The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-12-19

been discouraged 30 long until another
revolution In his life came which quite
bewildered him. Barbara stopped nc the
gate, where hewas standing, one night ~
she hurried past.
Thank you, but / hsyn't time" abe
said In answer TO his invitation to come
in. 81 am going down b. the dressmaker's
for some work she Ia doing for me-"
"You are always in q hurry nova
days, haven't seen you for q week"
Well, If you knew why you wouldn't
blame me-" she answered. perhaps
I'll tell you, but you won't breathe it to
q soul, will your
No, of course moi" q little wonder
and uneasiness growing in his mind.
"Well, Miss Salmi says my voice is
worth cultivating and If, when I am
ready TO sing in public, will do 1t
under her direction, she will take me
away and educate me-"
Ezra shrank back for an instant. II
was q blow that would have staggered q
stronger man.
"And you are going, whenf shall
you never come back.
"Going next week with her; and
coming backH Oh, that's q thing of the
future. When Pm rich and famous,
perhaps. Don't tell" and with light
laugh that would have seemed too cruel
if it had not been 30 entirely thoughtless,
she was gone.
He stood silent, gripping the gate with
both hands, and then name that never
before passed his lips in duplication
was Wrung from his soul. "Oh GOdp
After while he walked slowly out and
down the street. The house would have
sufocsted him, his mothers querulous
nothings driven him wild.
AS he passed q low drinking den, a
specimen of which almost any small
place even can boast, he saw two men
stagger out, oblivious to anything ex-
ternal. Surely, there was no memory
left In their Supplied brains of sorrow
or misfortune. He turned his own steps
thither, and the devil entered into him
and all good angels fed. That night, for
the first time in his life, Mrs. Hardy let
her son In 30 far gone in the last stages
of intoxicstion that he only knew enough
realized his fallen hopes he could have
shrieked in despair, but there was a
refuge in forgetfulness, and he sought
his comforter and day after day sat
in the bar room. He knew he
was miserable, but it was rather the
shadow of some forgotten evil than a
present pain, to clear intellect which
could grasp its import. His mother for
got the old complainings as the woman
and mother were reused in her by the
presence of a real SORROW, but her en-
treaties were lost on him, and the neigh
bors whispered, "like father, like son.
l wonder he has done so well 30 long,
with the Hardy blood in his veins"
One night he had been drinking less
than usual and came out partially sober
but weak as q child. Unconsciously his
steps turned toward the Hayward farm.
She might not be gone; he could be near
her once more, even though he had made
himself too vile to see her. There were
bright lights all over the house; the
boarders were having q gay evening.
He crossed the orchard and, utterly weak,
lay down near the wall and hid his face
In the grass. The dew cooled the burn
ing heat of his forehead, the darkness
seemed to pity and wrap him about, and
the criekets chirped mournfully as if
they understood his hopelessness. Tears
came into his eyes and sobs shook his
frame. He was 80 wholly alonel His
mother could understand tangible dis
grace, but she could not enter into the
deepest feelings of a soul tried to its
utmost. Sand Barbara wouldn't care"
be groaned, "because she never loved
me. All, but no matter If she didn't
if could only feel her hand
on my head and know she pitied me as a
child might" He was drunken
Hardy's" son, what help was there on
earth to keep him from the living death
of sinH Nobody would stretch out q
hand to save him-was there refuge and
strength anywhere? Just then q woman's
powerful voice from the house in q strain
of music, "Lift thine eyes, Oh, lift
thine eyes," with strength enough in it
to rouse faint and dying soul. It was
Caralyn Salini, but to Ezra the sound
came from no human throat, but was q
heavenly trumpet to call to victory.
go Christ, pity mew broke from him
when the music ceased. He lay there
with strange images passing panorama
like before him. He saw the hopeless
world weighed down by sin and misery,
and divine pity making the last sacrifice
for it. 81 don't wonder he died." he
81 would die myself if to
save anybody from the pains of hell I've
been thro' this week. Lord, save mep
Through his own shame and loss of self
control pity for humanity surged over
him. At that moment he could not
have lifted his hand to combat any
wrong done him alone-he would have
pitied the one who could do it too much.
Strange that when what we call reality
fails us we cling with frmer faith to that
which is seen only by the spiritual eyel
The world had rejected Ezra, he felt a
stranger and alone, but In that moment
stretched out his arms to Almightiness
and was received.
After spirited struggle the practical
question arises of what is to be done.
Ezra knew well his first duty was to
face his mothers reproachful looks, her
querulous complainings, and the neigh
bors' distrust and curiosity. He must
begin again, and he rose and went weak
ly home.
People said Ezra Hardy had, or seemed
to have religion, but they had no faith he
would ever keep it, and his mother
grudgingly hoped it would last"
Ezra said very little, but lines of suf-
fering came into his face and made him
look on older man. He was very patient
with his mother, for since his own reso-
buttons suffered wreck he has been Chart.
able TO all sin. Barbara Warren had
gone, and after letter or two to Mrs.
Hayward no one heard from her.
Time flies swiftly and it was over
year from her going when Ezra heard
her name again. He sat in the kitchen,
scraping an axeMhandle smooth, while
one Mrs. Masters, who knew all the town
news, gossiped with his mother. A SEN
tence caught his ear.
"Did you know Barbara Warren had
come back sgsinH"
"No, indeed" said Mrs. Hardy,
startled, and looking Involuntary at
Ezra.
Eyes, was up there last night and
Mis- Hayward told me all about it.
Seems she's quarreled with that singer
that's been educatin' her and had to
leave, and now she's such fine lady and
her health's 30 broke down she's no way
of gettin' q Twin. Mis- Hayward says
she can't keep her"
Ezra put down his work and went out.
His mind was in whirl, bnt one thought
came uppermost. "She needs friend
and what one has she but me2 So that
night after the work was done he put on
bis better clothes and went to see her at
Mrs. Heyward's.