THE FREETOWN SETTLEMENT STARTED.
The confusion by the door of the courtroom increased. A word was passed
from lip to lip. Faces grew pale. The word went out over the waiting
spectators, and reached the bar and the county attorney.
The attorney rose, and, lifting his arm, he solemnly said, while the
confusion suddenly ceased: "Your honor, Burke Williams's case has been
called up to a higher court. He has committed suicide!"
Judge Vernon grasped the desk in front of him, and for a moment the
courtroom swam before him in confusion. He recovered himself, but the
excitement was so great and the tension on his emotions so strong
that he was compelled to adjourn the court for the day. As he passed
out of the room, the lawyers and spectators quietly made way for him.
His recent experiences had given him an added dignity that all men
respected.
The prisoner had hung himself to one of the bars of his cell. He had
left no confession. The mystery of Claude Vernon's death remained a
mystery so far as any actual proof was obtained, and the prisoner
himself had gone to meet the Judge of all the earth, to be judged for
the deeds done in the body. What that judgment is, only the last great
day can disclose.
The news of the suicide stirred the people of Merton deeply.
[Illustration: "_Burke Williams's case has been called up to a higher
court._"]
The whole affair, together with Howard Douglass's plan and its
reception by so many prominent people, called attention to Freetown as
it had never been called during the history of the city. For several
days it was the absorbing topic of conversation. People all over the
city discussed the situation. One of the most interesting discussions
was held by the Christian Endeavor society of the Emmanuel Church a
week after the suicide.
It was a regular business session, and after the reports had been
received, the president rose and said he wanted to present the case of
Freetown to the society.
"Mr. Douglass will be here before we finish, but it seemed to me it
would be a good thing if we could let him know something definite that
we can pledge to do to help the work. Some of us have been talking over
the work for several weeks, and I think we are ready to submit a line
of suggestions which the society can follow out if it thinks best."
"I make a motion," said one of the members who was a college student
and always wanted business to proceed in accordance with Cushing's
"Manual of Parliamentary Practice," "that we pledge ourselves as a
society to help in the work at Freetown in every way we can. We can
discuss plans in detail before passing the motion."
The motion was seconded by half a dozen eager voices.
"Now for suggestions," said the president.
The chairman of the Christian-citizenship committee rose.
"Our committee has held several meetings within the past month, and we
have agreed that we might do some good work in the settlement house by
having meetings to instruct the voters in Freetown along the line of
municipal politics. We could have classes in the history of political
movements, take up the city government, discuss the best plans for
electing the best men, etc. This plan has already been tried in
several social settlements with great success. Our committee pledges
itself to help in this way."
He sat down, and some one started a little applause. It swept through
the room, and ceased only when the chairman of the good-literature
committee rose.
"Our committee is ready to fit up the new reading-room in the social
settlement with magazines, papers, and books. Besides that, we
believe we can carry good papers to the different houses in Freetown,
and direct the reading by means of reading-circles, especially in
the winter. Our main object, however, will be to help make the new
reading-room attractive, and to serve as librarians or attendants
different evenings during the week, if Mr. Douglass says that is the
best way to serve."
"Any other suggestions?" asked the president, as no one spoke for a
moment.
The chairman of the lookout committee rose slowly. He was one of the
oldest members of the society and a good worker, but talking was hard
work for him.
"Several members of our committee think the cooking-classes in Freetown
are going to be very necessary. Referred to the other members of the
committee; the rest of them are girls."
He sat down amid applause. There were cries for one or two of the other
members of the committee.
"It's true!" said a tall, energetic-looking girl, as she rose and spoke
very decidedly. "It makes a great difference with the morals of people
what they eat. And some of us girls think the best thing we could do
to help in the social settlement will be to volunteer our services as
cooks in the housekeeping department, and teach the colored girls over
there the best ways, and help fit them for service. You needn't laugh,
because some of us _can_ cook. Our mothers have taught us how. And we
are ready to do our share."
She sat down amid a generous clapping of hands, and in the midst of it
Mr. Douglass walked in.
