live, if they had to pay rent in -the city, for we allowed them to build tent houses to live in during the -summer, or until the permanent brick ones were built, or until they -owned shares enough in the society to entitle them to live in the -apartment we were building. I tried to make them see that the economy -they could practice would be more to them than big pay in the city. A -little inconvenience at first and patience would place them on their -feet in a short time and their homes would be secured with almost no -expense. Being able to buy food where it is grown, cuts down expenses to -a very small amount comparatively. When I told them this, one of them -acknowledged that he could see that they would have less expense, but -that they would still have need of money. ‘You bind us to take all we -earn in scrip or shares for our labor?’ one of them asked of me. -‘Certainly,’ I said, ‘that is the protection of the society.’ But I told -them they could buy money with their scrip. ‘Oh,’ they cried, ‘it is -money that we want.’ ‘All right,’ I said, ‘if we are in need of you, we -will send for you, but I don’t wish to raise your hopes, for we have so -many among our members who want something more substantial than money. -You can’t eat money,’ I continued, ‘but you need a home and clothing.’ I -tried to make them see that our members, according to our rules, come -first, and that the society wanted men and women to create wealth and -those who knew enough to keep it for themselves instead of giving it to -the capitalists. The society was formed for the concentration of the -wealth produced by the industrious and for the purpose of bringing it to -one center; then all can have the comforts of the public buildings, -etc., at less expense than their earnings would eventually secure them a -pension in their old age. I pointed out to them the tent houses and told -them that some of these people own enough shares even now to live in the -first apartment houses that are built, but they intend living as they -are during the summer so that they can save for their temporary shares. -This was a surprise to them all, and one of them said, ‘Well, I would -have enough to keep me for life, if I had not been unfortunate.’ Then he -told us how one day he had lost every dollar. ‘I was taking the money to -the bank,’ he said, ‘and stopped in several places on my way and when I -reached the bank, it was gone. It represented the savings of all my -life. I had just gotten it in one lump, and intended investing it again -in another mortgage. When I found it was gone, I was nearly crazy, I -admit. Now you see I need money, not scrip.’ Then I asked if he was sure -he needed the money most, and told him about the member who had lost his -all last fall. You remember, Nellie, the one who had saved right from -the beginning to the society, the one who preferred scrip to shares, and -only left with us sufficient to secure the right to vote. He liked the -scrip best because it could be drawn out like money and he could always -get money for it. Well, when he was done working for us he obtained -other employment at good pay and saved it. He had so few expenses while -with us he had saved the most of his scrip to buy food direct from the -society and also clothing from our members who could use it in return -for their food stuffs. In this way, he had more than half used up the -scrip. You remember, Nellie, when the treasury bank failed all the money -he had saved was in it and he had lost it. He took all the scrip that -was left and went flying around to different members to get it cashed so -he could pay his rent and have car fare until his salary was due. Well, -he was a nervous sort of a fellow, and by some unlucky chance he lost -it, then came to our secretary like a madman to prevent any one else -from using it. Immediately all members were notified that the scrip of -certain numbers was lost and were forbidden to use it until it was -returned to the owner. It was found, but the money he had in the bank -that he prized so much more, he will never receive. Had he used it to -buy shares in the society, he could never have lost it. I explained to -them that we had no debts or mortgages, and if any one tried to use -scrip that did not belong to them, they could be very easily detected, -and now the man who lost his money goes to the other extreme and changes -all his money into scrip or shares to make sure that it is safe. And it -is safe, for we are represented by thousands already who are -accumulating wealth and bringing it to this center city we are building -and it is to be invested in factories, warehouses, dwellings, etc., -where the earnings of the members can be saved for their own use.” - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - -“The society receives the profit over and above the expenses incurred -for buildings, improvements, street pavements, etc., or any necessary -expenses that are required for the convenience of the colony. Out of all -the profits so obtained, there is still a balance that is used to -increase the standing wealth of the society. Then I told them to look -around and see the buildings in the cities and to realize if they could -how few are owned by those who built them. The society not only secures -to every member a profit on his earnings, but the net earnings of the -society as a whole. When a man plants fruit trees and is paid for his -labor his individual claim is satisfied, but the society owns the fruit -each year, and the same applies to their labor in the building. The -society will exact rent from the builder, if he should occupy the -building until he owns sufficient shares to represent his right to -occupy the house, and the man who plants the fruit trees belonging to -the society will have to pay for the fruit of those same trees, if he -eats it. - -“Then I explained that the society must own everything and govern its -own interests, and when they realized its strength, they were sure to -desire its protection, for each individual is a part of the whole. The -buildings alone are a sufficient guarantee. You have direct returns for -any amount you leave with the society, no matter how large or small, I -told them, and those advantages are not given in any other society. -There is no bank to fail here. I said, ‘My friends, money is not wealth, -for money scatters your wealth in most instances and gives it to others. -You need your labor, which is really your wealth, protected, and that is -what we are doing.’ Then I asked, ‘Do you still want money for your -labor?’ The only one who answered said, ‘I don’t know. You have a good -theory, but—’ - -“At this point, an old member came in to see the treasurer and naturally -the attention of all turned to him, for he had his hands full of scrip -that he wanted to exchange for money. The men listening to the -transaction were amazed at the large amount the roll of scrip -represented. ‘Oh,’ said one of them, ‘then you do use money. I thought -you only used them homemade tickets and that they were no better than -milk tickets.’ ‘Neither are they,’ I said, ‘nor are they any better than -railroad tickets. We use our “tickets,” as you call them, to protect our -interests; the railroads do the same. If every one paid the conductors -the companies would often be robbed (except with five cent fares.) Those -large combinations study economy in every way and so do we. In signing -our agreements to pay for your labor in scrip or shares we do it to -protect the society, but very often we haven’t as much scrip as we have -money, so we do pay a portion in money at such times. Then of course we -know at the present time, you need it for some things that we cannot -supply, so we usually pay you a percentage in coin. We cannot even issue -scrip until we have its worth, either in product or some wealth that -would redeem it. This is where your labor is valuable to us all and -scrip becomes a medium of exchange and is safer than money, for it -cannot be lost as money can, but each year our standing wealth will -increase and of course every season will find us in a position to issue -that much more scrip as well as shares. That is the way millionaires -were produced. It was the labor of the people. They banked their money, -the banks loaned it to the rich and in turn they became millionaires by -speculating with it. We have no right to their wealth now, though, for -we gave it to them. Now we are producing for ourselves and intend to -keep these millions for our own necessities.’ - -“If we didn’t have the land to build upon or produce building materials, -or grow our food, we couldn’t issue scrip as we do now. It is from the -ground that our wealth comes, but labor is required to produce it. After -we had first secured the land we were ready to bring those here who -could work upon it and those who were capable of making good roads. The -Government granted us such a small sum in comparison to what we needed -that of course the real laborers came first. Now we need you builders.” - -“Well, what have they done about it?” Nellie asked. - -“As they realize it is about the only way they can live, now that trusts -and combinations are hedging them in on all sides and strikes are only -bringing them poverty in the long run, the most of them have arranged to -come. Some have actually signed to do portions of the mason work, and I -expect we will be getting the buildings erected immediately.” - -“Did you read those letters, Nellie?” Tom asked. - -“No. What are they about?” she inquired. - -“A number of old people have applied to be taken in the society and -while most of them have enough to pay for the permanent shares entitling -them to live here, many have not enough to pay for their consumable -shares; they are able to do a certain amount of work; but they want the -protection of the society. Others again wish to place their savings in -the society and live where they are with their relatives until the -amount required is decided upon. Of course we cannot tell to a certainty -how much will be needed to keep one person. Their ideas are so varied, -but after they have secured their permanent shares that entitle them to -one room, then we can place to their credit what is left and give them -employment so they can earn sufficient to make up the balance on their -consumable shares. They will have to judge for themselves as to the -amount they will require. This they can do after living here for at -least a year, for in that time they can calculate from what it has cost -them in that time to buy food or other necessities. - -“Here is a very pathetic letter: - -“‘Mr. Vivian. - -“‘Dear Sir:—My wife and I are alone. Our children are dead and now that -we are old, we feel the noises, heat and other discomforts in the city -more every year. The intense cold this last winter has been terrible and -we want to get to the country where we can have the necessary comforts -within our means. We have been investigating your society and want to -join if our means are sufficient to buy the permanent shares that will -give us two rooms. - -“‘We have been trying to get in several places, but in every one we -would be separated. We have only five hundred dollars between us in -cash, but I am still able to work, if you think you can find something -we can do to make up the balance that we will require for our consumable -shares, as you call them. - -“‘If you can help us to be together for the rest of our lives we will be -very thankful to you. Yours truly, - -“‘JOHN G. SMITH.’ - -“Here is a portion his wife has written separately, as a postscript to -his letter: - -“‘I am as able to work as he and if we could have a little garden and be -allowed to keep chickens and a goat, to supply us with milk, we would -not be a burden to any one. - -“‘We both lived in the country in our early life and know how to work -and would be willing to do anything to help, we are so anxious to be -together while we live. - -“‘MARY SMITH.’” - -“Well, Tom, I really think we will have to do something to meet these -cases. I have heard that the usual amount for people over sixty years of -age is about $300 each and is kept up by charitable societies. Of course -this not being a charitable affair, it must be not only self-sustaining, -but self-respecting as well.” - -“Well,” replied Tom, “we could place a certain sum of money as the -lowest amount that we could accept, and in that way we could reach a -large number. The ready money just now would be sufficient to secure -them a home together and would be a benefit to the society. As they are -able to work we will not be running a risk. We will bring it before the -board at our next meeting and hear what they think about it.” - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - -After Scoris and Helen Vivian had returned to the city they were amazed -one morning by a letter from their mother, telling them that Mira and -Jack Moberly had married and left Lake View, having gone to his uncle -somewhere in the far West. Not long afterwards another letter came from -Geron, saying that their mother was terribly grieved about Mira and -asking them if they remembered to what city Jack had said that he was -going, for they had tried in every way to find out something about them. - -Neither of them could remember, so they wrote to their mother in -sympathy, telling her that they would do all they could to find out -about her. Their lives were busy ones, so the time passed quickly. -Scoris was an artist, employed by an illustrating firm, and Helen had a -position in a large department store. They still lived in the flat they -had shared with Tom before his marriage, and were giving all the time -they could spare from their employment to the society in the city. The -winter had passed, Mira had written to her mother, asking forgiveness, -and the depression on her account had ceased, for she had declared that -she was happy. - -“Well,” Helen remarked one evening, as she and her sister were dressing, -“who would have imagined one year ago that we would be benefiting from -the society’s industry as soon as this? Do you know, Scoris Vivian, that -I used to be actually envious of any one who could ride around leisurely -in automobiles?” - -“Well, I think if we are to be ready in time for our ride you had better -finish lacing that shoe,” Scoris replied. “Do you know that it is only -half done?” Helen looked down in surprise, smiled and gave her hair -another twist, puffed it out here and there, secured it with hairpins, -then sat down leisurely and finished tying her shoe. - -Scoris watched her as she started to draw on her gloves. - -“Oh, wait till you fasten my waist,” Helen said, backing up to her. “I -never can do it alone.” - -While Scoris fastened it, Helen said to her: “How quickly you dress. I -don’t see how you do it.” - -“As I am older than you,” Scoris said, “I suppose I have learned a few -things by experience, and one thing I am persistent in, and that is to -have my waists fastened in front so I can be independent of every one -else. But there they come. Four have passed and are lining up farther -down the street. Yes, there is Paul and his sister in a two-seated one. -Don’t take time to look, Helen, just hurry.” - -“Oh! Scoris, please get my veil and gloves while I pin my hat on.” - -“There they are; tie your veil and come. I will let them see that we -know that they are here,” Scoris said, as she goes to the door. - -“Now come along, you will do, Helen dear; we must not keep them -waiting.” - -The girls appeared amid smiles of anticipation, while Paul Arling -assisted them into the automobile. - -As they followed the crowd of automobilists winding in and out of the -streets, then out to the country on their way to the Colony, I will tell -you something about Paul Arling, for he is one of the members and an -interesting one. He first became acquainted with Scoris in the -illustrating firm where they were both employed, and when the society -was first formed in the Vivian parlors she asked him to attend the -meetings. He did so and soon became an interested and enthusiastic -worker. He had supported his widowed mother and young sisters for -several years. Now all were doing for themselves but his mother, and the -interesting thing about him was his devotion to her. It brought out his -sterling worth because he made duty a pleasure to himself as well as to -her. This evening Scoris took her seat beside him while Helen sat in the -one behind with his sister. It was her first automobile trip in company -with a party going to the Colony and she was elated. Presently she -remarked: - -[Illustration] - -“How quickly ideas are taken up.” - -“Yes,” he answered understanding her, “why wouldn’t they be when our -profits and pleasures are combined? These conveyances being owned by the -society, it gets the profit, enriching the members by increasing the -value of their shares. The trusts have been great educators, the more -they have crowded us the quicker we have learned to protect ourselves.” - -“Yes,” Scoris replied, “and it has brought out many a hidden talent just -by giving it an opportunity to unfold. Ideas are like seeds planted in -the ground—they must have a chance to bloom or they are no better than a -weed. No one will know the difference.” - -Helen called from the back: “What are you two moralizing about? I do -believe you two have forgotten how to enjoy yourselves.” - -“Oh, no!” Scoris answered. “I am just learning how to appreciate a new -way.” Mr. Arling smiled at Helen and the conversation became general. - -“Scoris said they had missed the drives around the country so much since -they had been in the city,” Miss Arling remarked in a resigned way. “We -have never known the pleasure before. The street cars have been our -carriages principally. Don’t you think, Paul, that you are going too -fast?” - -“Why, no; all the rest are ahead of us; does it frighten you? We will go -slower if you are uneasy.” - -“Just a little,” she gasped. “I suppose I will get used to the speed in -time. Oh, look at those trees! How beautiful they are,” she exclaimed, -as the machine entered a thickly wooded road. - -“The country is always beautiful in June,” Scoris said, “for its young -leaves are so fresh and bright, and automobiling is so exhilarating; -this is the loveliest ride I have had in years.” - -Mr. Arling looked gratified, and while the veils streamed out behind and -the girls hung on to their hats, they flew on until they reached the -rest of the party and in a short time the Colony also. - -It was a lovely evening during the latter part of June. Tom and Nellie -had moved into a tent for the summer, as the farm house had been needed -for an office. - -Their city acquaintances were very curious to see everything and were -surprised at the comforts to be had under the circumstances. - -The apartment houses were only partly built and some of the factories -were actually running, so it was a small town of tents and makeshifts -until their permanent homes were ready. - -[Illustration] - -All were glad to see their friends. They were to form a boating party, -and before starting to the lake, Paul Arling said to Tom Vivian: “I want -to secure four more shares for my mother. You see, we came out here on -business as well as pleasure. I want permanent shares and I came direct -to you, for I want them to secure the five-year interest, for in that -time I hope to have secured her pension as well as her apartments, so -that she may feel safe for life. It is better than an insurance policy, -for nothing can be lost here, and in case of my death she is not -competent to invest money left in that way. Besides, if I survive her, -which I will in all probability, I will have the benefit of the -permanent shares. There is a young millionaire in our crowd to-night, -did you know, Vivian? He seems to be interested in some of the ventures -that have been taken in starting the factories. I don’t suppose he will -invest in them. He never earned a dollar in his life, knows nothing -about the distress of the struggling classes, just has some friends who -are members; that is how he happened to come. He wanted to know why we -started before we had more capital. I told him five hundred members now -constituted a market, for all farm produce to commence with, made the -transaction a good and sufficient reason for securing a farm. A second -reason, that being near the city the president secured work for the -unemployed. The society having secured transportation by manufacturing -enough automobiles during the first summer that the society was forming -to take the toilers to the land independent of the railroads, was the -means of starting enough laborers to grow the food and dig the -foundations of the buildings. Many people said at the time, ‘But how can -you find enough land near the city to make it pay?’ he asked. - -“‘Our owning automobiles solved that difficulty,’ I told him, ‘as long -as we had land to build upon and raise garden truck the first few years. -We only secured as much land as we could pay rent for by the membership -fee.’ There he is now, he evidently knows Birch, for they have -recognized each other.” - -Yes, he knew him, for at one time he and Birch were rivals. As they -looked at each other, he exclaimed: - -“Why, what are you doing here?” - -“I am living here,” replied Birch. - -“What!” he said, in surprise, “living in this slow place where there is -nothing to be seen, and you a graduate of the first college in the -country? Well, if I had passed with the honors that you did, I would -have been in some city practicing law. We all thought you intended to.” - -“No, sir,” Birch replied, “no profession for me in these days. I want -freedom. Hundreds of our fellows are scattered among our cities with -their shingles out to practice on the helpless sick, so I am doing what -I can for others who are not even as fortunate, by giving them something -to do in my restaurant. I have two learning to cook. You see they want a -good living and know they will be as much respected as cooks as -poverty-stricken doctors and lawyers who fill up the offices in the -down-town buildings. This society, you know, honors all labor, and the -higher the education the better the prospects will be, for those who are -on the spot to take what comes.” - -“But I don’t see how you can ever become rich.” - -Young Birch answers, “To become rich in these days is to usually become -a gigantic swindler or pirate. I don’t care to be either. I want to be a -self-respecting man and expect to be honored as a man of the best class, -not necessarily rich. I do intend to be a man of means and prosperous. -This society protects the people of small means and those who have -talent. But here is my wife, you know her.” - -Yes, he knew her for she had been the one in all the world to him, only -two years before, but young Birch had been preferred to him; he had -never known why. Most girls are foolish, he had thought, and now he knew -it. - -The whole party filled the boats and were enjoying the fun, singing and -telling funny stories; in one boat, some were making love and the others -having a good time watching them. Then one boat would get away from the -others and some would start singing, another would answer, and all the -boats would take it up until it was time to start for the shore. When -they returned to the tents the city friends were deeply interested in -the supper when they learned it had been cooked by college men. - -“You see we have our meals here,” Tom explained, “and the one dining -room answers for all. Mr. and Mrs. Birch have charge of this building -and they attend to all the tables and cooking.” - -Mrs. Birch remarked, “Yes, we even did the work until there were enough -to cook for to enable us to pay for having it done, and I am proud of my -accomplishments in that line, I can assure you.” - -“You may be sure we all appreciate your talent not only in that line, -but in many others besides,” said Tom gallantly. - -Mr. Birch had ordered the supper to be ready and all sat down to do -justice to the luscious strawberries and good rich cream, hot biscuits -and other delicacies of the farm. Then all the city guests said “good -night” and went back, spinning along in their automobiles and enjoying -the cool air while they talked over the possibilities of the Colony and -their interest in it. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - -There is nothing that gives a better opportunity for friendship than for -people to be thrown together in some interesting work or undertaking. - -A great deal has been written about love affairs that were started on -board ship but the society had broken the record, for it, unlike the -short passage on the ocean, had been continuous. The men and women have -had an opportunity to learn more about each other. It raised the -standard in each sex. Each became independent of the other financially, -therefore real love matches were the result. Men’s responsibility were -being shared by their wives, and they were not so afraid to venture on -the matrimonial journey. One thing, they are not so likely to step into -it without preparation. Paul Arling was becoming fond of Scoris Vivian, -but he felt that he had no right to neglect his mother’s interests even -for her. She was young, while his mother was too old to support herself. -He knew that Scoris had many admirers and yet he thought to himself, -“she certainly favors me. I wonder if it is because she sees more of me -than the rest. I would like to know, but I have no right to ask her -until I know that mother is provided for. And yet, the society has made -it possible to so centralize our interests that the risk is not what it -would have been without it. She wouldn’t be an added burden, for she has -more shares than I have. What a blessing is rightly directed industry, -combined with economy! We don’t have to wait until we can fit up an -establishment. But here I am taking it for granted that she loves me and -that she would have me. Ah! well, longings and wishes sometimes blind -our vision. It may be purely imagination on my part, but the expression -of her eyes rest on me so differently from any other. I have watched her -closely, I am sure she cares for me. She thrills me through and through -if she but smiles upon me; and she does not smile in the same way at any -one else. Surely it is so. I would like to call upon her to-night, but I -have no excuse,” he still muses. But love always finds a way, and in -looking around for it, his mother appeared dressed for the street. - -“Where are you going?” he asked. - -“Oh, just for a walk, not anywhere in particular. Won’t you come along?” - -“Which way?” he asked, as they stand at the door, apparently uncertain. - -“I usually go to the lake,” she answered. “The air is so clear and fresh -there and I like to watch the water rolling and see the people. I go -there often.” - -“Very well,” he replied, and they start in that direction, he turning -over the thought uppermost in his mind all the time. “You go to the lake -often do you?” - -“Yes, quite often. Why, do you want to go anywhere else?” (She had -noticed his abstracted air.) “It is immaterial to me; I am so glad to -have you take a walk with me I will go anywhere.” - -“Oh! that is not quite fair,” he answered, smiling. “You always have the -girls to go with you, so I don’t like to intrude.” - -“Lucky thought,”—he said to himself. “That new building near the -Vivians’ flat, with the figures on it that were drawn by a member of our -society, I will take her to see it. You know Will Green, the architect,” -he continued. “Well, if you don’t mind I would like you to see a -building he has been erecting. It is around on another street. We will -turn here. Clever fellow, clever fellow,” he said absently. His mother -looked at him sideways, wondering what he meant. He slipped his arm -under her’s while they crossed the street. Presently she said: “There is -no hurry, is there?” for he had quickened his pace like a horse on the -home stretch, not quite running, but faster than she was accustomed to -walking. - -“Oh, no,” he answered as he slackened suddenly, “I didn’t know I was -going so fast.” Some middle-aged women learn to be diplomatic, though it -is not usual. She knew that this walk was not taken on her account, but -she was not going to spoil it by letting him see that she knew it. They -stopped at the building he had spoken of. He pointed out the stone -carving he had brought her to see, all in a mechanical way. Then they -walked along a little farther, when he in the most surprised way, that -even his mother did not detect at first, said: “Why, here is where the -Vivians live! Let’s make a call.” At that moment Scoris appeared at the -window, and thinking that they were coming for that purpose smiled and -came to the door. The intimacy between the two families became closer as -time passed, for there was always something to bring them together. - -Scoris would wonder sometimes if Paul really did care for her. He would -seem so interested in her, take such pains to bring his family and hers -together and his eyes had often spoken more than words, yet he was -silent. She would like to have known. “But after all,” she said to her -self, “we are not in a position to marry if he did care for me.” - -Two years passed and she had so many cares to occupy her mind that she -was satisfied to let things remain as they were. She had secured a -number of shares in the society, saying to herself, “marriage is not the -only aim in life, and I will devote myself to art. I am weary of seeing -my creations used for advertisements—of working for a firm that looks -upon me as a part of its machinery. If our society was older -advertisements wouldn’t be needed. What will you do then?” she asks -herself. “Why, why,” she hesitates, then thinks again, “what will I do?” -The answer didn’t come right away. She returned to it many times. Once -she thought, “I will have enough saved to keep me before then. I can -live in the Colony where the necessities of life are of more consequence -to all than luxuries, and I can do without many things I like. Why, I do -now. First my drawings and paintings are used to attract trade. The firm -gets the credit for them, and about ten times more than I receive for -them. Do I like that? It has greater expenses I am aware, but not ten -times the amount. I work six days out of the week from 8 a. m. to 5 p. -m., with about two weeks’ holidays once a year, and then I have to lose -my time. If my eyesight fails in middle life, the age limit will pounce -upon me with the lash of necessity. I certainly do not like the -prospect. Marry the millionaire that Libra has taken so much trouble to -persuade you to. - -“Marry? No, if I ever marry, it will be for love and companionship. He -is a nice fellow, his money would help to carry out the very things I am -working for! I like him and he is fond of me. If I had never seen Paul I -would have learned to love him. He and others who are wealthy have -proved to me that human nature is the same whether rich or poor. Both -kinds of people can be selfish and they average the same in generosity, -both he and Libra’s husband are generous. Lear is a rich man and Libra -is happy with him, why couldn’t I? Because,” she answers the one-sided -debate, “we wouldn’t be companionable and because he knows nothing about -the poverty in our midst. He would expect me to out-rival other women -and display his wealth while I would know that little children were -hungry and the aged were cold and homeless. Every time I took up the -daily newspaper and saw the accounts of suicides and all the rest of the -misery caused by money being drawn into the hands of the few, I would -have to say to myself ‘coward!’ No, I will not marry him. I never -encouraged him. He would never have asked me but for Libra. I can hear -him say it yet, in answer to an argument brought up about the working -classes, ‘No one can reach them all, so what is the use of our trying to -do an impossible thing?’ ‘No one person can change any condition in -which all the people are involved, but if each one does his or her -share, individually, it can be done,’ I told him, ‘and I will not desert -the cause.’” - -Scoris had been alone all evening, and as she loosened her hair and let -it fall around her shoulders, she arrived at this mental conclusion; -then she heard Helen unlock the front door and come in to their parlor. - -“I thought you had gone to bed, you were so quiet,” Helen said. - -“Did you enjoy the play?” Scoris asked, as she fastened her loose gown -and slipped on her soft shoes. - -“Very much,” Helen answered. “Libra and Lear would have come in if they -had known you were up.” - -“I am glad they did not,” Scoris said. “You know what Libra is after, -and I have made up my mind that I will never marry.” - -[Illustration] - -Scoris had been alone all evening and as she loosened her hair and let -it fall around her shoulders she arrived at this mental conclusion. - -“Never?” Helen asked in a quizzical way. “There are other men besides -the millionaire.” - -“Yes, dear, I know,” Scoris answered, “but some of them, like me, don’t -wish to marry.” - -“I have not seen you since morning,” Helen said after a while. “Well, I -have been promoted.” - -Her duties were in a basement of the store where she was employed and -she had discovered that her eyesight was becoming defective. She was -told that it was from the glare of the electric light and that she would -have to wear glasses after two or three years there. “You cannot tell -the colors accurately without them,” the oculist had said. - -It was bad enough to have to work in a basement, day by day from one -year’s end to another, without having to impair her eyesight. Glasses -were her horror, but she must work, and at last she applied to the head -manager to give her something where she could work by daylight for at -least a part of the day, and was sent up to the dress department. - -“You see, Scoris,” she explained, “after my capabilities had been -inquired into as a saleswomen, then I had to be looked over for all the -world as if I was a horse for sale. I passed on the strength of my -figure, height and ladylike appearance. The humiliating ordeal was -trying, but I won’t have to wear those glasses, thank goodness, and, do -you know, Scoris, my salary will be raised. But I have to get a new -tailor-made gown with a train, made in the latest style, so as to make -the best appearance. - -“Well,” Scoris remarked, “it is very nice to be dressed well and I am -pleased you are going to be out of that basement. I felt uneasy about -your eyes. I have seen so many people who had to give up work altogether -on account of the long hours under the electric light. Especially when -their work is steady all day, as yours has been. Now, my work is more -trying to the eyes than yours, and if I had to use electric light it -would blind me, even with my shorter hours.” - -The next evening Helen came home in her new dress, walking rather -slowly, paying more attention to the holding up of her skirt than to her -surroundings. She walked past her own door before she noticed it. Scoris -meeting her, she exclaimed: - -“Do you know this dress has cost me so much that it will take me over -two months to pay for it, and when the weekly amount is taken out of my -salary I won’t have as much as I did in the basement? No wonder they pay -more for this kind of work, or agree to, for in reality, they don’t pay -as much, as we have to get new gowns every three months so as to be in -style.” - -“Never mind,” said Scoris, “it won’t last many years, for the society is -gradually gathering in all the industries. Then we will only have to -work about half the time that we do now and have more holidays, and -rest. I have just been reading the society’s paper for this month. -Listen and see what you think of this. - -“‘Mrs. Thorn and our president have just completed the transferring of -the property to the society. We know all our members will be pleased to -learn that we now own the land our principal buildings are on, as well -as the buildings themselves. I also wish to draw attention to the -increase of the society’s wealth in being able to secure this land in -such a short time since we began our society. It proves the theory of -concentrated effort as well as the combined industry of us all. Our old -obligations to Mrs. Thorn are the same as to any other member. She now -owns sufficient shares in the permanent wealth to entitle her to a -three-room apartment. These shares are in the names of her three -children, giving her a life interest in said shares. Besides, she -receives a pension during her life. This places her in a better position -than when she only received the rent, securing for her a better home -than she had before. Her apartments have a hot water bath and other -conveniences and are heated; then, like all the other tenants, she has -the use of the dining room and kitchen, public parlor, etc., in fact, it -makes her independent for life and secures to her two married daughters -as well as to her son a home during their lives, after her death, of at -least one room each, they having become members so as to entitle them to -that privilege. Our business transactions have been very satisfactory -with her and we take great pleasure in recommending her for the title we -are about to confer on all honorable members, and this is the first -publication of her name. The society is about to confer the title of -“The Honorable” to Mrs. Thorn’s name, if there are no just reasons why -such title should not be given. This notice will be published in regard -to her and the other members, for three months, and the list will be -found on the second page of this paper. - -“‘All members who have proven themselves to be honest and trustworthy in -their lives and an honor to our cause during the past two years are -eligible. Their past life up to two years ago we do not hold against -them, as we believe this society enables all to live honestly. If, -however, it is proved that any who have applied for the honors we wish -to confer upon them are unworthy, or if they in any way break the law of -the country, they cannot receive these titles until they have reformed. -Again, no person in our society can retain any title if at any time -proven unworthy. These titles cannot be transferred to any other person, -nor are they hereditary, nor can a husband confer a title upon his wife. -A wife cannot give this title to her husband. They are issued to our -honorable members to give them prominence over the idle and the -undeserving, also to show our respect for all labor. We believe that in -this way the generations of the future may become equal. We know they -are not at the present day. We are treating facts as we find them and -intend doing our duty by honoring the best among us by titles. Those who -do not come up to the standard we do not condemn, but silently ignore in -all business transactions where they could get the best of us or -disgrace us. They are not allowed to hold office nor to help make the -laws or to sit in the Council of this society. Therefore, the title -gives to the society a dignity that is required in the present time on -account of the dishonesty that prevails among all classes. We are sure -that all honest people will appreciate these titles, for by them they -will be known.’ - -“Quite an article, don’t you think so?” - -“Why, yes, indeed, but it will be years before we can use them; that is, -you and I. We would be ridiculed in the store or illustrating house -where you are. Just think, if it were known that you are ‘The Honorable’ -Scoris Vivian, for now you are considered only a good servant by the -firm, and nothing more.” - -“Oh, yes, of course,” Scoris replied, “still it is a good deal in our -private life to be held worthy of the honor. It will always give us a -standing among the best class of people, and to be known as an honorable -person is a protection for us in that class. Holding a title will show -where we belong socially, no matter what our employment may be. In the -present time, if we do certain kinds of work, we lose caste, because -labor is not honored as it should be. See the position I am -in—illustrating for a firm that gets the benefit of my talent and -ability. I have no opportunity of enjoying the triumphs; all is the work -of the firm and they can be depended upon—the public says. ‘According to -the opinions of the money class this is as it should be. This woman is -only too glad to find employment. We who have money have a right to -dictate.’ I think differently. It is mine and I should have the benefit -of my own creations and industry, and it is hard to bear when some rare -illustration has been used for common advertising.” - -“Yes, Scoris, I know it is harder for you than my position is for me, -but I would sooner do anything else. When I mentioned the fact to Libra -she begged me not to do so or it would disgrace her if it became known -among her set. I hate to be on my feet all day, bowing and saying polite -things to the people I serve in that store, and then to think I only -receive a bare living. I know I have talent and it makes me almost -despise myself to be subjected to it.” - -“Patience, Helen dear, the times are changing and you are doing your -share. That article you wrote last week was a rousing good one and I -have been complimented on having such a clever sister who was capable of -expressing herself so fearlessly in the cause of right. Keep up your -writings until you are better known and sufficient returns come in to -justify you in making it your life’s work. You are not the first or the -last to be placed in an unpleasant position.” - -“And just think, Scoris, so many have asked me how I ever got such a -nice position. Oh, well, every one to their taste.” - -“Here is a letter from Nellie,” Scoris said, “and she and Tom are coming -to make us a visit.” - -“I don’t suppose we will see very much of them for already the different -members are arranging to entertain them. Tom will change places for two -weeks with the city manager and will be very busy. I am glad they are -coming,” Helen replied. - -One morning Scoris received a letter from her mother, saying that Geron -had mortgaged his portion of the estate and that Lear Shuman had secured -him a position in the city at such a good salary that they were all -going to move in a few months. The girls had heard about his -dissatisfaction and were not surprised at the news, but regretted it, -for they knew that it was a mistake. “One comfort we will have out of -it: mother will live with us,” Helen remarked. - -“Yes,” Scoris said, “it will be nice for us, but hard for her, after -living all her life in the freedom of the open country, away from smoke -and dust. Think of Geron investing the money he received on the mortgage -in stocks. The uncertainty of it and that Lear advised it. That is the -outcome of that visit Geron and Grace paid them a year ago. The salary -Geron is to receive seems large to him now, but how little he knows -about the destruction of clothing and household goods with the constant -dust. I am afraid they will regret it.” - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - -In another week Tom and Nellie arrived in the city on a visit and were -astonished at their reception. They had intended seeing their old -friends and enjoying a quiet time, but instead were rushed from one -place to another and were constantly told that “of course you must see -so-and-so, for they are such good workers in the cause, don’t you know, -and will be encouraged if you will only see them.” - -They went everywhere and enjoyed the occasion, being pleased that they -were so well received. - -“But, Tom,” Nellie said one morning, “we must see more of Scoris. I am -getting impatient to see the effect those presents will have upon her -and the surprise they will be. Do you know, Tom, what Scoris Vivian is -like? A beautiful diamond—a continual surprise; the setting is so -simple, so unobtrusive, but the gem is always seen. To me her life is -one continual sparkling ray of love that is never hidden. Just think of -it! Here we have been feted and given receptions by members who were so -glad to honor us for what you have done, and she had as much to do with -this movement in the beginning as you had and a great deal more than I, -yet no one seems to realize it. We are receiving all the presents from -the manufacturers, and I am glad I found out her taste in regard to -dress. Now we can give her her choice, for she certainly deserves the -best. I never was dressed so well before and it helps the cause that -much more. I am glad it pays them to send them to us.” - -“Pays them!” laughed Tom. “Well, I should think it did. Do you know how -many cases our members have already taken from that firm that was the -first to send these samples?” - -“No; how many?” - -“I forget the exact figure, but it was more than any of the old firms -they have been dealing with, I was told, and we are only in our infancy -as a society. It has paid them well to become members and will start -others to do so, for of course we secure them a market in a way that -helps the society and makes them no expense for advertising and the -returns are large. It will be only a matter of time when they will -manufacture under the name of the society.” - -“So you have gotten away from them all at last!” exclaimed Scoris, as -she met them at the door the next evening. “We were afraid they were -going to monopolize you during the whole visit, you are so popular. I -have felt so gratified. And your beautiful gowns! Why, Nellie, you are -bewitching! Come, now, stand up for inspection. That dress is lovely and -fits like a glove. From your hat to your shoes all is perfection. I am -going out to that colony, for I see you have a fairy godmother out -there. Why, my dear, you look like a girl of sixteen.” - -Tom drew the two women to him who had been so much to him, while all -laughed at the demonstration of affection. - -“A bright group worthy of a larger audience,” said Helen, as she breaks -in on their meeting. - -“But the fine clothes,” said Scoris. - -Nellie laughed and struck an attitude that the girls might see all the -beauty of the costume, while all were convulsed with laughter at the -faces she made. - -“Has that colony struck a gold mine?” Helen asked, “or from whence -cometh all this grandeur?” - -“Yes and no,” continued Tom. “We have struck a mine of wealth and it -produces gold when that metal is desired. So it amounts to the same -thing and it is the greatest mine on earth, too, for it is producing -what gold cannot buy, and that is the kindly interest and affection of -our members. We all stand by each other.” - -“We have something here for you, Scoris, so you can take your choice. -You come first then. Helen, then we will send the rest to other workers -in the cause. We want you to help us select and sort them.” - -“Why, Nellie,” said Scoris, “these are beautiful. I never had anything -like this silk, and when can I wear it?” - -“The occasion will be marked by well dressed members of the Colony,” Tom -said, “and it is just as it should be. Our coronation days should be so -distinguished by well dressed people that they will always be remembered -and the picture will make a decided impression upon the minds of every -one.” - -“Oh,” exclaimed Scoris, “here is something I have wanted for years. It -is so light, cool and beautiful, these dainty lawns, these woolens, -silks and cloths. Why, they will last me for years. Everything I need is -here in the way of clothing.” - -Helen was given her choice, then amid the exclamations of joy and -satisfaction of being the first to appear in all these samples sent out -from the manufacturers, the conversation soon turned to the discussion -of dress-makers. They abounded in the Colony, but the one who made -Nellie’s dresses was preferred. It was apparent that her style was -superior and the work of the best. - -“Now, girls, all you have to do is to look lovely as becomes a thriving -and wealthy community. These presents make it possible, and remember you -are producing wealth and should be making use of the best of everything. -In this exchanging of interests and materials we must make a good -appearance. We owe it to ourselves as leaders and it will have a great -effect on the people at large.” - -“Nothing succeeds like success,” continued Tom. “The appearance of it -stimulates the ones who are afraid to venture. A nicely dressed person -always lives in our memory.” - -The girls laughed. - -“Well, if you don’t believe this, try the effect of walking down the -dreary, dirty streets in any of our large cities and see if it doesn’t -have a depressing effect. Then cross over to the ones that are bright -with all that prosperity gives to enhance the general appearance of both -the houses and the people and see if the memory of the latter will not -be stimulating in comparison, especially when you have it in your power -to improve your own surroundings, as this society gives you. The main -thing is to fix your aim high. To build a grand house it is necessary to -dig and make lots of dirt in laying the foundation and so it has been in -achieving the end we had in view, but when we meet together to enjoy the -well-earned recreation, we must see to it that our bodies are properly -clothed, for they will show the amount of our ability and will prove how -much we know of the power of concentration, or the law of attraction. No -one should be ignorant of these things.” - -“Well, Tom, I believe you have studied human nature from every -standpoint,” said Scoris. “I will certainly profit by all these lovely -things, for I was beginning to be ashamed to go out anywhere. I have -saved so much of my salary to secure shares that I have hated to spend -anything for clothes, but I believe you are right. My whole life is -before me, and I may as well enjoy it.” - -A day or two later, when Tom and Nellie found themselves in their home -again, Tom said, “We have had a pleasant time and I thoroughly enjoyed -it, but I am glad to get home again. These apartments we are using this -year are so superior to anything we ever had in the city. Fresh air is -certainly a luxury, and an atmosphere free from dust is another.” - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - -At this time the society was in its sixth year and many changes had -taken place. Tom Vivian had proved to the most skeptical that wealth -producing and distributing among the members was the only just way of -doing business. He and Nellie were talking it over one day when he -exclaimed quite abruptly: - -[Illustration] - -“Nellie, I have just found out that our sister Mira has signed away her -legacy that she should receive now on her twenty-first birthday. She -signed it away two years ago. I wish we could find out where she is, for -mother is grieving herself to death, it is so long since we have had any -word from her. I find Geron is sorry that he ever mortgaged his place. -He seems to be very blue, and that may be partly the reason mother is -looking so worried. We must cheer her up when she comes.” - -“I will do my best, Tom dear. I think the sight of the children will do -her good, they are so bright and happy. Everything is systematized here -and our apartments are so cheery and bright that I feel sure she will -enjoy her visit.” - -Mrs. Vivian came the next day and Tom and Nellie showed her all the -improvements made since her last visit. She seemed most interested in -the children’s department, but thought the idea of having them in a -public nursery might be all right as long as the parents were in -constant communication. “But I cannot see that it is best to separate -them.” - -“But, mother, we are not separated. We can have them here as we like, -only the advantage to them is greater.” - -Next day Mrs. Vivian took her place in the nursery and was there long -enough to be convinced that this kind of place was the best on earth for -children. The top floor was the infants’ department from a month old to -the age when they could walk. Every contrivance to teach the oldest ones -to use their feet and at the same time protect their bodies was here to -aid them until they were strong enough to stand on their feet. Swinging -chairs and frames to push around in learning to walk were placed around -on the bare floors, which were white and clean. In another apartment -were little cots in a row and an arrangement (if one became restless) -was attached to each cot so that it could be rolled out into another -room. - -The nurses had eighteen hours for themselves in their own homes and six -in the nursery. These short hours made them much more patient than -mothers who have usually from two to six children to take care of, -besides cooking and taking what time they can get to rest at night. - -Telephones were in all the buildings and the night watchmen in the -apartments were kept at close range so that the parents might be called -at any time. - -The next floor was where the older children live. These from the time -they were old enough to learn are placed in the kindergarten three hours -daily. The rest of the time is spent in resting and amusing themselves. -Another grade, still older, are taught to be useful for a short time -each day, to form industrious habits. Then they amused themselves the -rest of the time and were under the watchful eye of the nurses and -teachers. - -In the evening Mrs. Vivian was ready to tell of her experience. - -“Well, I am surprised,” she said. “I never thought of having children -all in one place and special people to take care of them. Certainly the -children are the better for the good system it necessitates. I was -impressed with the graceful bearing of the girls and the manliness of -the boys. All speak to each other in such a polite, kindly way. When you -consider that some are born of parents who are ignorant of the -refinements of social life, it is surprising. At the table particularly -they handled their knives, forks and spoons as if bred and born in a -social atmosphere of ease and refinement. I must say, Tom, that I don’t -understand this. I have always supposed that children born of parents -who only understood work could not be taught these things but would show -their breeding at least for three generations.” - -“Well, mother, you are right to a degree, for the breeding of human -beings has been so terribly neglected that it requires the constant -attention of our nurses to watch and guide these unformed minds in the -principles of right living and thinking. The latter is the most -important, of course, for thought precedes action; every means is -employed to direct their thoughts into the right channels. We employ a -number of artists to guide the first impressions of these young minds. -Every picture on the wall teaches some lesson, and the reward of loving -deeds must be taught by those in charge. The nurses must be in good -health, patient and bright, for the future of these children demands it. -In the beginning of this colony we carefully selected women who were not -only educated, but adapted to teaching, guiding and nursing. We realize -that the early life of children is the most important, for the -impressions gained then and the habits formed are hard to change. We -don’t allow any harsh dealings with them, though determination is -absolutely necessary.” - -The next day Mrs. Vivian reported her experience. “Well,” she said, “the -more I see of the simple arrangements the more perfect the system seems -to me. I only saw the long tables yesterday, where all sat up as -straight as soldiers, with their napkins spread over their laps, instead -of being tucked into the necks of their waists, but today I discovered -there are grades, and the newcomers are placed at a table behind a -screen until the nurses see how they behave. Those who have been there a -long time are not allowed to see the little strangers until they are -taught to behave properly. A roar and a scream of laughter was heard -from some new children. As I glanced their way I saw a teaspoonful of -milk thrown with good aim in the face of one of them by a culprit who -looked as innocent as if he couldn’t do such a thing. Only the twinkle -in the eye that the children could see gave evidence of the guilty one. -Bits from the table were scattered upon the floor and one was holding -her plate with both hands, actually licking it. Presently, one after the -other jumped down and seeing one left, ran around and drew her chair -from in under her. Down she came, spilling her milk all over her -clothes. All were laughing and choking with their mouths full and began -running around the building. Still not one word was said to them. The -other children, at a signal from the lady principal, stepped down from -their chairs, waited in line until told to move, which they did as -orderly as soldiers on parade, and passed from the room. - -“The small table and the polished floor were left in the same disorder -until all the rest of the dining room was straightened and the children -out of sight. Then the little strangers were called in and told to pick -up everything and remove the cloth. They immediately resented the -authority, so the nurse told the one she had noticed licking her plate -that when little girls didn’t obey orders they were not allowed to have -any more preserves and that all their cake was taken and given to the -good children. It had the desired effect and she gave in, seeing which -the others did also. The worst boy was only a daring, bold, fun-loving -urchin who had never been taught his own rights, much less those of -others, so the nurse said, ‘Come, let us hurry or we will miss all the -fun they are having outdoors.’ She showed them how, and they laughed at -the mistakes made, but they did their best, just the same. The floor had -to be swept and they were amused at the unusual play, as they considered -it, for the nurse kept them laughing until all was done. When they were -through they found all the other children had gone and were told they -could put on their flannel suits and wade in the pond and throw all the -water they liked on each other so long as it did not hurt them. They -still looked longingly around to see where the rest of the children -were. The nurse told them they would always have to play by themselves -until they had learned to be tidy. They saw the rest having a good time, -while they were like chickens in a coop, thrusting their little, chubby -hands through the wire fence, trying to get out, with wistful glances -turned to the nurse in charge. She played horse to amuse them, still -they realized that they were not having the same privileges that the -rest were, and it had the desired effect. A lesson in obedience had been -taught; they had learned that even fun in the wrong place and at the -wrong time was a mistake. If they bring those children under the same -discipline that the rest are I will give them more credit than any one I -ever knew.” - -[Illustration] - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - -Both Tom and Nellie explained to their mother everything they could. - -Nellie told her that only those who are born under certain zodiacal -signs were capable of teaching children and have the natural patience -necessary. “We have it all down to a science. We have every child’s -birthday recorded and can tell almost to a certainty their dispositions. -Some can be managed through their affections and crave to be caressed; -others will push you away and resent such familiarity, even when quite -small; some are so fond of their pretty dresses that dressing them -plainly at such times serves as a punishment; others don’t care what -they wear. We have certain people thoroughly taught to attend to this -one branch of their education, and we chose our lady principal from -those who have been thoroughly drilled along this line. They know which -children will be attracted to each other and don’t interfere with their -likes or dislikes. They only need guiding. Now in their homes they don’t -have the same advantages that they have here or among a number. Children -born in a fire sign very rarely agree with those born in a water sign -and constantly fret each other, and there is a continual spluttering and -sissing such as we find where fire comes in contact with water. Among -the four elements that the race represents is a vast variety of -dispositions, and it takes persons of great ability as well as -experience to classify them and bring out the best in each child. We -believe that human beings have as good right to be bred as animals, but -we don’t find they are, so we have to make the best of them as they are. -We do all we can to make each little life a pleasure to itself and to -every one else. We have no favorites; one child gets the same attention -as all the rest. - -“Did you see our babies today, mother?” Nellie inquired. - -“Why, I see them every day I go. Do you suppose I could go where they -are and not see them? Your boy is growing finely and little Scoris so -like her namesake. I feel that you have named her under an inspiration. -She is so demure and quiet, yet so determined when she imagines she is -not being treated right. Today the head nurse asked her to take a shoe -to the nurse that a baby had kicked off, but Scoris shook her head. -‘Take the shoe, Scoris, dear,’ the nurse repeated. ‘No, me won’t,’ -Scoris said. ‘Yes, be quick, that is a good girl.’ ‘No, me will not,’ -said the mite, at the same time running and giving it as she had been -told, yet resenting that she had to do it. ‘Now, me won’t,’ she -continued, stamping her little foot. It was hard to keep from laughing, -she looked so angry. They say she won’t be ordered without a protest, -unless in one of her best moods. They know what to do, however, and she -minds as a rule and has one of the best dispositions. I saw her at the -sand pile afterwards and her voice could be heard above the rest and her -laugh was the merriest. Then again I found her at the pond, splashing -water and enjoying life as all children should. That pond is a splendid -thing. I never saw children enjoy anything as much as they do that basin -called ‘the pond,’ and the water being kept at the right temperature, -makes it safe. They have three sizes I was told today.” - -“Why, yes,” said Tom, “for all children like to splash in water and we -have the right dimensions according to their size. Each day they are -allowed to splash and wade in it. The doctors say it is healthful for -them. Then usefulness is taught as young as they can understand it. -Obedience is enforced in one way or another, and thus it makes harmony. -We get Scoris nearly every evening and take her out during the fine -weather, but if she has been rebellious, we don’t. She understands and -has needed only one or two lessons. - -“It is a comfort to have such intelligent women to take charge of them -while we are busy attending to the affairs of the society. Not only ours -but every child has everything to make them happy and contented, and all -are bright and healthy. Such a contrast to the homes shared with grownup -people! Those who have charge of them giving their whole attention to -them and no scolding or faultfinding! Just a continual guiding and -patience while the young minds are expanding. The merry laughter and fun -always acts as a tonic after I have been there. Everything is done in -such an intelligent manner. The way those women study the dispositions -of each child and bring out only the best in each is wonderful.” - -The next day the little ones who had been rebellious were so much better -that they were allowed to have their table where they could see the -others. One remarked: “I wish we could have flowers.” Another asked: -“Can’t we have a linen tablecloth instead of the oil cloth?” The nurse -said, “Yes, when you stop spilling your milk and food on this.” “And the -nice dishes with flowers on them?” another said. “Yes, but you must -learn to use your knives and forks correctly first, and then you may sit -at the long table.” - -“In this way they were taught to look upon each improvement as a -promotion and tried all the harder to be neat so they could be with the -rest, so you see punishment was not necessary, for one child taught -another unconsciously. - -“The flowers in the garden were enclosed so the small children could see -but not reach them, and this was done to teach them to love nature; but -the wire fence shows that restrictions are a part of their education, -and as soon as they can be trusted or are old enough to understand they -may go among them. They are not for show alone or beauty. The older ones -work among them and consider it a privilege to weed or rearrange them.” - -“Yes, I see,” said Mrs. Vivian, “and I think the idea of making them -useful is a splendid one.” - -“Oh, we do,” continued Tom. “The older children always help to gather -the fruit and a strict account is kept of their labor and we place it on -their shares. During the fruit season our school hours are short, for we -consider industrious habits of just as much value to them as book -learning. The kindergarten is kept up the same for the small ones. The -work keeps the children out of mischief and makes them self-reliant, and -as their future is provided for there is no need to hurry them. During -the heat of the day they rest or amuse themselves. Our strawberries pay -well and the children do most of the gathering. The boys also climb the -fruit trees while the girls pick the lower branches for all other kinds -of fruit. Their playing, sleeping and resting is all looked after. They -are only allowed to work about two hours a day and we look upon it as -the exercise that is necessary to develop muscle and strengthen the -body, and the brain being occupied at the same time, while they are -breathing good, pure air, will make them stronger men and women. - -“The most of our great men have lived at some time of their lives in the -country, or were so surrounded by nature that they have been able to -breathe the pure air in their earliest childhood. Certainly their clear -brains have proved the virtue of it. It is wonderful what children can -do on the farm when protected by the laws of the society from overwork, -and it will be a benefit to them all their lives, for without healthy -bodies you cannot have expert brains or well rounded lives. - -“The surroundings of large cities are responsible in a great degree for -the crimes committed there. Money is such a necessity, there being no -other exchange for labor, it has got to come some way. Then the poor, -stunted brains with only enough animal cunning to realize their present -necessities, steal. Are they responsible for their action, especially -when their labor is at a discount or no work to be had at all? All their -muscles are stiff and in need of exercise that some regular employment -would give them. - -“We are not rearing children to amass fortunes for the idle. - -“The society was growing rapidly, branches had sprung up near every city -with their full equipments of industries, all being separate at first. -Each one as they had proved their ability to manage their own affairs -were applying to the original society to unite, and we are ready to do -so,” Tom explained to his wife and mother. - -“We own large tracts of land in every direction and control a number of -mines, timber lands, rubber plantations, coal in every grade and coal -oil. We own sheep ranches and cattle, besides large cotton districts in -our southern climate. The society has at this time, its order houses, -representing everything, all managed under the scrip system, yet using -money when necessary. No new system could change the old order of things -all at once. Those who imagined the working people were created for -their special use were indignant that intelligent people should -introduce a system compelling them to pay larger salaries and decrease -their dividends. They had imagined that the working people were born -especially to earn a living for them. When I refer to working people, I -include all who earn their living from those who work in the ditch to -those who call their employment positions, it’s all labor. Intelligent -people have shaken off their burdens since the society has shown them -how. They have taken their experience, gained by serving others, into a -co-operative system protected by the society and they are accumulating -the wealth for themselves that they used to give away.” - -“Yes,” Nellie answered, “and this natural result is strengthening us on -all sides.” - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - -“Well, the children are off my hands at last,” said Mira Moberly. “What -a comfort it is to be able to sit down and think once in a while! Oh, -dear! there is the bell. No wonder some people think heaven is a state -of rest, if they all long for it as I do. A letter from mother! Oh, I am -so glad!” As she reads her letter, we will tell you about her life since -she left her old home. - -She had the fate of thousands of others. She had come to a large city a -young, inexperienced bride, very much in love with her husband. The -uncle who had been the cause of their coming, fitted up their home with -every luxury, besides showing her many kindnesses. Jack was proud of her -and through his uncle’s influence they were introduced to a circle of -acquaintances. She was happy and enjoyed being a center of attraction -the first few months. She was often homesick but Jack did all he could -to make her contented. - -The first year passed, then the baby took up her attention. The third -year came and two babies claimed her. The fourth year found her a -sad-faced matron with more cares than she knew how to bear. Jack had -changed. He was no longer the loving husband, but was becoming bloated -and reckless with drink, so that even his little children shrank from -him. This was what she had left home, mother and plenty for. This was -the man she had promised to love, honor and obey. Could she love a man -who neglected her children as well as herself? Could she honor this -drunkard and gambler? Could she obey such a specimen of manhood? In what -could she respect him? And yet the memory of other days would come to -her and she would try again and again to change him. He was the father -of her children and she must save him. Thus the years had passed. Then -the uncle died and failed to remember Jack in his will. The firm changed -hands and he lost his position. That was over a year ago, and though -friends had helped him and other positions had been secured, he lost one -after another. No one wanted a man who could not be trusted. - -An old acquaintance who had known her family lived in the city. He had -told her to come to him if she was ever in any trouble. She thanked him -and said she would. That was in the second year of her marriage and she -had said in jest, “Of course I will.” - -Her third child was four months old now and her piano was gone for the -mortgage. She felt weak and helpless, for now she saw that Jack was a -wreck, incapable of looking after them. She had never earned her own -living, and how were her children to be supported? “I thought I was -doing wonders when I did my own work and took care of them, but what am -I to do now?” she questioned herself. She sat down and thought and -presently she remembered the promise of her old acquaintance. “He told -me to come to him and I will ask him to lend me some money until I am of -age.” She went to his home in the evening, thinking at that time she -would be more likely to find him. - -As she looked around at his magnificently furnished home, she thought, -“Of course he will help me, but I do wish I didn’t tremble so.” She -hesitated to speak as she looked more closely at his face. “Surely I -must be mistaken,” she thought as she realized how cold and indifferent -his manner was. Was this the same Mr. Carron she had remembered in her -childhood days, who had told her to come to him? How well she remembered -his very words, his admiring glances, and the same evening, as she -thought, accidentally, she heard him tell an acquaintance how beautiful -she was and what a good family the Vivians were and that he considered -Jack Moberly a lucky fellow to have won her. In her inexperience of what -a large number of men are, who live in affluence in our large cities, -she considered his reference to her as flattery. Now she felt sensitive -about letting any one know of her position and the necessity of talking -about her husband, but he had told her to come. - -“Mr. Carron,” she said, “I am in trouble and have come to you for -assistance. I want to borrow some money until I am of age.” Looking at -his hard face, she said, “I am willing to pay you any interest that you -wish. You know I will have a legacy from my father’s estate then.” - -“Why, Mrs. Moberly,” he began, “I would like to help you very much, but -I don’t quite see my way. I hear your husband is gambling and drinking -and not taking care of you and I don’t see how you can ever repay it. -Now, if it were not for him, I wouldn’t mind giving you a lift. You must -know that I have many cases of charity coming to me all the time, and I -am sorry to say that they are more urgent than your case can possibly -be. I don’t see how I can help you. Of course, you haven’t told me all -about your troubles, but I know all about these matters. Ladies imagine -they have troubles.” He had gone that far when she realized if she -remained in his presence another moment she would cry aloud. He had been -her only refuge and he had not only refused her, but called her request -charity. Crushed and helpless, she wished him good night and went out -into the darkness. Then she realized the straits they were in. The tears -she had restrained came now, in spite of all she could do, so she walked -on as quickly as she could for fear some one would speak to her. Oh, the -misery of it all as she remembered the little faces that had looked so -appealingly to her when she could only give them sufficient food to keep -them alive and now she cried, “Oh, God! What shall I do? What shall I -do?” - -[Illustration] - -She had no car fare and it was dark. The shortest way home was across a -lot of vacant property and the fenced-in estate of wealthy men. The -streets were lighted only on the corners and between them was dark, for -it was in the fall of the year. She had two miles to go and fully -one-half was dark. It was the first time in her life that she had been -out on the street alone in the dark and she was afraid. When no houses -were in sight she ran on and on and at last a man met her about half way -in one of the darkest spots. She remembered all the terrible things she -had read in the papers of men assaulting women. Still he came nearer and -nearer and when close enough to ask her a question, it was only about -the locality. She was trembling so much she couldn’t answer him. In her -fear she had forgotten her unsuccessful mission. Now it loomed up before -her with renewed force. She had been refused help! Another dark stretch -of the street was before her. She had walked nearly three miles, -counting the walk there and the distance back, but there was no help for -it, and she began running, crying as she ran, imploring God to help her -and not to let her children starve. “They say there is a God of the -fatherless and the widows, but is there none for the drunkard’s wife and -his children?” she cried in her misery. - -The next day she was ill in bed, her baby cried and there was no one to -care for them, all was confusion, and a neighbor called and offered -help. In her gratitude she told her of the state she was in and also how -her old acquaintance had treated her. - -“Oh, yes, you might have known that he wouldn’t help you,” she said, -“for he is a hard man.” - -“Then why did he tell me to come to him? I never supposed I should need -help when he offered.” - -“Oh, he knew the signs of the times better than you did. He possibly -thought you might become like many others at such a time, and then when -you came to him he would know how to get around you.” - -“Oh, no, no, Mrs. Carr, he couldn’t have had such a thought. I cannot -believe it.” Then Mrs. Carr said, “Why didn’t he help you?” - -“I don’t know, but he could not be so cruel as that.” - -“Well, I don’t think he could have been worse than he has been. Now I am -going to tell you what to do, Mrs. Moberly, so you can earn a little -money. Sell your best furniture. Fit up your dining room and kitchen for -yourself and your children and rent the rest.” - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - -In a few weeks, she had her rooms rented to gentlemen, but they only -stayed one week at a time. She saw it was on account of the children, -who would cry at night sometimes. Her friend and adviser then said, -“Take women, for you must live and no one wants them in rooms; do your -best and give them the use of your kitchen.” The house filled; she could -pay her rent and gas bill, with a little over. Her husband had been -keeping sober now for a long time. Perhaps he had reformed—how she hoped -that he had. A friend took him up again and got him something to do, but -he had to travel and that left her alone with the children. Six weeks -had passed since he had left. All the money she had to live upon for the -four of them, counting the baby, was $3.00 per week and they lived in an -expensive city. She had eaten bread enough to keep her alive, no butter, -not even syrup. She drank the weakest tea, sweetened to soak the bread -in. For six long weeks nothing else had passed her lips. One evening one -of the roomers found her sitting with her baby in her lap, her elbows on -the table, her hands holding her temples, while her poor little baby was -trying to nurse her dry breast, tugging and pounding it with his little -fists, kicking, and occasionally giving vent in a disappointed, pitiful -cry. The roomer spoke to her, but she was unconscious from the pain in -her head, caused by starvation. The woman took the baby and fed it and -got it to sleep, then did what she could for the mother, working over -her all night. In a few days her husband came home, but only for a day. -He had brought her a few dollars, all he could spare, he had said, after -paying his own board and expenses. In leaving, he took a heavier coat -and left the one he had been wearing hanging up among her things. In -taking it down, a letter dropped from its pocket that she found was -addressed to herself. The stamp showed that it had been received a year -before. She found that it was an answer supposed to have come from her -to a money lender who got their piano. She went to him to see what it -meant and found that her husband had imitated her writing and had -received from him about a fifth of the money she was to have received -from her father’s estate; by this act the money lender was able to -secure it all. What had Jack done with it? In the midst of all the rest -of her poverty he had robbed her of that! The money lender could send -him to prison if she demanded it from him. This was the last straw! She -wrote to him never to come back. - -It had been hard enough to bear children and then support them, but -injury to insult had followed. What was she now? A drunken gambler’s -wife—ah, even worse than that—he was a forger as well. Her twenty-first -birthday would soon be here. Oh, how she had looked forward to that -time! She had intended going to her mother and telling her all and -asking what she should do for her children, but it was impossible now. - -One day a new roomer told her she wished she knew of some one who could -sew fur, as she needed help. - -Mira said, “I would like to learn it if you will teach me.” That was the -first time she had ever seen it done but she went at it diligently until -she was as proficient as her teacher. It was paying work and she soon -found that she could make her living by it. - -We left her reading her mother’s letter filled with messages of love and -begging her to come back to them once more, if only for a short visit. -Oh, if she only could! How little they knew at home of her hard -struggle! Possibly they thought she was as selfish as she had been when -she left them all. When it was over she would tell them, but not before. - -Only one year before, she shuddered as she remembered how she had walked -through the streets of the wealthy and fashionable people, trying to -find the person who had answered her advertisement for fur work. As she -passed the well lighted homes on the streets and saw the luxury, she -realized how she had become year by year poorer. Happy faces, free from -care, were in those homes. - -Finally she found the place. The lady had given the work to another, so -she had her walk for nothing. Weary in mind and body, she returned home. -There were her children huddled together on the couch. Evidently they -had cried themselves to sleep. The oldest had the baby in her arms. “My -God! what a contrast to the homes I have just had a glimpse of,” she -thought. “How I have worked and struggled and tried to live in the last -two years. Did I say ‘two’? It seems a century. What is the use of it -all? These children may have to do the same as I when they grow up. I -would sooner see them dead than go through it. I don’t wonder at people -taking the lives of those they are responsible for, as well as their -own, and yet how could they?” - -Just as this thought had crossed her mind, little Freddie aroused and -was in her arms in a moment. “Oh, mamma, I did cry so hard for you and -you didn’t come. Little baby cried and Nellie, her cried, too. I’se -hungry, mamma, awful hungry.” - -“My darling, I don’t wonder you cried. I have been gone a long time, but -mother couldn’t help it, darling; mother couldn’t help it. There, you -have awakened the baby. Oh, children, do be quiet,” for all three were -crying by this time. - -It took her fully an hour to get them all quiet and asleep. Next day, -first one and then another of her roomers came to tell her that they had -to leave. Some made one excuse, some another; only one told her the -truth, saying, “You ought to know better than to keep people in your -house when your children cry as they did last night. I hate to leave -you, but it unnerves me to hear such a racket. I work hard all day and -must rest at night. This is the third time now. You ought to put them in -a home like other women do.” It was this that made her decide to go to -the colony that was near the city she had been living in. It was one of -the many branches that had been successful and had been exchanging with -the original society in its productions. - -That spring found her living comfortably among green fields and free to -earn a living by renting tents to those who only wished to stay in the -country a few weeks at a time. Her baby was then two years old and she -kept him in the nursery; this left her free to attend to her business, -as the other children were in the boarding school. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - -Mrs. Moberly was looking forward to the time when she could secure -enough money to take her back to the relatives she had left so many -years before. Little by little she was selling her household goods, the -members securing customers so as to help her. Any new members coming to -the colony were asked to buy of her, if they needed anything. The story -would be told over and over again how that she hadn’t seen her mother -for many years. She had sold everything except the things she needed for -her personal use. The new comers had been told how she rented tents in -the summer by putting her surplus furniture in them, and many bought to -do the same thing. She had now enough to cover all her expenses for -traveling when who should appear but her husband. He was well dressed -and upon asking for her was told at once where to find her. No one -suspected who he was. - -“Mira, don’t drive me away. I am sorry that I treated you as I did,” he -said. “I want to see my children. Where are they?” - -“Jack Moberly, how dare you even come in my presence after the wrong you -have done me?” - -“Mira, I must see the children.” - -“They are not here,” she answered, “and neither can you see them until -you have assured me that you will go away after you have seen them.” - -“Mira, won’t you live with me again?” he begged. “I love you. I love my -children.” - -She looked at him for a moment, and a great longing came to her that it -might be true. - -“No,” she said, “a man who could leave a woman to get along the best she -could with his helpless children, has no heart.” As she gazed at him, -all the misery he had caused her seemed to pass before her like a -panorama. She even wondered at herself. Here was the man who turned her -head in her youth and inexperience, who had been the magnet that had -drawn her away from all that she had held most dear. As he stood before -her for the first time in three years, she could think of but one thing -and that was to get him away. - -He had only told her that he loved her to hear what she would say. He -laughed to himself at the joke. He had a curiosity to see her and the -children and nothing more. Just as though he would give up Rosy for this -thin, careworn woman, who at any time might upbraid him for his past -life. Then, besides, he thought, “who wants to be tied to a woman? I had -enough of it. Rosy suits me now, and if I get tired of her, there are -others.” - -Finally he promised he would leave as soon as he had seen the children. -She took him to the public parlor, not wishing to leave him in her -apartment and then went to the school for them. In about fifteen -minutes, she had them before him, not a little proud to show him how -well she had been able to get along without him. They approached him -rather timidly, as they would a stranger, even Nellie feeling the change -and neglect. His whole attention was given, however, to Freddie, who ran -up to him. - -“You know papa, don’t you, my boy?” - -“Of course I do,” said the little fellow, as he cuddled up to him. - -Mira noticed that he did not look at the others, but that he could not -take his eyes off of Freddie. - -“My poor little boy,” he said. Then tears came to his eyes. - -It was harder than Mira had anticipated. The man really seemed to have -some feeling for his boy, but the thought came to her, “It is only one -of his outbursts. The man is not all bad, but too vile for me to have -any more of these meetings.” Then he turned to her and asked if she -would not live with him, if she at least would not give him the boy, for -she had the other two. - -With one rush, she grabbed the child and ordered him to leave her, -reminding him of his promise. - -“Give you my child!” she said in scorn. - -“You forget he is mine as well as yours,” he replied, “and the law will -give him to me, so you had better take care.” - -Their gestures and loud voices frightened the children and their cries -brought the superintendent of the building. - -Mira explained and the superintendent told him that he must not come -there; that Mrs. Moberly was there under their protection. - -He turned to her and hissed between his teeth, “I see you have some man -keeping you.” - -That was too much. - -“You insolent wretch,” she exclaimed, “Go!” - -The superintendent touched a button. Two able bodied men appeared and -Jack Moberly left quietly. - -After he had gone she decided to get away to her relatives as soon as -possible. Now that he had started to come back he might annoy her in -many ways. - -The few shares that she had were transferred to the original society -where Tom and her family were, so she telegraphed them that she was -coming home sooner than she had intended. Then the journey began. Over -two thousand miles were to be covered and they must travel night and -day. “Only eight hundred more,” she said to herself, as they were -changing cars and were walking around the large station, looking at the -many different kinds of