Marion Marlowe's True Heart, or, How a Daughter Forgave — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“Perhaps you are right,” she said, after a minute, “but we should rise above condi- “That is easier said than done,” said Mar- ~ ion, sharply. “When a man’s strength is deficient he is not to blame for it.” | “They should have prayed for strength,” a said the woman, devoutly, “and at any rate HH is their own fault that they are here doing pen- - they should not have fallen into sin. ance for their wickedness.” ; “Well, I am very sorry for them, any- Way,” ‘aid JF) sin- cerely hope that you -are able to comfort _ them, madam. To me they look like poor "creatures who have never had half a chance. No doubt they. would all have been honest if sd could have earned decent livings.” replied Marion, quickly, ‘ . _ She turned abruptly on her heel and y walked away. Some way, it vexed her to th ear this woman blaming the poor creatures. __ “Probably she was never hungry or in want in her life,” she thought, angrily, “ hat can she know of the temptations its , he ve suffered 2” ayne glimpse of misery was making Mar- “ion depressed already. The faces of the s haunted her, they were so pinched and me eager. “¥, She wandered across the boat and stood looking over the water, her brain busy with tures. _ The woman did not come near her and _ Marion was glad of it. She wanted to be alone and do a little hard thinking. 2 “I may be wrong in pitying them, but I can’t help it,” she thought. “I am sure the _ struggle of life has been too hard for many : ce them. I suppose that woman thinks JT eu ai im a heathen, because I did not say I thought i they y deserved what they were getting.” MY QUEEN. _ the problems of how to help the poor crea- 19 A light ripple of laughter relieved her over-strained tension and for the next few minutes the woman was forgotten. Marion watched the prisoners land, with the guards beside them, and then as they marched slowly toward the penitentiary, she left the boat and started for the hospital. It was all so strange, so almost alarming, this guarding and marching, that for a min- ute she felt a sense of oppression in her soul. it was as though she were breathing the air of a prison cell rather than the breath of sweet liberty, which was her rightful pos- session. CHAPTER X. MARION’S FIRST WEEK AT CHARITY. In less than a week Marion ‘began to feel quite at home in the big hospital, windows overlooked a scene of magnifi- whose cence as well as much that was less inspir- ing. . | Strips of clear blue water stretched on both sides of the island, and as Marion lis- tened to the thrilling tales and traditions which have long made Hell Gate a place of blood-curdling interest, she could hardly turn her eyes from the far-famed danger spot. It seemed to enthral her in some spell of enchantment. The great cities of Brooklyn and New York made a magnificent background to the scene. Spires towered from expensive churches, and at sunset the piate-glass win- dows of the many noble structures gave back a glow which was almost elorious. hus the city’s grandeur and luxury was before her eyes, while its misery was in even closer proximity, for was she not caring for its victims, its slaves and its outcasts in the very wards of this isolated building? nC. think should exist!’’ to that such sighed wretchedness she Over and over. “To think that with all the wealth and h nooks AMC (CO) (CO)