"I think we are ready to hear from the pastor now," said the president,
as Mr. Douglass sat down near him.
"No; go on, and let me know what you have been doing," said the
minister. He looked tired, but his face brightened as he looked over
the room and saw the faces of the young people. There was inspiration
in the life there.
The president gave an outline of the work suggested by the committees.
"It is only a beginning of what we can do, I'm sure," the president
said in conclusion; "but we want to be of use, and we are ready to
learn."
"Thank God!" cried Howard Douglass to himself softly, while his eyes
filled with tears. "'For Christ and the church.' Why, we can turn the
world out of the hand of evil into the arms of good if we only have
enough volunteer service like this."
He stayed a long time, talking over plans with the society; and, when
he finally walked home, he carried in his heart a great encouragement
that in the coming fight for souls in Freetown he had for helpers the
united, enthusiastic, whole-hearted service of his society.
The next few weeks saw the history of the new movement made very fast.
One of the daily papers of Merton volunteered to receive money for an
endowment fund, and even agreed to publish a series of articles on
social settlements, in order to awaken interest in the movement and
show that they were of practical value in the solution of great human
problems. This series was actually printed and eagerly read by the
subscribers. It was so popular that the editor followed it up with
another series on the proposed plan to redeem Freetown, accompanied by
sketches of the building, a description of its general plan, and a
detailed account of the premium list for the best houses and gardens in
the district.
The whole city became profoundly interested as the time drew near
for the completion of the settlement house and its occupation by the
volunteer residents. Perhaps no one event had ever stirred social
circles as this one. Mrs. Carlton's influence had been very large. So
far, her example in the way of financial help for the settlement had
not been imitated by any other society people. The winter had been a
very gay one. Even Claude Vernon's tragic death and Inez Carlton's sad
experience had not made any lasting impression on the pleasure-seekers
of Merton. Does an address at a funeral ever convert any one? It is a
question whether, out of all the social acquaintances that Inez had,
another girl was ready to give up her regular life of amusement to do
or to be anything different for the sake of helping suffering humanity.
They all wondered at Inez. She moved among them, quiet, reserved, the
dignity of a great sorrow suddenly acquired adding to the sweetness of
her character; but she was not like the Inez her once intimate friends
had known. Nothing develops deep character like sorrow, if the hand of
God is allowed to soothe and elevate it. And nothing is so selfish as
sorrow when God is shut out of a wounded heart.
There was, nevertheless, all through society a great feeling of real
curiosity to know how the Carltons, Judge Vernon, Mr. Brooks, and the
minister's family would manage the affairs of the social settlement,
and what the effects of their actual living there would be on the
people of Freetown.
In addition to this, the probable action of the United Clubs of the
women of Merton was still undecided. Would Mrs. Lewis be able to secure
the help of a majority of the clubs in assisting the financial side
of the work? It was a question. No one could answer it yet. Howard
Douglass, with a faith in future gifts for the work, went on with
the building. He had secured from various sources, notably from the
churches of Merton, enough money to warrant the care of the settlement
work for a year. What it needed, however, was a permanent endowment. If
Mrs. Lewis succeeded in enlisting the co-operation of all the clubs,
that endowment was practically assured. But when the building was
finally completed and ready for its residents, the United Clubs had not
yet decided their course.
Merton will never forget that day of the dedication of Freetown social
settlement. Freetown was stirred as by the hand of God. Howard Douglass
and his wife, Judge Vernon, the Carltons, Mr. Brooks, Mrs. Lewis, the
newspaper editors, the representative business men, the ministers of
the other churches, the leaders in social circles even, crowded into
the beautiful hall of the settlement that day.
Howard Douglass arose to offer the dedicatory prayer after the
preliminary exercises had passed. He prayed that the place where the
building now stood might be redeemed, brought back, saved for God.
Would his prayer be answered? Could Freetown be redeemed? The great
audience was swayed by one feeling, and through the room, as the prayer
went on, a breath of the divine Spirit swept, and all hearts present
felt its beneficent benediction.