people, all waiting for their trains to be -called. Suddenly, she fancied she saw a face that looked like Jack, but -she came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be, that she was mistaken. -So many look alike when you are traveling, she mused, and thought no -more about it. - -After they had been on the train some time, a nicely dressed lady made -herself attentive to the children. She gave them candy and showed them -pictures in the book she had until finally Freddie took up his quarters -in the seat with her. All day long she amused him and the others. She -became friendly with Mrs. Moberly also and they chatted about the -children and other things. Mira began to feel a relief at having some -one to help care for the children. - -The second evening, this lady proposed that Freddie should sleep with -her as she was alone in her berth and it would give Mrs. Moberly more -room. Freddie was delighted with the idea, so it was arranged. Mira and -the other children had slept well all night and were aroused by the -porter, announcing that she should get off at the next city. She dressed -herself, then the two children and started to find Freddie. She found -that no such persons had been seen since the middle of the night when a -man, woman and child had left the train. From the description of the man -she knew it was Jack. They also said they heard the child call him papa. -Poor Mira! And this was her homecoming, her poor little child at the -mercy of that man! - -Just then the name of the city was announced and all left the train. -Everything was changed and strange to her, but there was Tom, dear old -Tom. He would know just what to do about Freddie, and there was her -mother and Scoris. They didn’t know her and were looking in every -direction, but there she was. At last she reached them and tried to -attract their attention but it was too much for her and she fainted at -their feet. All was confusion and even then they could not recognize -her, she had changed so much. Nellie explained, “It is because Freddie -has gone. Papa took him away last night.” She began to cry, for this was -not the introduction she had pictured in meeting her grandma or the -aunts and Uncle Tom. The family then realized that it was Mira and her -family that was before them. They had her carried into the waiting room -until she recovered consciousness; then when she told them what had -occurred Tom promised to find him. She told them about her life in the -six years since she had left them. - -They tried to show her it was necessary to keep up her strength so that -at the proper time she could give the information that would be needed -not only in regard to Jack, but the woman who had assisted in stealing -the child. - -Detectives were sent out and Mira began to rally, yet no clue amounted -to anything. Disappointments seemed to be the order of the day. Nothing -resulted from any clue they were given. Advertisements also failed, and -she often wondered, “Had he followed, or had he seen them by chance?” -All the misery she had endured was as nothing to this terrible -uncertainty of the child being uncared for, and the longing to see him -once more was intense. - -“Freddie, my boy, my boy,” she would cry out in her agony, “I must, I -must see you.” - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - -Mrs. Vivian, Scoris and Helen had been living in the colony for two -years before Mira came. Scoris still did drawings for illustrations and -Helen was doing well at writing for magazines and the society paper. - -Their apartments were nicely fitted up, each one having one room, while -they shared the parlor together. They had intended to secure one more -room for they often had their meals sent to them when they were -unusually busy, instead of going down to the dining room, but since Mira -and her children arrived they all saw that she must have help. - -She couldn’t live in the same apartment building because children were -not allowed there nor were the conveniences the same as in those built -for children. They had tried to persuade her to leave them in the -nursery and for her to live with them, but she couldn’t be separated -from them at night. Jack might come and steal them, she said. “They are -all right in the daytime, but at night I must have them in sight.” - -“Poor girl,” her mother had said, “we can do without the extra room and -secure two for her, besides help to provide for the children.” - -“Yes, indeed,” Scoris had answered, “this help to her now will be worth -more to her than an extra room to us.” - -“Our sympathy without practical help wouldn’t be very cheering,” Helen -said, “and I intend to provide for one of the children until they are -old enough to provide for themselves.” - -“And I shall support the other,” Scoris declared. - -“She has had her share of punishment for her willfulness,” her mother -remarked, “and the least we can do is to relieve her of some of her -burden. How my heart has yearned to see her all these years, and I am -willing to give up anything to help her. I think Libra will assist her -also, but she must keep herself busy; it is the only thing that will -help her to bear this new trial.” - -[Illustration] - -One day Scoris and her mother were having a chat by themselves when -Scoris said: - -“Mother, do you know that you are constantly spoken of as the mother of -the Vivian family?” - -“Well, Scoris, why shouldn’t I be called your mother?” - -“Because you are as much to be honored as any one, and if, as is the -custom now among us, you were called ‘The Hon. Mary Vivian,’ that would -settle it without further pretext. Being Tom’s mother is not a personal -honor, but being an honorable woman, you should stand the challenge. We -are all called ‘Honorable’ but you, and naturally we want you to hold -the first rank among our social acquaintances. The title is given so all -may know whom to trust.” - -“But, Scoris dear, I am not in any business, so what difference does it -make? I like the old ways that I am accustomed to. The name of Mrs. -Vivian has always designated who I am.” - -“Very well, mother, do as you like. We would sooner you were taking the -honors because they, like a uniform, show where each person belongs. In -our old town the name was sufficient, but customs have changed. People -are thinking more deeply than they used to do and it has become -necessary to classify our members so all may know where each stands. The -old families were honored because of their wealth and their influence -and their ability to employ dependent people.” - -“Well, my dear, what has this to do with me?” - -“The society wishes to honor you because your life has been honorable in -every way. You are a woman of good, sound judgment and are badly needed -in the Council. Only honorable members can sit in the Council and we are -anxious to have an equal number of men and women preside. Only women can -understand all that is in a woman’s life, and they must not shirk from -their duty. Both women’s and children’s interests are involved and until -the members become more accustomed to seeing their interests as fully -recognized as the men, they will suffer. It is the duty of our Council -to define carefully the value of every man, woman and child’s labor, for -there is a mental as well as a physical value to be considered and this -needs fine calculating. Only one just and right way is by the profits -when the products are either sold or exchanged. The profit must be the -value awarded all equally. If a child earns as much as a grown person, -that child must receive the same amount. Mother, you have thought more -deeply than the majority of women and have the faculty of seeing the -point at issue more clearly than most women, or men, either, for that -matter.” - -“You know the strawberries were picked by children mostly this year. -Well, do you know those children didn’t get as much as the grownup -people for the same labor?” - -“Well, why not?” - -“Because some of the Council argued that children’s time was not of as -much value as an adult’s. Now that was not just under this new system, -for it aims to give full value for the labor done, no matter by whom. I -claim that when the berries were sold for the same price as those picked -by adults, that the children had the same right to the profits.” - -“So do I. But you know I have never had anything to do with public -affairs and am pretty old to be drawn into it now.” - -“There is one thing certain, mother, you cannot start younger, so please -think it over, for you are needed.” - -Not long after this Mrs. Vivian heard an old woman and the secretary -counting how much was coming to her from her summer’s work. He looked -over the accounts and told her. Mrs. Vivian thought it was a small -amount. She remembered how hard the poor old soul had worked all summer, -never losing a day and being always ready to do everything. A young man -asked about his account and was told, but Mrs. Vivian knew the young -fellow and was familiar with his habits. She knew that he had not worked -as the old woman had, still he had double the amount to his credit and -they had both done the same amount of work. - -Mrs. Vivian had a talk with the woman a few days afterwards. She saw her -limping along when Mrs. Vivian questioned her. She said she was thankful -to be allowed to stay in the colony as she had been unable to pay the -dues. - -“Of course,” she added, “I got all I asked, but I wish I could earn more -so I would be sure that when I die I will be decently buried. I don’t -want my body in the potters’ field. My back aches awful bad,” she said, -“I can’t sleep for the pain at night.” - -She passed on, but Mrs. Vivian couldn’t forget the conversation. She -kept thinking to herself, “That woman ought to have as much as that man, -if not more, and I am going to find out why she didn’t get it.” So she -asked the foreman. - -“Well,” he said, “she came here without any recommendation. She said she -was willing to work for her food and a place to sleep. I consulted the -president and he said to take her and see if she was capable of -anything, if so, to let her stay a while.” - -“Now, foreman,” Mrs. Vivian said, “don’t all get the same price for the -same work?” - -“Oh, no,” he said. “These outsiders don’t ask so much; in fact, don’t -expect as much as the members who pay in their dues.” - -“Poor souls,” Mrs. Vivian said. “Some way must be found to supply them -with work enough to keep them from living in misery. If they have to -work I shall see that they are paid for all they earn.” - -Next day Mrs. Vivian told Scoris that she wanted to apply for the title -and she wished she had done so before. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - -“Oh, mother,” she said, “I am so glad, for I made application for you. I -was sorry you did not see the advantage of it, and now there will be -just time enough for your name to be advertised, so you can get it on -the first coronation day. I was sure you were too good a soldier to let -old-fashioned ideas hold you back. No good woman will stand idle in -these days, especially when so many are needed to face the foes of -humanity. Why was that poor woman afraid to ask sufficient for her -labor? Because she didn’t know that her labor was wealth. - -“Many old men and women who had been poor all their lives, who had never -known anything but poverty, were given light work to do, such as -gardening with short hours, under the direction of a competent gardener. -In this way the grounds in the colony had been beautified, trees had -been planted, waterways dug. The women helped to take care of infants in -the nursery for a few hours each day, or do necessary housework, -mending, etc. As the society was formed to secure homes, it was as easy -to feed these poor creatures as it was animals, and they could earn what -they got also. - -“The majority of people crave independence. Did you ever see a number as -large as we have here take such pride in pointing out the beauties of -the place? You see it is their wealth. Their labor has been expended to -make it what it is. It is so much more to be enjoyed than a park that -any one can use, so, of course all take great pride in it. It is so -lovely to be able to step down from our apartments and crossing the -street enter a thick foliage, swing hammocks among the trees and look up -into the beautiful green so restful to the eyes. To lie there seems like -a taste of heaven.” - -“Yes, Scoris, I agree with you and when I remember that it is my son who -has been the leader in bringing out this happy state of affairs, I am -very much gratified, and, oh, so proud! I feel that all the old -warriors, who have been honored for their share in all the great changes -that have come to the world, have not done more than he has, if as much. -Under this system wars will cease. I have had quite a talk with an old -friend on this subject. Your father and I met her years ago, while -abroad. Her oldest son was killed in one of the late wars and two others -wounded. One is blind and the other had both legs amputated, one below -the knee and the other above. He wears artificial limbs as a result. All -three had wives. I asked if the cause they had fought for was worth the -glory; if the duty they had been called upon to perform for their -country, the bloodshed, the blindness of her son and the mutilation of -the others, the total loss of the oldest one had been any alleviation. -‘No,’ said she, ‘oh, no; but of course they were honored for their -heroism. One has been knighted and both receive a pension and the widow -of the oldest son also has a pension, but of course it would not support -them without our help. They were all such good, brave boys. I shall -always feel very proud of them.’ - -“‘So am I proud of my son,’ I remarked. Well, dear, I shall never forget -her face nor the effect the remark had upon her as she mentally drew the -picture.” - -“‘Your son, the General, you mean? Oh, but he is a genius, you know.’ ‘I -believe your sons were also,’ I said. ‘All were brave men and ready to -do their duty as they saw it.’ - -“‘Well,’ she said, as she sighed, ‘I would have been one of the happiest -of women today if they had only seen the facts as your son did. You all -have in prospect a much larger income than my living sons are receiving -from the government. You have them all alive and whole with you, not one -maimed, or one who has had to suffer as mine did. Your son is more -honored than any man who ever conducted an army of men. No title -conferred upon him can ever adequately describe how much he is -appreciated, and your daughters and his splendid wife are equally -admired for the part they have taken in this movement. Now see the -difference: my poor Frank is dead; the others have only the merest -pittance to live upon; they only exist, for it is not living to be -blind, nor to be crippled as they are, and the cause was not won or the -enemy vanquished. Then that war raised the taxes to such an enormous sum -that it leaves us very little to take us through life, considering our -habits and mode of living.’ - -“I asked her if she knew we considered this movement in the light of -war? She said, ‘Why, no, how can it be?’ I told her it was a bloodless -one, nevertheless a war upon all oppression; that the rich were -determined to keep the working people in all subjection, and that as the -working people outnumbered the moneyed class they could tie up all kinds -of industry and that by their united efforts showed that the odds were -just about even. When the laborers become indignant and the strikes rule -for a time, there is only distress for the majority and another lesson -learned by those in power to divert their minds in some other quarter -until they could outwit them, or keep them out of employment until all -their savings were gone. The people have never had justice until this -society secured land for them and started all their industries running. -Now the trusts can bring all the emigrants from other countries to take -the place of the home laborers that they like, and the society is -gathering them in and sending them further out on to the land where they -are being self-supporting and at the same time could not interfere with -the wages of the people. - -“‘Well,’ she said, ‘I never bother about these things. They only excite -me. I really think a gradual evolution is taking place and the right -results will come in the long run.’ - -“I told her that I had once felt as she did on the subject, but I had -known many persons to prepare for a journey and to miss the train on -account of their indifference to the time table. - -“‘My not knowing that there was a war of conquest,’ she said, ‘of more -consequence to us all than the ones my sons fought in has left me in my -old age a very sorrowful woman. Think if we had only had our thoughts -directed in this greater cause of justice, I and my boys might have been -living in comfort and affluence instead’—then she broke down and cried -so bitterly that she broke me up also. You see, Scoris, she had never -realized that she had any part in the world’s great events. She wanted -them to excel and as the army glorifies the successful ones, there was a -chance for her sons. I feel sorry for her, but I also feel sorry for the -unthinking thousands who are venturing along life’s paths, unprepared -for the future.” - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - -So many changes had been brought about since the society started that a -large number had leased land for a long term of years, building their -own houses or cottages near the colony after they saw the advantages of -the society. They did not like to live in the apartment houses or -hotels, nor did they care to have their children in the boarding -schools, but did like the system of revenue that came so regularly from -the factories, stock farms, cotton plantations, etc., and the short -hours that all the members had to give to the society’s industries. -These people lived where they liked. Their shares were placed in the -different industries. As they already owned their homes it secured them -a regular income. It also provided for the future of each member of -their family, instead of an insurance; all saw its advantages and -appreciated the fact that they could become honored members of the -society. It gave them rank that nothing else could, because the members -wouldn’t allow dishonest people to be called Honorables. All sorts of -discussions took place for and against the idea of having children under -a system of government. It generally came from the older people or from -those with large incomes. It had caused a prejudice to arise among many -and naturally they talked it over. One lady, a Mrs. Holmes, had -pronounced it a breaking up of homes, and her father had written several -articles about it in the papers. He was coming on a visit. When he -arrived he looked into the subject. - -“Yes, indeed, you may count upon me in opposing all such ideas as that. -Our little children should be right in the home with us.” - -So they arranged to have a party come to discuss the matter, for and -against it. He had only been with them a few days when it was arranged -to have the meeting. The hour was to be at three o’clock in the -afternoon. Now it was just two when Mrs. Holmes came into the library -where her father was sitting and said: - -“Papa, would you like to have the care of the little ones for half an -hour or so? I will have to go to the dressmaker.” - -“Certainly,” he answered, “I would be delighted to have them all to -myself.” - -She replied, “I let the nurse go out this afternoon, not knowing that I -would have to try on my dress, and tomorrow will be my reception day. -The baby is asleep and these two little ones will keep you company. Cook -will attend the door if any one comes, so I will go now and be back in -time for the meeting.” As she waved her hands, saying, “Bye-bye, -precious ones, be good children and amuse grandpa,” she closed the door -and was gone. - -Grandpa held a child on each knee. This was an event in their lives, to -have grandpa all to themselves. - -“Well,” he says, “what shall we do while mamma is away?” - -“Oh,” says five-year-old May, “let’s play horse and let me ride on your -back.” - -“No, me,” cried Roy, while May climbed the quickest and got there. Roy -pulled her feet and they quarreled until grandpa decided that he would -get down on all fours, then both could get on, while May held on to her -doll. Away they went, in and out of the two rooms, the children laughing -and screaming as they lurched from side to side in danger of falling, -while grandpa enjoyed the fun almost as much as they, even though he was -puffing and blowing. When that failed to amuse they played hide and -seek. Grandpa soon discovered that he is not so young as he used to be -and laid back in the big arm chair to rest. - -“Now, children, you play a little while by yourselves,” he said, as he -put his hands to his head. - -“Now you amused us,” said May, “so it is our turn and we will amuse you. -Want your head rubbed? I can do it like mamma rubs papa’s when he’s all -tired out.” She looked at him so coaxingly that he said: - -“Yes, to be sure.” - -“All right,” she consented, climbing to the back of his chair and -running her fingers through his hair. She did it so quietly and -soothingly as she scratched gently back and forth, that he thought to -himself, “What a little fairy she is!” He got no further, for sleep had -claimed him and May soon discovered this. - -Grandpa had nice long hair, so here was her opportunity, for she loved -to braid hair. She would do it so gently and “My! wouldn’t he be glad -when he saw how pretty she had made it!” Then she espied some wool in a -work basket of her mother’s. Such pretty colors—blue, green, yellow, red -and white! “What a lot,” she said in glee. In a little while she had -gone all over his head and fine little braids were standing out in all -directions tied with wool. As she stood admiring her handiwork, her eye -detected Roy in the next room teasing her kitten. He saw by her glance -what was coming. In two seconds he had bounded up the back stairs, -flying madly on and on until he reached the nursery, then he fell. She -grabbed the kitten. Roy set up a howl and baby awakened. May quieted -baby, took it up and set it on the floor, then started after Roy again, -who had made off with the kitten. - -[Illustration] - -At this moment the door bell rang. The cook ushered in several -strangers. It was three o’clock and the committee had arrived. The -confusion awakened the old gentleman asleep in the chair. Just as the -door opened, he straightened down his vest, smoothed his trousers and -believed he was all right. He advanced to explain that his daughter -would be in in a moment, and noticed that they were looking at him -strangely and laughing so hard they could not speak. He rushed into the -hall only to see his daughter acting worse than those in the library. -She was stealthily running up stairs, and as he looked up to the top -step he saw the eight months’ old baby kicking his heels and seeming to -be enjoying the situation, as the mother cried, “Wait for mother, -darling, wait—” Just then the baby sprang forward and she caught him -only in time to keep him from going head first to the bottom of the -stairs. There she sat the tears streaming down her face while she hugged -her baby. She looked down upon hearing her father’s voice and roared -with laughter. He, thinking that she was hysterical, begged her to calm -herself. It was all she could do between screaming and laughing to hold -her child, he looked so funny. By this time every one was in the hall, -roaring as they looked at the staid old gentleman. His daughter led him -to the mirror. It is needless to say that there was no meeting. Their -arguments were answered before begun. Children are safer when certain -people are responsible for their care and welfare. The society heard no -more about families growing apart. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - -On a bright afternoon, two old men could be seen strolling along -leisurely, talking of the difference the society had made in their -lives. - -[Illustration] - -“Who would have thought fifteen years ago, John, that you and I could be -living in the comfort and ease that we are today? The most comfortable -house ever built on ground, large or small, when built separately, could -never have the advantage these _apartment_ buildings have. Our large -windows give the necessary light we old people need, and I tell you when -the eyesight is dim, especially when we had good sight, it is very hard -to go stumbling along, especially in your own home. I think the -society’s determination to preserve its light and air and not allow the -buildings to be crowded together, is a very great advantage. It suits -me, I can tell you.” - -“The variety in the cooking is what I like,” said Mr. White. “When our -girls got married and wife and I had the farm to ourselves, she seemed -all played out and couldn’t cook as she used to. Then one after the -other of the boys left us and went to the cities. They thought the farm -work was too hard, when they could have the money in their hand each -week, and it seemed a lot to them out on the farm, where they had no -board bills to pay, but they have found out the difference and I have -now arranged to have them all here now. When I signed over my farm to -the society all three came out in a great state of mind. They thought I -had done them an injustice. I told them, ‘You must remember that after -your mother and I had raised you and worked hard to keep the place -together, first paying for it when you children were too young to be of -any help, we fairly begged you to stay with us and help us when you were -grown up. Oh, no, the city was the only place for you then.’ Then I -said, ‘Do you think we are going to work and pay out all we can rake and -scrape together for hired men to work the place, so you boys can have it -after our death? Have we no rights? Are you children of more consequence -than we are? Who earned it?’ - -“Well, they didn’t like the way I was doing it. What was I going to do -with the stock? I told them I had given it all over to the society and -arranged it so that wife and I had permanent shares in exchange to keep -us in comfort the rest of our lives. We also had the satisfaction of -seeing younger men and women earning enough to make up any deficiency in -a way that you would not do if we should need it. - -“‘Well, what will become of your shares after your death?’ one said. - -“‘They will go to the society,’ I told them unless they joined it. In -that case I could leave them to my children if they would do as other -members would and increase their own shares. I told them that all had to -look ahead for their old age if they became members, for the society was -representing wealth and wouldn’t take any one that would spend -everything they earned while in the freshness of youth. I said that they -could easily save enough in the next fifteen years to make them -comfortable the rest of their lives if they became members and I wished -that they would. Then I asked them why they didn’t tell us that it was -more loneliness than hard work that took them to the city. They looked -surprised and one said that it wasn’t. I told them that I had thought it -was, since I had lived in the community where all could hear good music -and lectures, see good plays and something worth listening to in the -conversation with those one came in contact with. I had become convinced -that they were right in leaving the farm, and I did not blame them. - -“‘Still you don’t secure your property to us?’ one said. - -“‘Oh, no,’ I told them. ‘If you boys have not the ability to earn -sufficient for your old age, you don’t deserve to have anything. These -young men and women who are keeping up the work in the society have the -best right to what I leave, unless you show that you will do as they are -doing.’ - -“Oh, yes, young people can leave their parents just at the time when -they are most needed and if in after years there is any property left, -they think it a great hardship if their parents leave it to any one -else.” - -The old friends talked on and presently their wives joined them. They, -too, had been taking a walk and hearing the last of the conversation, -gave some of their ideas of the society. - -“What I like about it,” remarked Mrs. White, “is the freedom from care. -On the farm it is continual work, late and early, looking after the -stock and feeding or growing food. Now I can rest. Our apartments need -only a little straightening and dusting once a week. Each day while I -make the bed, husband waters the flowers and I must say I like the wide -porches with the boxes of plants on the edges. We make the porch our -sitting room in the summer and when winter comes, the windows are so -large, we can keep a nice lot of them and send the rest to the -greenhouses.” - -The four walked along and talked of the society and wondered they had -not thought of it years before. The short hours the young people have to -work and exercise the different portions of their body until it becomes -a pleasure to be employed, is a great change from the drudgery of the -past. - -Mrs. Brown here stated that she expected their married son to come on in -about a month or six weeks. - -“We have arranged for him to receive our permanent shares after our -death,” Mr. Brown said. “He, like your boys, did not see what advantages -the society offered him until we reminded him that our permanent shares -could go to him, but he would have to keep increasing his own shares. It -was hard for him to understand that we were leaving a certain amount in -consumable shares and using them in our living. He is not very strong -and his wife thinks they can have the children in the nursery and she -can work in one of the factories to help them out while the children are -small. We told them the advantage they would have of buying their food -already cooked, leaving her free to earn all that she could while the -children would have the advantage of every kind of learning that their -minds were capable of receiving, or their age or strength permitted. - -“You were not here last year, Mrs. Brown, when the men all came home -from the wheatfields? I suppose you know the society sends all our men -that are required to harvest the grain. Well, they have to go hundreds -of miles away and the last few years when they return they bring the -unmarried men back with them; that is, all who wish to come, to spend -the winter in the Colony. Only a few were married when the Colony -started, so many men go out and take up the land on the prairies and -bush land also. Well, they get settled there and for years never have a -chance to see any women to speak of. Now our Colony invites them to come -here during the winter and, if they want it, we find them work. However, -many come to share the social advantages and to learn the new ideas that -are being taught. It makes the winter very lively, I can tell you. I -never saw so many marriages as this exchange of interests brings about -and they are the right kind, too. This bringing the unmarried men from -those new parts of the country back here where they can find wives and -the sending of our able bodied men out there to work for the summer is -exchanging with a vengeance.” - -“But do our men want to go out there?” asked Mr. Brown. - -“Certainly,” says Mr. White, “they volunteer. You see our steam wagons -make it possible for them to go with very little expense. They are -fitted up with folding beds, cooking utensils, and with the use of -gasoline for steam and to cook with we make the exchange a very easy -one. They also bring the grain with them when they come. Our men can -earn higher wages by going out there and of course they want to go. Then -the novelty to the young men of sleeping wherever night overtakes them. -The covered wagons are as comfortable as their own beds at home; then -the advantage to the men who have the land and the grain to harvest is -more than most people think, besides having the ready market assured -them at prices that make it pay. It does away with the gamblers and -stock exchange as far as the society is concerned. We store it on our -own property. Well, here we are at our own home. I expect it is near -dinner time, so good-bye for the present.” - -They then went to their apartments. - -A day long to be remembered was when the boys and men were expected home -from the wheatfields. It had been a successful season and in the Colony -all had been excitement for days, preparing for their return. - -“Oh, what a bright day,” a young girl exclaims as she rushes to the -window in the morning. “I am so glad it is fine. We can all enjoy -meeting them together out in the grounds now. I wonder who will see them -first. I wish they would allow us to go on the watch tower. We could see -so far away from there.” - -Several other girls were now at the windows and one said, “Do you see -the dust just beyond the hill? That is them.” - -Then they rushed into the homes to tell the news. Soon the verandas were -filled with expectant and happy faces, all wishing to get a glimpse of -the dear ones returning to their homes. - -Such an army as it takes to attend to this industry! Nearly all are able -bodied men and they were waving their handkerchiefs and tossing their -hats in the excitement of getting home again. All were brown as berries. -There were husbands and brothers, sweethearts, fathers, all to be -welcomed and the older women were attending to the dinner for the hungry -men and boys. It was a great event to the boys, especially those who had -gone away for the first time. So many strangers were there to be -entertained also. It was funny to see how shy many of the girls became. -The sparkle of their eyes indicated their excitement as the old and the -new comers appeared. - -[Illustration] - -All rushed to the balconies to welcome them. Such a happy, jolly lot. -Just then the home band that had gone out to meet them struck up the -glad strain of “Welcome Home,” while cheer after cheer sounded again and -again. A father lifted a little child up on his shoulder after kissing -her. She struggled and tried to get down, looking startled at such -familiarity. Every one roared, laughing, until some one cried out, “It -is a bad case when your own children won’t recognize you.” “This is -papa,” you would hear in one direction, or brother, as the case might -be, while many were trying to coax the little ones to kiss them. All -were so tanned and dusty, yet looking well and strong. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - -Geron Vivian was sitting in his arm chair. It was the day of rest, or -should have been, but none had come to him. He was constantly thinking -how he could manage to get back to his farm and wondering how he had -ever been enticed to leave it. - -[Illustration] - -The salary that he had received had seemed enormous while he lived upon -the farm, but now he reasoned, money is like holding water in your hand. -It slips through your fingers, no matter how tightly you hold it, or how -much you have. I have spent more money in the last four years than in -all my lifetime before. First comes rent, gas bills, servants’ wages, -and clothing—more needed in three months than in that many years in the -country—and shoes! Why, they are a weekly tax for some one of the -family; stone pavements scour them to pieces. “Then car fare—well I had -better stop or I will have the blues worse than ever. I don’t feel quite -myself today and I suppose I am blue from worry over that mortgage. In -six months’ time the lease will be up and we shall go back to our home -and when once that mortgage is paid I will never place another dollar on -anything I own.” - -Walking to a large mirror he exclaimed: “Father! is it possible?” and -then glanced around to see if any one was within hearing. “I thought it -was he, but how old I am looking—as old as he did a short time before he -died, and yet he was thirty years older than I. He raised a large family -out there on the land and amassed wealth, while I have played the fool -by coming to the city. Tom is a brighter man than I, I see now. One -comfort I have—that interest was paid on the mortgage yesterday and if I -can only sell those stocks, I will get that mortgage paid.” - -Just then Lear and Libra Shuman drove up to the door in their carriage. -He greeted them cordially, as Grace, his wife, brought them into the -room. The conversation became general for a time and then the ladies -went off by themselves. Geron and Lear talked of their business affairs. - -Finally Geron says, “I want to sell those stocks and clear off that -mortgage, Lear. Do you think I can do it before spring, for I intend -going back to the farm again?” - -“They have gone up and down,” Lear replied, “and they must advance soon, -so I would advise you not to be in a hurry.” - -“I wish they had gone up before I ever mortgaged my property to buy -them, or down to perdition, I don’t care which,” Geron replied. - -“Well, you must not blame me, for I did the best I could for you. You -wanted to give your boys a chance to attend the colleges here in the -city and have the refining influences of association not to be had in -the country. I am sure it has improved them and gives them a polish that -they never would have had had they not come.” - -On the way home afterwards, Lear told Libra that her brother seemed to -imply that he, Lear, was to blame for the mortgaging of the estate. - -“I don’t think I am,” he said. “I merely told him how he could secure -the stock. I bought heavier of it than he. He complains because he has -never received any dividends, only promises. Neither have I.” - -In about two months Geron thought he had a customer. Every evening as he -came home the old, bright expression seemed returning. He was already -planning for a return to the old home. Grace had begun to prepare for -the packing, and she had just come to the front door to look over some -plants she had felt uncertain about taking with her when who should -stand before her but Geron, his lips drawn and his face as white as -snow. Before she realized what he was about he had fallen across the -floor. All was confusion. The members of the family were running about -in all directions. A physician was summoned and said it was paralysis, -caused by some sudden shock. - -In a day or two he changed his mind and declared it was brain fever -caused by several other ailments and he must be kept quiet. Weeks went -by and his delirium was terrible, as he shrieked, “I am ruined!” and -then again over and over, he cried, “Watered stock, watered stock—I am -ruined!” - -Then he would imagine he was on the farm again and he would tell them -how he wanted everything done. Again he would become partly conscious -and cry out, “All the money is gone, all is lost. We are paupers!” - -It took all the strength of two men to hold him at these times. Finally -he became conscious with a full realization of his great loss, and -almost the first word he heard was a voice in the hall, saying, “I must -have my rent or I will send him to the hospital, and I will only wait a -few days longer. If you have not the money for me day after tomorrow I -will send the ambulance. He ought to be there anyway.” - -Poor Geron became unconscious again. In a few hours he revived and -wanted to know what it all meant. What had happened to him? - -His wife implored him to be patient and not to mind until he was well -and by coaxing succeeded in getting him quiet again. But memory would -return and with it the awful straits they were in, but he said, “I will -not sink under this and leave my helpless family alone. Yes, I will be -quiet. I have will power to do that much. I will get well, but I must -know one thing; have I lost my situation?” Poor Grace only looked the -answer she was afraid to put in words. - -“I see,” he said, “it is as I feared. The same schemers who sold those -stocks to me have taken all else that I have. It was only a part of the -scheme to entice me to risk all.” - -“Not all, Geron dear, you have the boys, and am I not worth having?” - -“Oh, Grace dear, to think that I should have been so foolish.” - -For an answer she kissed him and begged him to go to sleep and they -would talk it over when he was stronger. When he revived the first thing -he said was, “Thank goodness mother’s property is safe and we can live -on that and the mortgage does not close for two years. With the boys’ -help we can make a living. Will they be willing to go back to farm -life?” - -They were just at the age when boys who have lived in the city consider -it a great hardship to live in a smaller place. - -“Yes,” they said, “we will go if you will only get well.” - -In a few weeks he was better and then he would say, “To think of being -robbed by your friends. Fiends would be a more appropriate name for -them.” And to think that Lear had advised him! They raised enough to -appease the landlord until he was better and by selling most of their -furniture got back to the old home once more. All was so different now. -None of the conveniences he had had in the years past belonged to him -and all he could do was to work with the tenant and take it on shares. -It was a terrible humiliation, but it was better than the uncertainties -of the city. The best part of their mother’s home had never been used by -the tenants and all the best furniture had been left there, so old Mrs. -Vivian could have gone back had she wished, but she had always found it -too lonely and had never gone. - -For two years at least Geron would have to pay interest on the mortgage, -and after that he could not calculate what would be done. He saw no way -of paying the principal and though her land was exempt, still it could -not be sufficient to supply the family with the present prices that they -would make from the farm. - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - - -Mr. and Mrs. Birch had given up the restaurant in the Colony at the time -he was required to take a position in the interests of the Society. He -turned out to be a splendid organizer and they had gone from city to -city to get the colonies in line. In the meantime two children had been -born, and first one, then the other had been left at the original Colony -on account of the parents traveling about. Both Mr. and Mrs. Birch were -good talkers and very much in demand. Everywhere they went success -followed the enterprise. Just at this time they were staying at the -hotel in the Colony to be near their children and to arrange to have -their shares transferred to another part of the country where the -weather was not so severe. In fact it was summer there all the year and -they preferred making it their home. Six years had been devoted to the -society; now they intended to live a domestic life and be with their -children. - -Mrs. Birch and Scoris Vivian had always been friends and while the -Birches were going from place to place, Scoris (after moving to the -society) saw that their babies had enough attention that they should not -feel the loss of their parents; in that way she had become very much -attached to them, and to the little tots she was a second mother, in -fact they called her “’nother mamma,” to express their own sentiments. -Their father had been trying to teach the youngest one to call her Miss -Vivian, but she shook her head and said, “No, her is another mamma.” - -Living in the Colony had brought about very close friendships. Those who -had to keep their little ones in the nursery while employed could not -give them all the fondling that children crave, but others were glad to -take an hour every day or so. There was not a child in the nursery but -what it had some one or other to take it out and give it recreation if -it was only to take a walk. The lady principal of the establishment knew -every one in the place and knew who to trust with their care. - -Scoris felt the loss of the Little Birches more than she had -anticipated, and when an invitation came for her to visit their parents -she gladly accepted. - -Paul Arling and his mother had just nicely settled in the Colony and -Scoris was glad to get away for a time to overcome what she considered -her foolish attachment for him. She had always thought it more womanly -to let others see that you care for them, than to hide it, so while they -had lived in the city the family had been more intimate than she -intended they should in the Colony. Like many others she had found that -to let a man see that you care for him is a mistake until they are ready -to declare themselves. She knew his position but thought he could -confide in her under the circumstances if he actually cared as much for -her as at first she thought he did. In bitterness she realized that a -spark of fire may be quenched if not allowed to burn too long, so she -made up her mind that a change would indicate her indifference to him -and possibly bring it about. Time had passed quickly nevertheless since -she had been associated with the society, and she had formed habits that -brought her in touch with nearly every family there. One thing, no one -in the association knew that her heart had gone out to Paul Arling. It -was only in the secret of her own soul that she acknowledged it. - -In this new country the change had been so complete that she forgot she -ever had any other motive for going away than pleasure. The society -papers had announced her arrival and before she knew it all kinds of -demonstrations were on foot to honor her as the Honorable Scoris Vivian, -who had helped to bring about the conditions under which they all were -prospering. She had forgotten that she ever had heartache for everyone -treated her as if she was a princess and she was beginning to believe -that she liked this new country better than the old. Men who were -wealthy as well as devoted to the cause of the people, asked her to -marry them. One in particular wouldn’t take no for an answer and he paid -her such marked attention and had said so persistently that he would win -her that it was announced in the papers that there was an engagement. -There was much to see and the warm climate made a difference in the -buildings which interested her, for instead of building them in -apartments as in her home Colony, they were built separately because -land was not so expensive nor was building material. - -Laborers, machinists and builders were not as plentiful as land, but -almost any one could put up a shelter, and improve upon it as their -shares increased. She thought what a fine place it would be for aged or -delicate people who suffer from severe climates, and she was looking -around for possible employment for them. She knew that with the -automobile system they could be sent there. She was interested in “the -Solar system” that had been discovered there also, and intended to bring -it before the home Colony when she returned. Her attention had been -wholly on the affairs of the society, so she was not aware of the -personal interest that she was attracting. - -Her letters to her mother described the system instead of telling them -news about herself. - -“The Solar system was produced by using mirrors shaped like a large -basin,” she wrote. “This was so arranged that it reflected the rays of -the sun and the heat generated was focused upon a large, furnace-boiler, -producing steam, this in turn was used to produce electricity and was -stored in a storage battery. The reason the mirror had to be a basin -shape was to focus the rays of the sun directly upon one spot, otherwise -the heat wouldn’t be sufficient to produce the steam. It was so -inexpensive that it soon revolutionized every other system of heating, -lighting or producing electricity in that part of the country. It could -be erected on the top of a house, or on a building built for that -purpose which was found best where new conditions were practiced as they -were in this colony. The fact that heat could be secured by reflecting -the sun’s rays on a mirror was one of the greatest factors in making -this colony a success. Its simplicity placed it within the reach of any -intelligent person. Of course all kinds of patents were claimed for the -different patterns, but even the trusts could not monopolize the sun, -and small boys began to shape pieces broken from glasses in their homes -or go to the factory and collect any kind and shape them together in a -circular basin with the use of plaster paris and then stand it against -the wall or a box and let it reflect the sun upon a pail of water -suspended from a string that couldn’t come in contact with the rays.” - -Helen and her mother were talking about Scoris’ letter and the advantage -of the solar system would be to all the colonies. Presently Helen says I -am sorry for Paul for I know he has always loved Scoris, and she doesn’t -deny what the papers are saying. - -While they were talking Paul Arling’s mother called. She said she had -come to ask if it was true that Scoris was going to marry someone out in -the new Colony? - -Mrs. Vivian told her that Scoris had never written them about it, but -she hadn’t denied it either. That possibly she had intended waiting -until she came home before letting them know. - -They had been old friends, Mrs. Arling reminded Mrs. Vivian, and she had -hoped that some day Scoris would have been her daughter-in-law. - -Mrs. Vivian sat with her chin resting on her hand, looking away out to -the future; in thought she, too, had wished that Paul and Scoris would -marry sometime. - -“Our dreams rarely come true,” she replied, softly. “I had hoped that -all my children would be near me while I live, but, ah, well,” she -sighed, “Scoris has always been a sensible girl and I am sure will not -make a mistake.” - -Mrs. Arling reported the conversation to Paul and it seemed to him a -fact that he had lost Scoris after all these years waiting to have -something to offer her. He didn’t try to hide his grief from his mother, -and when he told her why he hadn’t spoken to Scoris, she reminded him -that he had been in fault. - -“You must remember that it is the custom for women to keep silence on -that subject. I always supposed that there was an understanding between -you.” - -“To tell the truth, so did I,” he answered. - -“There you go!” she said. “Like all the rest of men, taking things for -granted. I would sooner have had one room for the rest of my life than -to have come between you two. Why, with the advantages we have here in -this colony I would have been more comfortable, for I would have less -care.” - -[Illustration: PRINCESS LOVECHILD.] - -There was a touch of human nature; she had been selfish, and now as she -thought she had made her son unhappy she blamed him. - -“I see I am to blame,” he soliloquized when alone. “I should have -consulted her; perhaps she would have married me now. I have enough to -start with, for it doesn’t require as much in a colony like this, where -you are sure of employment as long as you need it.” - -He had invested a small sum in starting some exchanges and the dividends -had been unusually large. “If I could only have had it before!” he said -to himself; “I would have known just what to do. Now I suppose I have -lost her.” - -About this time Helen’s engagement had been announced to a young Prince -and he saw the effect Scoris’ engagement had upon Paul Arling, for Paul -had been unable to hide it. The four had been constant companions in the -city and he believed that Scoris cared for Paul. One evening he called -for him to take him automobiling and after they had left the Colony -behind and were going slowly through a cool stretch of bush, where the -trees almost touched their heads, the Prince said: - -“Helen and I are going to be married in the fall.” - -“And I suppose Scoris will be married also?” Paul questions. - -“I don’t know,” the Prince answered. “You are referring to that -announcement in the paper. She will be home in two weeks, and we will -know then. I am disappointed, old fellow,” he continued, “for I used to -think that your heart was in that direction.” - -“It was, and is yet,” Paul answered softly. “I am dazed with the news. -You know, Charley, I had nothing to offer her until now.” - -“Well, neither had I; but I let Helen know I loved her, so she wouldn’t -learn to care for some one else.” - -“But you hadn’t anyone else to support, as I had,” Paul said. “I will go -away before she comes back,” he continued. “I never could live here and -witness that wedding. I don’t know when I began to love Scoris Vivian. -Long before I saw her she was my ideal in imagination, and I knew her to -be my fate when she appeared.” - -“And you never told her this?” Charley asks. - -“How could I, when I was not able to give her a home such as she -deserves?” - -“Paul Arling, the trouble with you is that you are too cautious. I -didn’t even have a position when this Colony started, but I pitched -right in and now I can take life easy. I was bound to win and nothing -daunted me. I kept Helen posted all the time, and she encouraged me to -succeed.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - -In thinking it over Prince Charley said to himself: “What a strange -thing man is anyway! Some plod all their days and every one connected -with them holds them in one place at the point of duty, while others are -looking around for the chances that are sure to turn up if the mind is -clear. You never catch me taking bracers to steady my nerves, nor -smoking to derive comfort, as some say. Those things take money and when -I made up my mind that I wanted Helen Vivian for my wife, not one cent -was spent that didn’t count for necessities. My mind was clear because I -had no habits to attract my attention and compel me to pander to them. I -intended to succeed, and I did. The men who smoke may succeed in -business if they have plenty of backing but I have never known one man -start out with only his two hands and brain for capital succeed so that -the world would hear from them if they were smokers. - -“These brains of ours need to be kept clear by plenty of rest, good food -to keep the body vigorous, lots of pure air, exercise, physically and -mentally. If we are attending to these necessities and look upon our -bodies as an instrument that must be kept in tune as we would a musical -instrument, then harmony will result. Harmony is the secret of -concentration. Concentration leads to success. - -“Paul Arling is a pattern among domestic men and yet he has lost the one -thing his inner nature craves for because he has allowed himself to be -swayed by circumstances. - -“I intend to look into this matter for them, for I’ll be blessed if I -don’t think it is a mistake all around. Let me see,” he mused, as the -machine slowly mounted a long hill going over the same ground that it -did a few evenings before when Paul was with him. “Scoris is to stay a -few days at the colony in Tripside. That is only two days’ ride from -here. I shall persuade Paul to take the trip with me. He will never know -what I am after. Then I will throw them together, for if I don’t get him -away from here before she comes home and her engagement is announced -then nothing can stop it.” - -Paul readily accepted his invitation, not knowing that Scoris would be -there. Leaving Paul at the hotel upon arriving the Prince hurried to the -friend’s apartments where Scoris was visiting. - -“Why, Charley!” Scoris exclaimed, laughing, “did you come all this -distance just to meet me?” - -“Yes, I did, sister-in-law,” he answered, using his pet name for her. -Then aside he told her that he must have a talk with her alone as soon -as it could be managed. She was rather startled at first, fearing that -something must have happened at home. - -“Everything is all right,” he assured her. “It is about yourself I wish -to talk. Is it true that you are going to be married?” - -She laughed heartily. It seemed so absurd for him to have come all that -distance to ask her that. - -“Why, Charley, what gave you such an idea?” - -“It has been in all the papers,” he answered. - -“In the papers!” she exclaimed; “before I had even told my own family! -How strange!” - -“Then it is true?” the Prince said as a matter of course. - -“I hope so,” she answers teasingly. - -“Paul Arling is with me,” he announces to see the effect upon her. - -“Oh! how nice!” she answers. “I am so glad he came too. It shows that I -am appreciated.” - -“Scoris Vivian, don’t you know that Paul Arling loves you and has all -these years?” - -“How could I,” she answers, “when he never told me?” - -“He told me so only two weeks ago, but I knew it long before,” the -Prince said. - -“And he came to meet me thinking that I was engaged to another! How -neighborly you all are!” - -“Do stop your bantering, Scoris,” the Prince answered. “He doesn’t know -that you are here. That was my doing.” - -“Well, Charley, it was good of you and I appreciate it. Go back to the -hotel and bring him to join the boating party that we are to have this -evening. Tell him I want to see him.” - -The Prince started for his hotel going in a round about way to gain -time. “What will I tell him? He will know at once that I put up a job on -him. I believe I have made a fool of myself after all; but nothing -venture nothing win,” he said to himself. - -He quickened his pace when nearing the hotel, rushed to Paul’s room in a -breathless way and then said: - -“Who do you suppose is here in town?” - -“Well,” Paul questioned, “how can I tell?” - -“It is some one you will be pleased to see. It is Scoris and she wants -to see you.” - -Paul turned pale for a second, then answered: “I came here hoping to -avoid seeing her until I become accustomed to the fact that she will -soon belong to another.” - -“Well, it is too bad,” the Prince answers; “but you better go to the -party. I am going and I don’t wish to leave you alone. Besides, if you -don’t go she will feel badly.” - -“Do you think she would care to see me?” Paul asks in a hopeful way. - -“I am sure she meant what she said when she asked you to come.” - -“I don’t think I’ll go,” Paul said after a while. “The man she is -engaged to may be there.” - -“No, I am sure he is not,” the Prince answered, “or she would have said -so. It would be much better to meet her away from home the first time -too. No one here knows about you.” - -“I believe you are right,” Paul answered; “and yet I am sure to say or -do something I should not.” - -“See here, Paul,” his friend replies, “it is a lovely evening and there -will be quite a crowd and it will be the best time to see her. Come!” - -When Scoris met them she was so natural that Paul was soon at his ease. -She asked after his mother, sisters and friends in the colony and before -the evening was over he felt quite comfortable with her, they had so -many interests in common. - -The next day they met in the park and he made up his mind that he would -see her all that he could while he had a chance. They were with a party -and it was impossible to talk about themselves. - -Two days passed and still every one seemed to claim Scoris’ attention -until Paul became desperate. “See her alone I will!” he exclaimed at -last to the Prince. “Here is an answer to my note saying that she will -go for a drive with me; now I intend to have it out with her. I can’t -stand this any longer. If she is going to be married at home I shall -leave the Colony until it is over.” - -“That is all right,” the Prince had answered, “but while there is life -there is hope, they say.” - -They had driven two or three miles and every topic had been exhausted, -still Paul had not touched on the one subject he was determined to talk -about before they returned to the Colony. - -[Illustration] - -Scoris could see by his face that he was suffering, but she had waited a -long time for him to tell her what she now believed he was going to say -and she wouldn’t help him. They had reached a grove that had been used -for picnics and she suggested that they alight and walk around for a -change. Wild flowers grew in abundance and she was gathering some when -Paul said: - -[Illustration] - -“Scoris, I would like to have a talk with you while we are here by -ourselves. It is about your engagement. I had hoped to be able to say -our engagement some time.” He paused a moment as if waiting for an -answer, but she let him continue while she laid the flowers down in her -lap to attend to what he had to say. “Do you love him?” he questioned, -“and are you sure that he is good enough for you?” - -“I am very much in love,” she answered, “and I believe he is good enough -for me.” - -“Of course I have no right to tell you this now,” Paul said; “but I have -loved you ever since I first saw you and I do yet; but if you love -another I will never obtrude upon your affections. One thing I ask, and -that is that you will always think of me as a good friend.” - -“Paul Arling,” she cried, “I will not take you for a friend. It is you -that I love and if we are not engaged then I am not going to be -married.” - -“Scoris,” he exclaims, “is this true?” - -The log upon which they had been sitting for some time was surrounded by -a thick foliage. - -Well, and then, after a little of that sort of thing, Paul began to sort -the flowers. Scoris had jumped up to pick up one that had fallen, for -some one was coming. Just then an inquisitive collie dog poked his head -through the bushes. Nothing but the dog appeared, however, and -confidence was restored once more. - -The Prince and Paul arrived home the next day, Scoris the one following. - -The public announcement of the engagement was rather a surprise when it -became known that it was Paul Arling instead of the stranger all had -supposed him to be. - - - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - -It was gratifying to know that the society had been kept up all these -years by the industry of the people, although it could not be claimed -that any one system could have done it alone, and it had been recognized -that the honors conferred upon the deserving had a great deal to do with -the success. It brought together larger numbers of the better class than -could have been done under any other system. Those who came into the -ranks supplied with money enough to last them their life time were not -able to receive even the title of “Honorable” unless his or her life was -truthful and honest in their dealings with the public. Brave deeds were -not ignored because those who accomplished them were only ordinary -people. Each member who lived a self-denying life to better the whole -people was honored publicly, and by so doing the world was made better -for such acts. All could not gain the highest titles, but all could be -“Honorables.” Only the honorables could make the laws that governed. - -The society had princes and princesses simply because these people had -lived princely lives. Some of them had brought to the society large -fortunes in money, land, mines and jewels. They gave their wealth to -promote the welfare of the whole community, keeping, in many instances, -only the amount the society compelled each to hold during their life. -Still their money could not buy for them even the smallest title. What -then? Labor, for all holding titles had to honor labor in some way. This -is the way one princess gained hers: - -Princess Lovechild was the daughter of a man who had been disinherited -by his father for marrying against his wishes. His father sent him -adrift without money enough to keep him a year. He had no profession, so -he went to the mining district of a new country, and was given -employment overseeing miners. In this way they got along for several -years. A child had been born to them the second year. She was the pet of -the camp and considered their mascot. Every time a large find of gold -was discovered, she was given a share, the father investing, besides -buying several for himself. One day a great grief came to the mother and -child; the father was killed. They had to leave the camp, it not being -safe for them to remain. The kind-hearted men gave them gifts to take on -their journey as well as buying the claims. The mother took the child to -a city to find employment. Before she was successful, her money had been -spent. She tried among her friends, but they were unable to help her; -then she got cooking to do, but that separated her from her child. She -then obtained a place as housekeeper, even doing the hardest work to -keep her little girl with her. It was not long before the man who -employed her gave her to understand that he expected more from her than -she was willing to give, so she was obliged to leave and live in a noisy -district that racked her nerves because those who had nice houses -refused to take children. In time her money was gone again and she had -no friends who would help her. One day when the child was about six -years old the mother became ill and died. - -The child was placed in an orphans’ home, and then given to a woman who -used her as a little drudge. It was hard to have no mother to love her, -no pretty clothing, but she could love the baby that she had to mind and -her poor little love nature had all gone out to that baby, even when it -had grown older and would abuse her until she cried with pain, she still -loved it. The husband in this home died, and again she was homeless. - -She was at the age of thirteen then and had taken a place as nurse, when -one day she had been called into the breakfast room to answer some -questions about her name and her father, by the master who was reading -the morning papers. After a day or two she was startled to find that she -was expected to show a new nurse where to find all the things belonging -to the baby and children; then she was told that in the future she was -to be one of the family and was asked how she would like to go to -school. It had been her secret ambition; she studied hard and was -admitted to one of the best colleges. At the age of twenty she was home -again, or rather the place she had learned to look upon as home and -still did not know why these people had so suddenly changed toward her. -One day she was reading the paper and saw her mother’s name. She had -often read over her marriage certificate and found it was the name -advertised for. She had often wondered why she had to sign a paper for -the allowance which they were giving her; it seemed strange. She -answered the advertisement, however, and discovered that her mother had -fallen heir to a fortune which became hers. Instead of these people -rejoicing with her, as she had expected, they were angry. They said many -things about ingratitude that made her feel so uncomfortable that she -left them. Her lawyer discovered that she had had a larger fortune left -her by her grandfather years before, she being the only direct heir on -her father’s side. Suitors and friends sprung up like mushrooms, but the -man she loved died. Life lost all interest for her then in a personal -way. She could never forget the poverty she and her mother had suffered. -She was watching to see what she could do with the money that had come -too late to be of use to the parents who had needed it so much. - -Then she heard about the society. She said, “What a good thing that must -be.” - -Then she donned plain clothes and went to work in the worst paid places -she could find, just to learn the histories of the women who were forced -to work in such places. This is how she gained the title (she worked for -a cause). As is the case with so many who are already rich, the mines -that had been theirs had not been sold according to law. Now all this -money had come to her without any effort on her part. She had merely -inherited it, so she determined that it should do the most good to the -largest number of people. - -She had become acquainted with Scoris, Helen, Tom and the rest of the -family, and was given the name of “Princess” because the people among -whom she had worked had always spoken of her as “The Princess -Lovechild.” A little girl once asked her name and she replied, “Love, -child,” not intending that her name should be known, but the child said -it was Lovechild, and all thinking the name appropriate, it clung to -her. - -She was now past thirty years of age. Always finding out where her money -was needed the most, she gave freely. She had given it for factories, to -help along the exchanges, to buy shares for the old who were unable to -do for themselves. She used it to place hundreds of children in the -society until they were old enough to earn their own living. The society -said the name of “Princess” was none too good for her, for she had given -in return the love of her very being. Some brought their jewels to her -to be set in her crown that she wore on coronation days. - -She was not the only princess by any means, but they all had to earn -their titles. - -One day she had been going the rounds to find the deserving who could be -brought into the society, when she heard a child crying bitterly at a -window. She walked slowly past and smiled. The little fellow looked at -her and then called out, “I am all alone and it is getting so dark. Oh! -I am afraid; and the door is locked. Won’t you stay here until mamma -comes?” She did so and what was her surprise to hear the child say that -his name was “Freddie Moberly.” Then he looked around and said, “No, it -is Freddie Smith. I forgot.” She questioned him and found he was the -child who had been lost for nearly two years. She told him not to be -frightened that she would stay until his “mamma,” as he called the -woman, returned. In a moment or two she came, and as the child drew back -into the room, the Princess walked on, but no sooner had the door closed -than she returned and rang the bell. As Mrs. Smith appeared, she asked -to be allowed to go in as she wished to talk to her. The child was sent -out of the room and the Princess started at once on the subject for -which she had called. In a short time, Mrs. Smith told her if Mrs. -Moberly would get a divorce from her husband that she could have the -child. “He was a wreck from drinking and I nursed him back to life. We -were attracted to each other and when he afterwards told me he was -married and his wife would not live with him, I was sorry for him. I -knew at once that it was drink, and I also knew that if left to himself -he would be as bad as ever, for I could stop him from drinking. Well, -you see the result. He will support himself and me, but he wouldn’t keep -sober long enough, even if she would live with him, to support his wife. -Now I am not all bad, as she thinks I am. I am sorry that we have the -child; I don’t want to take him from his mother, and I certainly didn’t -take her husband from her, as the papers said. You see we know all about -it. It is not a case of kidnaping, either, for the law has never given -her the child and she cannot get him until she secures a divorce. I -cannot see my mother until I am his lawful wife. Now, madam, you see how -it is.” - -The Princess had never known such a case before. That woman did not seem -to be a thoroughly bad woman and there was evidently something in the -man to make it worth her while to stick to him. His selfishness and -drinking had embittered the whole of his wife’s early life and shadowed -the childhood of his children as well as leaving them dependent. - -The next day the Princess drove to the Colony. She saw Tom Vivian and -talked over what was to be done. They sent for Mira and told her. - -Shortly after Tom called at the house where the child had been found by -the Princess, but as he expected, they had gone. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - -The title of Prince had been given Charley Evens because he had proved -himself an unusually bright and shrewd as well as a liberal and -broad-minded man; all classes liked him. He secured the first coal mine -for the society by his clear reasoning among his friends who had money -saved. - -“Invest it,” he had said to them all, “I have been to the mine; I have -worked in it. I tell you it will pay with the society’s protection.” - -His manner was so forceful that they believed him and it turned out as -he had said. The mine was the means of increasing the members to many -thousands in the city because coal could be bought cheaper by members. - -Then he pushed the automobile system. Everything he did was a success -because he gave his whole mind to it. From small beginnings, the savings -of the members to thousands of dollars he had used to start factories. -All trusted him; in return they were receiving dividends that were -earning them neat little incomes. Of course he was a favorite and one -and all said he was a prince; it is a pleasure to do business with such -a man and they demanded that he receive the title of Prince Charley -Evens, just to show their appreciation. He had secured a good income for -himself besides helping others who needed assistance. He was a friend -upon whom all relied. When he found that Geron Vivian was in danger of -losing his property by foreclosure he went quietly to work to secure it -to the family and presented it to Mrs. Vivian, Geron’s mother. - - * * * * * - -It had been arranged that a double wedding would take place after -Thanksgiving day, and Prince Charley and Paul had secured apartments in -a new building especially fitted up for young married couples. They each -had a suite of rooms opening into the same hall and Scoris and Helen -were giving them their finishing touches before their friends arrived. -Beautiful presents were in each apartment, many gifts from people the -least expected to remember them. Everywhere evidences of the love in -which they were held in the community. All had seen the rare china, the -silk drapery embroidered by loving hands. Everything that could make a -home lovely and a place of rest was there. They were holding a reception -so all their friends could see them before they left for their travels. -It seemed as though the family could do nothing all day but walk through -the apartments and admire it all. Each hour brought some new gift. Mrs. -Vivian enjoyed it as much as the rest. - -Mira was trying hard to be cheerful amidst all the festivities that were -going on. Her heart still yearned for her boy and now she realized all -she had lost by her foolish infatuation. But as yet nothing had been -heard of the child. - -About three o’clock in the afternoon a carriage drove up to the door and -Princess Lovechild was announced. All came forward to express their -pleasure in seeing her. Her manner was so constrained that they soon saw -she had something to tell. Her eyes kept following Mira and then as -their glances met, the Princess looked toward the door. Mira turned and -there stood Freddie, looking rather startled at seeing so many people he -had never seen before. - -“My boy, my own Freddie,” Mira cried, “at last!” Then they all wanted to -know how she had found him. - -[Illustration] - -“Oh, it was not a case of finding him at all. I received a letter from -Mr. Moberly that I could take him to his mother, so you may be sure I -lost no time in going for him, and we came as fast as the ponies could -bring us, didn’t we, Freddie?” - -Poor child, he couldn’t speak. Everything had been done so quickly that -he was bewildered. Soon his sister and little brother arrived, then he -realized that he was home once again. His mother, sister and brother -were inseparable. The baby, seeing all the attention that Freddie was -getting, began to feel slighted. Nellie was jumping around like a mad -child in the midst of it all. The Princess left the room to find Tom. -Presently they returned and Tom said: - -“Mira, I have your divorce papers. If you wish, you can take your maiden -name again. Will you?” - -“Indeed I will,” she answered. - -“Then,” Tom says, “after the next coronation day, you will be known as -the Honorable Mira Vivian.” - -“Yes,” she murmured, “and with the name of Moberly gone forever, I and -my children are free. Freddie, dear, your name is Vivian.” - -“What,” exclaimed the child, “another name!” They all laughed. Mira and -her children then withdrew to her apartments. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - -The wedding day dawned clear and bright and the weather was all that -could be desired, and in the midst of a profusion of flowers the -ceremony took place. The costumes were beautiful and two fairer brides -were never led to the altar. The picture remained in the minds of all -who saw them for many years. The wedding was in the morning so they -could leave on the mid-day train for their honeymoon. - -A special car belonging to the society had been placed at their service -and was fitted up with drawing room, state room and dining room -accommodations. - -The guests had departed and Mrs. Vivian went alone to the apartments of -the newly married daughters. They were so bright and had every -convenience for comfort and rest. - -The pictures on the walls and the statuary were works of art, all -showing the taste of the occupants as well as their own industry. All -displayed the fact that their friends who had presented them with so -many of these things were artists as well as people of wealth. - -“Well, I intend to enjoy these rooms while they are away,” Mrs. Vivian -thought. “What a pleasure it is to know these apartments are secured for -them during their lives. No mortgages can ever be placed on them to -torment them in the years to come. What a comfort! It is certainly a -great comparison between their newly married life and my own and yet my -marriage was considered a good one in that day, and it was, both from a -financial standpoint and in our affection for each other. Still all the -wealth my husband left me did not give me an income the last few years. -If these girls had not secured my shares I am afraid the outlook would -not have been so bright and comforting as it is now. I suppose Geron did -the best he could, but, oh, men risk so much! He did so differently from -what the girls have done. Oh, girls,” she soliloquized, “you will never -know how happy you have made me by your self-denial.” - -She turned and looked at a picture of her husband which Scoris had -painted. “Yes, my dear,” she says sadly, “I wish things could have been -different and we could have gone through life longer together. As I look -at your dear face it is so lifelike that my heart yearns for you. Dear -me! dear me! I do hope no one will come in until I have washed away the -trace of these tears. Will I never get accustomed to seeing that -picture? She painted it as she remembers him and it is not like any -other that we have. What a wonderful talent she has! Paul Arling, you -are a lucky man to have won her. - -“I am going to sit right down here so I can see them all. Why, how -sleepy I am! I will rest just a moment. My!” she exclaimed opening her -eyes, “it only seems a moment since I sat down and here I have slept an -hour! These rooms are so restful and have such a soothing effect. -Everything speaks of harmony. Well, I wish every mother I know could -feel as contented as I do over the choice that their daughters have -made. They have married men who are worthy of them and that is admitting -a great deal. I really feel that I have gained two more children. Time -will tell, but until then I am going to look upon them as such.” - -Next day, Paul Arling’s mother called upon Mrs. Vivian to invite her to -go for a drive. Paul had purchased a small pony for her just before he -was married and she knew that her old friend would enjoy it as much as -she would. Their sympathies were very near and now that a relationship -had been established between them it was closer than ever. Both loved to -drive out into the open country, over the hills and along the lake -shore, letting the pony jog along as he liked. It was so pleasant to -breathe the balmy air as they talked over the wedding of their beloved -children. Mrs. Arling remarked: - -“Paul is without doubt the best son I have ever known, for although he -has loved Scoris all these years, yet he has stuck to me.” - -Mrs. Vivian replied: “Yes, but there were two in that bargain, you must -admit. Possibly if Scoris had not had me to think of after Geron had -lost my income, you would have had another daughter long before now.” - -“Well, she would have been just as welcome as she is now, bless her dear -heart. I am as proud of her as you are.” - -“Did you not think Helen looked very pretty in her bridal robe?” - -“Oh, yes, indeed, but to tell you the truth, I hardly saw any one but -Paul and Scoris,” Mrs. Arling answered. “They both looked so happy. I -think Scoris the handsomest bride I ever saw.” - -“Isn’t that funny,” replied Lady Vivian, “Mrs. Carry, Prince Charley’s -sister, made the same remark about Helen.” - -“Certainly, ‘every crow thinks his own the blackest.’” - -“Well, now, what do you think yourself, Mrs. Vivian? - -“Oh, I don’t know. They are so different,” continued their mother, “for -to me they have always been beautiful, each in her own way, and their -characters equally so. Did you know, Mrs. Arling, those girls turned all -their own permanent shares over to my account before Tom knew that Geron -had lost either his own or my income? Besides this, they gave up a -portion of their salary for me each week. The other members of the -family have made it up to them in the last year and I appreciate it, but -after all, it was their self-denial that proved their affection for me.” - -[Illustration] - -Just then a scream of laughter from childish voices was heard, and the -sound of several automobiles that were coming up on the road behind -them. - -“Oh, dear!” exclaimed Lady Vivian, “I hope they will not frighten the -pony.” - -Mrs. Arling turned off to one side to let them pass, and as they came -nearer they slowed up so as not to frighten the horse. “It is hard to -realize,” she said, “that there are fully one hundred children in those -three cars. Doesn’t it do your heart good to see Mira with all three -children around her at last?” - - * * * * * - -The two brides who are on their wedding trip are not happier than -Princess Lovechild, who is the life of the party. To give happiness to -those who would have been deprived of it without her assistance was to -her full recompense and she was truly the happiest among them after all. - -“Well it is a wonder to me how the Princess and Mira can stand the -racket those youngsters are making. It may be their way of expressing -their joy, but I must confess that I like to be beyond their voices.” - - - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - -After the wedding party had returned home, the Vivian family met to talk -over the gift that Prince Charley had made Lady Vivian of the mortgage -of Geron’s property. The mother did not feel justified in giving it to -Geron, as had been the idea at first. He had risked losing it once and -now she thought it her duty to come to an understanding with him. If he -would deed the property to her, she would secure for him shares that -would keep him during his life, by turning the property over to the -society. He could then help his boys to secure their necessary shares as -they grew to manhood, besides giving them the advantages of the society. -This he was willing to do, so the affair was settled. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - -Twenty-five years had passed. Tom Vivian was governor of the state and -his son was in charge of the first Colony which had become a large town, -or groups of towns, rather, for the many industries had settlements in -different localities. Human beings had become as valuable as property, -and when one part of land was built up another had been selected. - -“This is the era of happy reunions and grand old age,” said Tom Vivian -to a friend as they shook hands one evening. “Everywhere we go it is the -same and all seem to have good health. Certainly a contented mind is -more than half the cause.” - -“You remember, Tom,” replied his friend, “that twenty years ago we could -not take up a daily paper without reading about suicides and murders. In -these days we rarely hear of such a thing, for instead of enduring -misery, we are curing it by reasonable methods. Poverty which was in -most cases the cause, is now only a memory. Do you know, Tom, for what -you are admired the most of all?” - -“Well, no, I can’t say that I do.” - -“It has been the largeness of your mind in seeing the little things that -went towards the building up of the system of this society. Take the -apartments, houses, or hotels that are arranged so as to give those of -small means as much comfort as those of large money interests. The -houses having every provision made for comfort show clearly what a keen -eye you had on the domestic situation.” - -“You forget it was not always I who thought out all these improvements. -It has oftener been the men and women who occupy them. They all wanted -front rooms, so I called them together and with their aid and -suggestions we adopted the method of constructing the buildings that -way.” - -“I consider,” continued his friend, “that one of the greatest -improvements you have made is the one that enables us to keep our -families together. For, after we secured a suite of rooms in the -apartment hotel, my wife had no further care in the housekeeping for she -objects to keeping help. Our children were young when we started and the -kindergarten boarding apartment took them in. It was a great comfort to -know that when we wanted them with us my wife, instead of being tired -out, had plenty of time and felt fresh and rested so as to be able to -enjoy them. Now that our family has been reared with less expense than -we could have done in the old way, I have been able to secure sufficient -shares to start every one of the children with a separate suite of rooms -when they are married. As circumstances demanded we changed our -apartments so as to be near each other. I have found it much more -satisfactory than it would have been to have left any wealth I have -accumulated or of insuring my life, leaving them thousands of dollars of -which any one could have robbed them. What a comfort it is to be assured -that they have a home and employment as long as they will need it and an -allowance or pension for their remaining days. - -“I met an old acquaintance the other day who hadn’t been able to see -along the lines as we did years ago. Now he has no standing or titles in -the country. You see he couldn’t grasp the situation and ideas. The old -ways were good enough for him. I see your sister, Mrs. Shuman, has at -last taken an apartment.” - -“Yes,” replied Tom, “the Shumans were glad to come and had they done so -before money depreciated as it necessarily had to do before the new -order of things, they would have been better off. Why, he even blamed me -for his losses. I didn’t quarrel with him on account of my sister, but I -wrote in the next issue of our paper an article describing his position, -then I saw that he got it. You know he was a very wealthy man at one -time. Well, he came in one day and told my sister that he had made -thirty thousand dollars through wheat advancing that he had bought on a -margin. My sister said to him, ‘All that money on a margin and you never -saw the wheat? Well, I think that was wonderful.’ - -“‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘you see, money makes money. When a man has it and -the rest of the people have not, why it is easy as rolling off a log. A -friend gave me a tip.’ - -“‘Lear, tell me how that sort of thing is done. How do these people know -that wheat and all these commodities are going up? And, then, how can -they control such an immense amount of money in their exchanges? How is -it possible for people to make such a large amount of money just through -a few cents profit on the bushel?’ she said. - -“‘Oh, I can’t explain all that to you now. I just hurried home to give -you your third of it all. I was afraid I might be tempted to invest it -in something else and lose it, for it is a gamble. I believe in a man -giving his wife her third while he is alive, then both can enjoy it.’ - -“After he had gone back to the bank Libra sat down to think it all over. -She had everything that she actually needed, but she would like the -diamonds he had spoken of a few days before. Well, she could have them -now and she believed she would get them; they would add so much to her -appearance. She had just decided this point when Scoris called to see -her. Of course she told her of Lear’s generosity, then asked what she -would do if any one gave her such a splendid gift. - -“‘Do with it?’ exclaimed Scoris. ‘Why, I should secure shares in the -society as soon as I could get to the treasurer’s office to attend to -it.’ - -“‘Why, Scoris, I never thought of that,’ she answered. ‘I have a good -mind to do it, or at least half of it. Supposing I send it to Tom and -ask him to arrange it for me. I can sell it,’ she said in a hesitating -way, ‘at any time I like, can’t I?’ - -“‘Yes, to the members,’ Scoris said, ‘but I hope you never will, for if -anything happened to Lear you would be provided for.’ - -“‘Oh, come now, Scoris,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have to provide for my -future, my husband will take care of that, but I would like to take some -shares in the society. I don’t know anything about business and don’t -know which is right, he or Lear. Of course, if Tom is right, my husband -is wrong, so we won’t talk about it. I can do as I like with this money, -so I will do this. I often feel ashamed to hear people talk about the -success he is making and not to be able to tell them something about it -myself.’ - -“‘All right,’ Scoris had said, and that was how they happened to have -shares. When her husband sank all they had in trying to bolster up his -failing fortune years after, he was amazed to find that those shares -provided him with a home and was even the means of helping him to gain a -position in the bank after he had learned its different methods. - -“Libra became interested in the society after she had made an investment -in it and often asked questions that showed she was thinking. - -“She asked me one day what was meant by margins on the price of wheat. I -told her that all over the wheat belts of the country the railroads had -immense elevators that the farmers could store their grain in them free -from charge. This saved the farmers the expense of storage houses; they, -of course, made use of the railroads. The railroads control it and -possession is nine points in the law. ‘You see, Libra,’ I explained, -‘the controlling element, which is the money power, keep themselves in -touch with each other. The railroads are a part of that power. So is the -stock exchange where the price of the grain is fixed. Then the price is -telegraphed to the different points where the elevators are situated and -the dealers announce the price to the farmers. If they have to sell at -any price to straighten out their indebtedness at the stores or for -hired men who help them to seed and then thresh and get it in, as many -do, they will sell at the first chance; they can’t help themselves. The -dealer will own it now who is living on any profits he can get out of it -and he is usually a bright, sharp man. He in turn holds it for the city -dealers; all have to risk something for each tries to get all they can. -Now remember, it may never have left that elevator where it was stored -in the first place by the farmer, still, all these men have a profit out -of it. Now, your husband bought at a certain price and he sold his -margin or profit to someone else. He couldn’t sell the wheat for he -never had it, nor did he ever intend to get it. He had the money to -invest and he was assured that he could make that amount out of it, or, -in other words, he held or “cornered it” for a few hours or days, and -that is perhaps what he did.’ - -“Then she asked, ‘But how do they get the money?’ I answered, ‘From the -banks and insurance companies usually; of course, that is only one way. -There are many others.’ - -“‘But how is it that the banks and insurance companies get all those -millions that rich people can control?’ - -“‘They come from the savings of the industrious classes.’ - -“‘Don’t the banks and insurance companies risk more than they have a -right to in loaning that money?’ - -“‘No,’ I said, ‘they secure it by mortgages or in some other legal way.’ - -“She studied for a moment, then said: - -“‘After all I don’t see how some people know when prices are going up.’ - -“I answered, ‘If you had all the wheat under your control and had money -enough to keep it there, you would soon know for the people would pay -any price to get it. A cent or two extra on bread when millions are -consumed each day amounts to a large sum of money,’ I told her. - -“‘Why, of course,’ she answered, ‘I see now.’ - -“‘I don’t think it is honest,’ she said after a while. - -“‘Well, no,’ I answered, ‘that is why I started this society, so that -the people could protect themselves from the money power.’” - - - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - -The Honorable Thomas Vivian first started the Wealth Producing and -Distributing Society when but a young man, and though he is only middle -aged now, he is more honored than any other man in the country. Hundreds -have formed societies as he did, still all looked up to him as their -head and superior. The latter he objected to, for he claimed that every -locality should place their best managers at the head and then conduct -the business so that those who excelled could have the credit of their -own ability. - -It only takes four or five years to show what kind of people are at the -head of any enterprise, then after each separate colony has proved its -standing, it should be recognized by the older branches, always in -business and honors also. It had been proved a wonderful incentive to -the good morals and honesty of the society, to confer titles and whole -neighborhoods were known by their prevailing sentiments, even if they -were peculiar regarding their ideas. If one branch found that another -was not truthful and honest as a whole society, they declined to do -business with them, or look upon their titled members as their equals, -therefore all aimed to be worthy of the highest honors, each in their -own locality. - -It gave women a better title than Miss or Mrs., for marriages were not -always a mark of honor in those days. Then, besides, women did not lose -their identity as they did before in marriage. It was considered that -titles were a step higher for them. Each man and woman was known by -their own merits and if the names were changed it was a combination of -both names, or they kept their own; or if they wished to keep the old -custom it was no one’s business. Still the wife was the Hon. Mary, etc. - -No society could regulate these things, but all right-living people -lived so as to be an honor to the cause, continually keeping the -greatest good to the largest number in view. - -Again we find the Vivian family assembled to honor their mother’s -birthday. The grand-children with their husbands and wives make up a -good-sized crowd by themselves, but they cannot outdo their parents’ -enthusiasm in making this the happiest birthday the mother and -grandmother has had in years, and here we leave them to enjoy the fruit -of their labors. - - - THE END OF FIRST STORY. - - - - - THE WEALTH PRODUCING AND DISTRIBUTING SOCIETY. - - -We, the members of this society, consider life, liberty, and happiness -sacred beyond all other earthly considerations. - -Therefore we protect life, we liberate human beings from the bondage -that money holds over them, we make it possible for them to secure homes -and a pension that never can be taken away from them as long as they -live. - -In securing this much for them we believe that we are laying the -foundation for their happiness. - -Each member, as they sign their names promising to keep the laws and -rules of the society, must remember that they are binding themselves to -protect the life, liberty and happiness of all members. As the society -holds all wealth in trust for the members its laws are enforced to -protect their interests. - -Each member is expected to know the value of wealth in comparison with -money. They must recognize that money is only a medium of exchange and -that the shares of the society represent their wealth earned by labor, -and that the society is the only source in which labor can be protected -sufficiently to ensure homes and a pension. - -In joining the society all must agree to the following rules and -regulations and in no wise can any become members without doing so: - -I hereby promise to keep all rules laid down by the wealth producing and -wealth distributing society. - -In using the society’s property in the pursuance of labor or pleasure, -its waterways or conveyances, or anything in connection with said -society, I promise to protect it from law suits or any other unnecessary -expense or trouble. I take my own risk as to accidents and will in no -wise injure the said society by appealing to the law of the country. - -I hereby agree to take the society’s shares, scrip, produce, or other -commodities in exchange for my labor or money expended in shares, and -will in no case exact coin from said society. - -I hereby take oath that all money I place with the society is legally -mine. - -I also agree to give up to the society my shares either bought with -money or labor in case of any law suit brought against me. I do this to -protect said society. - -I agree to abide by the decision of the officers in charge of the -society in all cases of disagreement. - -I promise that I will not employ those outside of the society to perform -any labor for me if I can find what I need in the society and that -whenever possible I will buy from the members of the society. - -Any member breaking these rules also agrees to forfeit all claim on said -society. Members may sell their shares to other members, but cannot -withdraw them from the society, because each share represents the -strength in the society’s structure, in the same way as the bricks in -the wall of a building. If bricks were taken out of the building it -would soon fall. The same with the shares; they must remain intact -because the money and labor that these shares represent was used to -build the members’ home, to ensure employment and a pension when too old -to labor. - -Each member pays $1.00 per year for general expenses, then agrees to buy -at least one permanent share each year at $12.00 per share. Permanent -shares represent all buildings on the land belonging to the Colony as -well as improvements. When a member has sufficient permanent shares to -entitle him to live in an apartment building or hotel he is exempt from -paying taxes or rent, and when he has sufficient consumable shares to -justify the society in awarding him a pension he will be independent for -life. - -All money and labor is invested in permanent shares to buy materials, to -build factories, hotels, apartment houses, land or machinery that will -be permanent, fruit trees, etc. Members who had homes of their own could -buy sufficient consumable shares to ensure them an income. Then as many -permanent shares as would be required to allow them to live in an -apartment house. It wouldn’t exempt them from paying the regular $1.00 -per year for general expenses except in cases where the whole amount had -been paid to insure them an income for life. - -Scrip was issued with the consent of the officers in charge and only -issued to the amount of their security. The signature of the president, -secretary and cashier was necessary to make it legal. - -It was issued for the purpose of exchange among members. It paid for any -kind of labor done for the society, the president having power to issue -sufficient to satisfy the demand of its members. - -One benefit of scrip is that it cannot be stolen nor can it be issued by -any one except those appointed by the society and it must be for value -received. - -As nearly all members lived in the city and were paid in coin for their -labor in the beginning of the Colony, money was as plentiful as scrip -and could always be exchanged. This society having its central Colony -within thirty miles of the city, made it easier to exchange either its -scrip or produce. The city members had money to buy either shares or -produce. The manager of the Colony having the land secured by the -membership fee each year could secure all labor by issuing scrip. He -could buy from the farmers in large quantities at wholesale the first -year or until he was able to grow the food that the members needed; he -could then sell to them in exchange for the scrip he issued for their -labor, at retail market prices if he employed them. If he sold to the -city members they would have money to pay; this money he could use to -buy from outside dealers such articles as the Colony could not produce -at first. - -Special apartments were used for the aged. They were quiet and restful. -No children were allowed in the buildings. There were several parlors -where they could meet each other when socially inclined, but their own -rooms were private. In the beginning of the society some of these old -people contributed the best of their furniture towards fitting up these -parlors. The society bought them, allowing their value to go on their -shares, besides they contributed their tables and chairs for the dining -room. Elevators were used on all the floors so as to make it easy for -them to go up and down. Separate sections were used for lone men and -women. The men’s parlors were fitted up so they could smoke or rest, -read, or talk and make themselves comfortable in their own way, only men -were allowed in them. The women’s apartments were separated from the -men’s by those used by the aged married couples, the married people -using those situated in the center. - -As the buildings were built the length of the street, this was an easy -matter. The public dining room was all in one, but each family or group -of friends used tables by themselves. Their own homes and freedom to -live as they wished was the object the majority had in view. - -In some instances young married people also used apartments in these -buildings if they had no children. - -One large public parlor for both men and women was on the lower floor -and was used at first for entertainments. All the parlors were furnished -with good, comfortable chairs, rugs, pictures, draperies, etc., not -necessarily new, but in as good order. The main object being to have -them homelike and cozy. - -The society was able to reach a larger number by practicing these -economies and it helped these old members to dispose of their things -when they first joined the society. Five hundred dollars enabled one -person to secure one room and a small pension for life after they were -sixty-five years of age with all privileges allowed in the apartment -buildings. This did not include their board, but gave them more freedom -in their choice of food and besides they could use the scrip issued for -clothing or any purpose. They could cook their own food if they wished -or buy it already cooked. - -As the aged had no social homes provided for them the society found it -could supply that difficulty by accepting members over 65 years of age -for not less than $300. This amount would allow them one room, heat, -light and their laundry done, or where two occupied one room it was $500 -for their lifetime. This included their board. They were expected to -find their own furniture, bedding, etc., and attend to their own rooms -and wait upon themselves unless they were ill. After their demise if any -means was left it went to the society. - -Five hundred dollars was the lowest sum accepted where a pension was -granted, and that only secured a small room. One thousand dollars -secured a larger and better room and a larger pension. The age of the -person made a difference also and these figures are only given to -indicate possibilities that would suit all kinds of people. The -apartments were also arranged so that the people could be classified. -They could change their apartments if they wished also. This low amount -is stated to encourage those of small means and help all to secure -homes. - -The society’s apartment hotels were built to accommodate not only -wealthy people but those of refinement, who had only a small amount of -money. Small rooms could be found in all the buildings as well as large. -They were built in different localities to suit the habits and tastes of -all. The main idea being to secure the people against fraud and robbery -by the failing of so many insurance companies, banks, and mortgages or -where their savings had been placed, and to secure all from poverty, -from the infant to the aged person. - -Men and women who had been accustomed to give a percentage of their -wages each week in times of strikes, found that it was as easy to pay -the same amount into the society for shares, for the money that secured -shares was not lost even though the depositor failed to keep it up. It -was safer than in a bank also and drew a better interest even than if it -was on a mortgage. The small amount accepted (twenty-five cents per -week) brought it within the reach of all industrious people. The -advantage of free burial in case of death, besides their being able to -sell the whole amount of shares in case of sickness, or disaster, was -appreciated. The money so invested could not be lost to the depositor, -because it was either invested in land, buildings, or other valuable -properties that secured it. Never before in history had the people’s -savings been so perfectly secured to them; no matter how large or small -the amount. People gave up their life insurances and when they lived in -the Colony even their fire insurance, because the society was sufficient -assurance for everything connected with their lives. Those who were -saving money to buy homes invested it in permanent shares because the -shares earned for them $1.20 each year, per share, which amounted to -$6.00 each single share in five years. In this way two shares bought one -more in five years with its interest alone. (As it had to stand five -years before being added to the principal it did not earn compound -interest.) Those who wished to secure homes within a limited time and -whose income was small could do so with less money than in any other -way. For they could secure shares entitling them to use one room or as -many as they could afford. Inexpensive apartment houses were built first -so as to meet the demand of the majority who would be employed. The -members lived in the apartments and paid rent for them when they -couldn’t pay for them in shares; but if they lived there five years that -rent was allowed on the shares. - -Apartment houses were built instead of cottages, for many reasons. They -were cooler in summer, and could be heated better and with less expense -in winter. They also afforded protection to lone women, as night and day -watchmen kept guard in the halls. - -Some apartments had small kitchens so as to meet the demands of all the -people, but many used the public ones, for each could have their own -stoves, etc., and the persons in charge kept them clean. The majority, -however, bought their food already cooked or left their orders each day -with the cooks in charge. All apartments had large windows and porches. -They were built the length of the street, the streets being shorter than -usual, so as to make the gates that opened into the houses on the ground -floor convenient to go through with the steam wagons or automobiles. - -This track was used to bring everything into the building, the main -doors being kept in better order by this method. The kitchens and -dining-rooms were on the lower floor or basement as they were called and -were on one side of the track, the other side being used for store -rooms. This arrangement kept everything unsightly (such as many back -dooryards are) from the gaze of the curious and enabled the apartment -windows to face the street with its flowers and trees on each side in -summer. - -They were built facing east and west, so that all occupying them could -benefit by the sun’s rays and yet be protected from the intense heat in -summer from the south side, or from the severe cold in winter on the -north side. - -The public parlors and library were at the end of each upper floor. The -inexpensive apartment houses were built not only to last for ages but to -give comfortable homes to its inmates. They were built plainly but of -material that gave them a superior appearance. As the society owned the -buildings, the members could secure better apartments as they increased -their shares, or as soon as a better grade was built. Apartment hotels -were built in modern style to accommodate those of large means and who -wished to secure their money by investing it in the society’s shares. -Money so invested proved to be absolutely safe besides returning a -better interest, and whether a small amount or large it came to the -member (without any annoyance or delay) either weekly, monthly or -quarterly. - -All members had to be truthful and honest in their dealings or they -could not receive titles. Only titled members had votes on the -regulations and rules pertaining to the society. - -Members were allowed $100 on their shares for every new member they -presented if the member thus secured remained in the society two years -and paid all dues. - -This percentage was added towards the purchasing of shares for the -member who presented the new member. - -Many members secured shares in this way that helped them eventually to -have homes that they could never have in any other way. - -Members could build tent houses for summer use by paying rent for the -land. - -Members who lived on the land controlled by the society had the benefit -of free burial when they lived in the Colony two years, and had paid for -two shares (these shares were used to partly pay the expense, the -society paying the balance); this was only done when the members were -buried in the Colony’s burying ground or cemetery. - -All members who intended leaving their shares after their demise to any -one except to the society had to make a will to that effect, or the -society claimed the right to use the value of such shares for the -benefit of the aged members who were unable to provide all they -required. All shares left with the society by members who dropped out -and did not sell them was used for the same purposes in five years after -the last payment was made. - -When any member left children or any one dependent upon them they were -expected to secure their shares to them, and if the children were young -the society held said shares until the children became members entitling -them to the privileges, or it used the amount for their care until they -were old enough to work. In such cases the society or some member -adopted the children and became responsible for them. - -Many children were adopted by the society when their mothers had been -left destitute. These children were provided for by a special fund for -that purpose. It took care of them until they were old enough to provide -for themselves, but they were then bound to return to the fund a -percentage of their earnings each day to keep up the same advantages for -other children situated as they had been. Children adopted by the -society were not taken away from their parents as they were from private -persons, for the parent could live in the Colony, but the society could -compel the children to live in the Colony until they had repaid it for -any expense incurred in their childhood. - -All young people who were employed by the society left a percentage of -their earnings to be used for present necessities for either the aged or -children, then they were exempt to the amount as well as the interest -that would accrue from buying consumable shares, for the rising -generation could do the same for them in their old age. This was one of -the greatest advantages in the society, after the first generation of -children were grown, for by that time the society knew the average -expense of supporting each member. - -The amount each member had to pay was so small that a large number -invested their savings in factories. The stock was five dollars. That -gave all a chance to invest. The poor man or woman who had their savings -in the bank or those who lived on the investment of money, all had a -chance to secure better interest. You see there was no risk. The market -was already secured. Every member was interested. - -Every dollar’s worth sold had to be by a member appointed by the -President and approved by the members. For ten per cent on every -dollar’s worth had to be allowed the society for securing the market. -Ten per cent had to be allowed the member who bought from them also, but -was not paid them in coin but added to the shares. That made it cheaper -to them than advertising. The company had to employ the society’s -members. Factories were started in the city, but only remained there -until they were built in the Colony. - -A committee of members could build a factory on the land secured by the -society free from ground rent if it could be done without their going in -debt, for no materials unpaid for could be brought upon the society’s -land. This rule was made to prevent law suits that would endanger the -society. - -These members were allowed to make all they could out of it, within the -rules, for a certain number of years, but had to sell to the society -when the time was up, at the cost price of labor and materials, etc. - -One or more people would take up the different branches and were given -the exclusive right to sell to the society as long as they kept within -the rules. The rules were that a member was to receive ten per cent on -every dollar’s worth of goods they bought. This percentage was to be -added to their shares. All goods to be sold at a price regulated by a -committee of members and those who were investing in the enterprise. Dry -goods of all kinds were represented, hardware, crockery, etc. A general -overseer was appointed to see that a right percentage was paid to the -society for securing the customers. - -Three men started a hat factory, for both men and women’s hats. They -were given the exclusive right to manufacture them as long as they kept -within the rules of the society. - -Two women started the millinery department. Four others dressmaking. -Three men did tailoring, others took charge of the shoe department, all -using their own capital, each group paying their share of the rent. -Every line of business was represented that the members required. - -It gave all a chance to invest their savings. As each business venture -enlarged so that more partners were required to run it, the society took -charge of it. In every instance those who started the business and had -brought it to that point, were given charge of it at a percentage that -paid them more than it would to keep on alone. The society had to pay -cash for everything that it controlled; so did the members when they -sold under the society’s patronage. If there was no debt there was no -danger of the society being wrecked. - -In all the large department stores several salesmen and saleswomen saw -the advantage to themselves in co-operation with the society and soon -such stores were started in the cities. They realized their benefits and -determined to secure homes and pensions without delay. Each department -was represented by those that understood the business. The money that -had been kept in the banks was withdrawn and the days of small -beginnings had returned once more. - -It was a satisfaction that no one could become rich from their labor -except those who were co-operative with them. The people lived more -simply, the chief aim being to live honorable, truthful lives; to gain -titles that showed friends and strangers who and what they were was -worth more to them than all the flash and make-believes that had -contented them in days gone by. - -The society found it cheaper to make good roads with the labor of -crowded-out men than to use the old system of cars. Automobile cars that -carried coal and grain, as well as every kind of produce, spoke loud and -plainly as to the price they were going to pay those magnates of -commerce. - -Wealth beyond what each could use was only foolishness. It was almost as -bad as giving their labor away. They received honors when they donated -wealth to the society for the benefit of little children, invalids, or -the aged. Young people were given extra advantages who cheerfully helped -those who belonged to them and who were unable to do all for themselves, -but no member was allowed to support another if that other was better -able to work for themselves than the one who was doing it. The society -gave employment to all healthy men and women who were members and paid -their dues. All being consumers, they helped to keep the scrip in -circulation. In the beginning of the society many city members sent -their aged parents to the colony to live. It gave them a chance to do -light work when they were able, and their permanent shares could be -added to those members at the old peoples’ death. - -Those who held highest rank were always given the best offices. They -also controlled the councils, because they gained their titles for -honesty and truthfulness first, then for special services to the -society, bravery in times of danger, self-denial in giving up their -wealth for the love of the people. Merit, not money, ruled. Often those -who held the highest titles saw that someone besides themselves were -better fitted for the duties that naturally came to them. In those cases -the best person was appointed of either sex. No one could hold an -important office that had not received a title, nor could they in any -way be placed over members who had proved themselves superior. - -The object of giving titles was to place the best members in control. -Money had ruled so long and so unjustly that it was necessary to place -the members in positions that they would be honored for their integrity. -So the custom was established at the beginning of the society. All knew -what to expect when they joined and could not complain if they saw a -certain class preferred to themselves. No person’s honesty was taken as -a matter of course. The business of all concerned had to be constantly -under the supervision of committees formed each month to audit the -accounts, receive complaints, and settle disputes. It is a well-known -fact the world over that some people are always in trouble. That kind -know nothing else and they must be weeded out of the association, -otherwise they will cause a dissatisfaction that no power can stop if -let run on. They are like a small fire that can be controlled in the -beginning. Compel such people to sell their shares if reasoning fails to -bring them to their senses. The greatest good to the largest number must -always prevail. There is nothing so contagious as unreasoning discontent -among a mixed people. - -Patience is necessary in all walks in life, but was never needed more -than in becoming accustomed to the new forms of government. So many -would forget and fall back to the old ways at first, and those who were -careless were nearly always jealous of the persevering members who -surpassed them. - -The scale of wages was the same as union men and women received in -factories outside of the society, even if the hours were less per day, -excepting in cases of piece work that was done by old or infirm people, -who only worked as they were able at any time. - -The pensions paid to members for the first ten years were according to -dividends earned in the factories, etc., in which their money or labor -was invested. After ten years it was increased, but at no time could it -be decreased. - -Ten per cent each year was paid for interest on these shares until the -pension was paid, but had to be left to accumulate with the society -until then. When a member begins to draw a pension the amount will have -to be according to the number of shares and the age of the members when -the first allowance is paid. When a pensioner begins to draw his pension -at forty-five years of age, it will be less than if they did not draw it -till they were fifty-five or sixty years of age, for the amount of -shares will have to be divided so that they will last at least until the -member is seventy-five years old. - -This does not mean that the pension will cease at that age, for it will -be paid as long as the member lives. - -To protect itself the society had to make rules to pay pensions, -according to the members’ shares, but it was found by practice that such -large amounts were donated for this purpose that their shares were much -larger than their personal shares represented. - -This rule had to be made during the first generation, but after the -first generation of children had the advantage of being provided with -homes and an education in childhood, and regular employment in mature -years, the society was able to pension them at forty-five years of age, -because it had the whole benefit of their labors until that time. In -winter we had the machinery so arranged that it could either run the -weaving of cotton or the different kinds of materials just by adjusting -a certain lever of machinery. In this way we kept men and women employed -all the time, securing at least eight hours a day to all who needed it. -At night the white materials were woven when practical and night workers -were given shorter hours with the same pay as the day workers. In this -way all were secured steady employment, for the same was done with every -kind of factory work. In the summer a large percentage of these people -were given different employment. Some went to the wheat fields, others -to the cotton plantations, for the steam carriages made it possible, or -the fruit farms, etc. The first few years it was necessary to work just -as many hours in the society as out of it; as soon as all the exchanges -were complete the hours were shortened, and those who were not able to -work so long each day, even at the first, were given less to do, for the -society never was a money scheme but a protection to labor. At the same -time those who only worked three or four hours a day got that much less -for their labor. It had to be that way at first or idle people would -have shirked their responsibilities. This put a stop to overproduction -in all lines of goods. All had a large field of employment to choose -from and nearly all were satisfied, at least all were better satisfied -than they had been before they joined the society. - -At the end of five years the society owned the first land that it had -built upon and all the industries on it, besides. Then dividends were -granted to members, either in permanent or consumable shares, according -to the amount they had at the time. The society holding the right to -keep in its possession sufficient money or script to increase the -standing wealth. The dividends were secured to the first members at this -time to reward them for trusting its management and giving the society -its impetus. It showed the value of small beginnings and taught a lesson -in co-operation among the members in the most practical way. - - - THE END OF THE RULES. - - - - - THE PLANET VENUS. - SECOND STORY. - - - CHAPTER I. - -A gentleman and his wife were sitting in their study. He was reading; -she was doing some fancy work. In a few moments their son came in, and -seeing his father occupied, took a seat by the window to wait until his -father was through. - -These people were titled, or, rather, the father and mother were. The -elderly gentleman was a lord and his wife a princess. They had both -received their titles for their grand and faithful work in helping to -restore order to the country in which they belonged. Their name was a -combination of both their names, Just and Ring, consequently he was Lord -Justring and she was Princess Justring. She could not raise him to her -title, nor could he change hers, even had they desired it. Their two -children were therefore known as the Justrings, they had received the -title Honorable, and their parents wished them to gain greater titles -which was the custom of the country. Their motto was: “The world is -better for my living in it,” for when any one did a great -self-sacrificing act, it always added to their title in some way. - -In a few moments Lord Justring looked up to see what it was that his son -wanted. - -The young man approaching, said: - -“The study of worlds may be a very interesting subject, but, father, I -am positively sick of it. There is nothing in it to reward you for all -your trouble, that I can see. Take the planet Earth, for example. The -missionaries have not made one beneficial change in the condition of the -masses from what they were twenty-five years ago. The fact that we are -able to hear as well as see them, I admit, is something to our credit, -but what good is it to them? I thought after we had perfected those last -instruments that we would be able to make them catch the ideas we are -trying to convey to them.” - -“Your life can only be perfected by the good you do for the more -ignorant worlds. You must be patient; but why are you discouraged?” - -“Because the ones I wish to reach and help don’t catch the messages. -Instead of helping them I have found that we are actually helping the -wealthy people to see their advantage, for they are the only ones who -have been able to make use of the suggestions. This wealth, in turn, is -being used to cement all the closer the bond of servitude and those who -toil are in a worse plight today than in any time during the Earth’s -history. Since I have taken up this work, I have no peace of mind and I -cannot enjoy life. - -“It is a fearful thing to see millions upon millions of people toiling -to sustain life, even in times of peace, besides knowing that those who -work the hardest have the least for their labor, while the cry of those -who are starving because they have no work to do, is unbearable. Then -the unnecessary wars all brought about to enrich those in power and keep -the ignorant dependent.” - -“Why, my son, that is the reason that we who live on the older planets -form these societies to reach the younger ones; the planet Herschel has -caught the messages sent to them. That should be encouraging.” - -“Yes, it is, but only a few in comparison with the multitude of worlds -after all.” - -[Illustration] - -“Well, all have to make a beginning; then they can go on and perfect -their system as we have done ours.” - -[Illustration] - -At this point of the conversation a young lady entered the room. Her -face showed a depth of thought unusual in one so young. She looked at -them for a second to see if she would be interfering with the -conversation, but as they seemed to be on the same subject she -commenced: - -“Father, is it necessary for me to continue my efforts to reach the -planet Earth?” - -“Why, my dear, surely you are not going to complain also. Your brother -has just told me that he would like to give it up. It would grieve me -sorely if either of you do.” - -“Oh, brother, you don’t mean it? Men are so strong, they ought not to -give in so soon.” - -“It is all very well to say so, but I have not had any peace since I -took it up, sister mine. I don’t understand why I should give up so much -of my life to what seems such a hopeless task.” - -“Well, children, sit down and tell me what you have accomplished.” - -“Father,” the young lady replied, “I have accomplished nothing, -absolutely nothing that I can see.” - -“Well, tell me what you saw.” - -“It is so discouraging that I hate to talk about it. The last time I -used the instrument I could not only hear all they said, but see them. -One of the first things that I saw made me so ill that I can hardly -sleep. I saw a woman who lived in a city, in a part of the world they -call America, burning her children to death. You know I had asked to -take that part of the world because I was told it was the home of -freedom. I couldn’t see what the term ‘Freedom’ meant when little -children could be left at the mercy of a lunatic. I tried to get away -from the instrument, but I was fascinated. Then I directed the -instrument to a home, not fifteen minutes’ walk away, and saw the other -extreme. I saw women and girls dressed for a reception in beautiful -gowns and quantities of jewels; they actually had on their persons -enough wealth to support twenty such families for the rest of their -lives.” - -“Well, I should think that is all the more reason that you should -persevere in trying to reach those and make them hear you.” - -“Oh, well, father, I cannot talk any more about it today. It is too -terrible.” - -Lord Justring looked at his children for a few moments and then said: - -“You must remember one thing, that you owe to many others besides your -mother and I all the blessings you now enjoy. Had we become discouraged -at seeing the terrible things all around us when we were at your age, -you would not be enjoying all the recreation that you do now, the -holidays or the advantages of travel that afford you so much pleasure. -Forty years ago the government secured all the land and gave it back to -the people, believing that everything created by nature belonged to all; -but it did not give them a particular amount to live upon. Myself and -others had to work very hard to convince the majority that it was the -only just way to do. Now your income is so large that you will never use -it all. I have never used all mine, nor do I need it. If you will read -the history of the last fifty years you will see a wonderful difference -in the lives of the people. They live longer because they have more time -to take care of their bodies. They were not compelled to work so many -hours, even forty years ago, as they had done in the ages past, but as I -said before, there was no special income for all, as there is now. - -“At that time we felt justified in setting a certain sum or value for -every individual born in our district. Strange as it may seem, humanity -was left until the last, all kinds of property were secured to us in -this part of the country, but human beings had not had their right value -set. We then enforced a law that every man, woman and child had a right -to be fed, housed and clothed. An industrial army had been a fact before -and the proceeds of their labor enabled the government to secure to all -the people an income. - -“You know that even yet those who will not work are locked up and -deprived of the income they would have otherwise. When they have had -enough of solitary confinement we try them again, but don’t allow them a -choice of their occupation until they do the best in what we give them -to do. - -“The people ran riot on this planet, robbing each other as they now are -doing on other worlds. History repeats itself over and over again in -everything. Well, after the people had gone through the struggle of -gaining so much, they were satisfied to let results remain as they were. -The majority could not see the dangers ahead, but we who did were -determined to settle matters once and forever. Some wanted money given -to each individual instead of cards representing their wants. - -“‘No,’ we said, ‘money was the enemy that had robbed labor at all times -and now money must go.’ - -“We told them that without its use we had emptied the cities of its -criminals; we had scattered the people into the country where all could -have sunshine as well as homes. If we still retained money it would only -be a short time before a few people could corner the majority in the -cities that we had built. - -“Children, every advantage that the people possess, the working people -had to fight for and they did it by determination and the exacting of -their own rights. Even the public schools had to be fought for. The rich -were determined that the ‘common people,’ as they always termed those -who served them, should not have them. It would raise the taxes, they -said, and why should they pay for other people’s children? Common -children didn’t need an education. Then many of those ignorant -dependents, like so many parrots said, ‘Oh, no, we did without an -education, and so can our children.’ This was all before our time. Every -generation has its new duties to perform. We received help from older -worlds, just as you have been appointed to do our part to the planet -Earth. If they had done as you children wish to do, we would have been -just where the people upon that planet are now.” - -“Well,” his daughter replied, “I will try it again.” - -The son answered: “I will not be left out of the struggle now that I see -my duty plainer.” - -Their father thanked them and when they had left the room said to their -mother: - -“We must encourage them more, for it is a hardship to see suffering when -you cannot relieve it.” - - - CHAPTER II. - -Professor Longrin had been appointed to select the missionaries in the -different worlds. Princess and Lord Justring were talking over their -children’s discouragement with the professor, for they were feeling -quite badly over their desire to give it up. - -“The people of the Earth have my sympathy,” said the Princess, “and we -must find some one who will be willing to devote their time to reaching -them. Many public school children among the poor are so hungry that they -cannot study in many of the large cities. Then you will hear a great cry -go up, ‘A bank has failed for $400,000, or perhaps more, the savings of -widows and orphans, all lost by speculating.’ The bank failure seems by -far the most important to the inhabitants. Buildings are erected to keep -and protect money in that cost more than would support all the poor -little starving children in the world. Just consider all the labor that -is thrown away in earning all those millions besides the amount stored -in them. Then think of the temptation to rob by those in charge when -money means so much to every one.” - -Professor Longrin told Princess Justring that she could take up work -with her children and possibly she could encourage them by her -experience for a time at least. - -In a few days she with her daughter called upon a young married friend -who had twin babies, and while there one of the public officers called -to present the young mother with her babies’ card entitling them to draw -upon the government for their support. The quiet and matter-of-fact way -that the mother accepted it recalled to Miss Justring’s mind the -difference between the mothers on the Planet Venus and those on the -Planet Earth, so she said to the happy mother: - -“You may be glad that you don’t live on the Planet Earth, with two -babies at once to care for.” - -“Why, I don’t see what difference it makes whether there is one or two, -in fact it seems to me better for them because they will always be such -companions and I think any mother would be glad.” - -“Not all mothers,” replied the princess, “Gondell and her brother are -studying the Planet Earth and are trying to civilize it.” “Oh,” -continued Gondell, “children are born to some mothers there who have -nothing to feed them or herself and the poor things die from neglect.” -“Why,” exclaimed the young mother, “what are the people doing to allow -such a thing? Why, I think we mothers are doing our part in life -supplying the world with its men and women, without supporting them.” -“Well,” replied Gondell, “little children are dependent upon their -mothers and the majority of mothers on their husbands, their husbands in -turn are dependent upon some one to employ them, who has money. In fact -they are the worst kinds of slaves, for if the rich owned them, they -would be sure of being fed, clothed and given a shelter.” - -“But why should they be slaves,” replied the friend, “haven’t the people -any intelligence?” “Oh, dear, yes,” Gondell says, “but they allowed the -rich to control the medium of exchange, which is money, until they have -gained control of nearly everything. Few people realize their position -or know that it is money that compels them to pay a tax on everything -they consume. They don’t even know that they are slaves. Mothers are of -no account in comparison to men. Men are given pensions in the police -force and other public positions, such as the army where they kill other -men, but never to women or children. Women cannot even earn as much as -men when they do the same kind of work.” - -“Why, I think they are fools to marry and risk being mothers until they -know how they are going to be protected, don’t you think so, Princess -Justring?” “No, I don’t think they are fools, but I do think they are -not as brave as they ought to be or they would set everything aside that -interests them in life until they had secured to every child born, every -woman and man an income to protect them for life.” - -“It certainly is wrong to become mothers when they cannot protect -helpless infants against poverty under every circumstance,” the young -mother said. - -“Money does not protect the rich either, for even the largest fortunes -are lost in many cases. Under the present conditions no one is safe from -poverty all their lives,” the Princess replied. - -Looking lovingly at her infants the mother said, “Thank God, I don’t -have to worry about them.” - -“Come,” said the professor, the next time they were assembled, “I want -you to see an ideal home in the country of America, among the working -people. Look at that man, isn’t he a noble specimen of manhood, using -all his energies to secure wealth to lavish upon his wife and children. -See with what pride he gazes upon all their attainments. No exertion is -considered where they are concerned, and the wife takes her share of -responsibility in managing and controlling all within the home so that -her husband may have all the rest and comfort possible after his hard -work in the office. The children are their pride, nothing must interfere -with their attainments, while he works to supply the means, she works to -fit them to be an honor to their name. All the united affection these -two can lavish upon them, is considered only justice to the little ones -they have been instrumental in bringing into the world. With what loving -care the mother gets up in the night to carry the little one that is -crying beyond the ear of the father, who has to work next day. See her -as she rocks it in her arms, then walks the floors, anything to secure -him the rest that he must have if he is going to continue the success -that he has had in business. The next morning the children are sitting -on each side of the breakfast table while he is at one end and his wife -at the other. A merry conversation ensues about the childish pleasures -and interests that each have in the other. The husband goes to his -employment with that picture in his memory to encourage him and to -hasten his home coming. And yet they are living in as great an -uncertainty as the poorest in the land. That home may be wiped out and -the wife and children become as desolate under existing customs as any -others. While it lasts it is fine, but nothing is certain for anyone.” - -The members of the class each took their turn in studying out the -conditions, and after a while they became confident that something had -happened to awaken or at least startle the inhabitants. - -“Well, Princess Justring,” says the Professor, “we may be reaching them -after all. Come to the observatory again tomorrow and we will see what -is going on. Good-bye, my friends, for the present.” - -Princess and Lord Justring with their children arrived the next day to -find an unusual amount of excitement among the other members. Something -had happened on a portion of the planet Earth called the United States -of America. The money power was in an uproar. Some one in a position to -know facts was telling the whole country how their money was being -invested. This man was daring enough to denounce the whole system in -sufficiently plain language that there could be no mistake. The people -were excited. Those who had a few dollars in the banks to those who had -invested their thousands in stocks of different kinds. The great men of -finance were rushing to their telephones, commanding subordinates to -appear before them, and the excitement was increasing. Was it some one -of their associates that had fallen through to earth? Had the President -of the country died, or what did it all mean? Something far worse than -anything yet guessed. One of their own familiar spirits had dared to -expose the tricks by which they had amassed their millions. - -“Well, why all this excitement here on the planet Venus?” asks one of -the members. - -Professor Longrin answers: “After all the years that we have taken to -perfect our instruments so we could reach the planets and suggest to -them better management, giving them our experiences, helping them to -originate telegraphs, telephones, everything we could imagine that would -civilize them, when, lo and behold, the Great Ruler of the Universe -chose a millionaire to expose the whole money scheme, chose one who -obtained his money by the same methods that he now denounces. Nothing -could be more convincing to the rest of the world that lets other people -do their thinking for them, than this. I believe we can leave the -results with those who are awakened on a part of the earth at least, and -now friends we will direct our effort toward showing them the remedy. -The remedy is to organize a society that will protect them from all -dangers, poverty heading the list.” - - - - - WE ARE GOING TO BE INSPECTED. - - BY GARRETT P. SERVISS. - -(This clipping was taken from a newspaper in the winter of 1905.) - - -There is something on the cards for this winter of wider interest than -social functions, theater parties, Wall street plunges, politics, and -even war—it is an inspection of which the whole earth will be the -subject. The inspector can already be seen approaching, lantern in hand -(for it is a nocturnal job), peeping over the rim of the world at -sunset. This inspector is the planet Venus. - -Venus, we have excellent reasons for thinking, is a world crowded with -intelligent inhabitants, and as, for several months to come, it rises -higher every night, and beams more and more brilliantly, we may almost -feel the eyes of those inhabitants fixed curiously upon us. For if we -think of them, can they fail to think of us? - -But their opportunity for observation is far better than ours. It is -customary for us to consider other planets only as they present -themselves to the earth. Quite as interesting, and infinitely more -novel, is it to consider the earth as it presents itself to other -planets, and particularly to Venus, its nearest planetary neighbor, and -its closest counterpart. - -Once grant that there are intelligent beings on Venus and the conclusion -follows with irresistible force that they must study our globe with an -intensity of interest and application proportional to the ease with -which their observations can be made. And this is exactly the particular -in which they possess a great advantage over us. In fact, there is no -place in the entire solar system where an astronomer could have so -favorable a position for examining another world than his own as he -would have on the planet Venus. - -The reason is very simple; it is because when Venus is nearest to the -earth—about twenty-six million miles away—she lies between the earth and -the sun. At that time we cannot see her at all, because our eyes are -blinded by the flood of sunshine which envelops her. But, on the other -hand, at that time the earth is in the middle of Venus’ midnight sky, -blazing with light reflected from its continents and oceans and polar -snows, and looming so large and splendid that the sight must be -unutterably magnificent—such a sight as a terrestrial astronomer would -sit up all night to gaze at, and then feel that the swift pace of time -had robbed him. - -In order to comprehend how great the earth must appear from Venus when -the two are in line with the sun, it will only be necessary the coming -winter to look at Venus herself, shortly after sundown—at the same time -remembering that the splendor which dazzles our eyes comes from but a -small fraction of the illuminated surface of that planet, while the -earth as seen from Venus will show its whole round face like a full -moon! - -To my mind there is nothing, not mathematically demonstrable, more -certain than that the astronomers of Venus are already preparing for the -great spectacle that will adorn their heavens late in the coming winter, -when the earth, with its attendant moon, swims in the midnight. - -The culmination of the earth must be one of the greatest events in their -calendar. Studying it with powerful telescopes, they must long ago have -familiarized themselves with the geography and the meteorology of our -planet. Our continents and oceans, and even our groups of islands, our -vast river valleys, our mountain chains, must all appear on their school -globes of the earth. We have made school globes of Mars, but Mars is far -away, and our opportunities for studying his features are insignificant -compared with those which the people of Venus have for studying the -earth. - - -To the readers of this book I have this to say: I believe the ideas it -contains are a prophecy. Time will prove it if it is so, and every one -can do a part towards helping along its fulfillment. - - LENA JANE FRY. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -There are a number of people in Chicago who are about forming a Wealth -Producing and Distributing Society. Any one wishing to join them or -learn the particulars concerning said Society, can do so by sending a -self-addressed stamped envelope for reply, to - - * * * * * - - MRS. LENA J. FRY - - LOCK BOX 366, - CHICAGO POST-OFFICE - - CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - - * * * * * - -This book is published privately, and can be secured by sending either a -Post-Office or Express Order to MRS. LENA J. FRY, if it cannot be found -in the nearest book store. - - Price for Cloth Bound Book, $1.00 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. P. 114, changed “ride our your back” to “ride on your back”. - 2. There was no CHAPTER IX or XV. Renumbered the chapters. - 3. Table of Contents added by transcriber. - 4. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - 5. 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