The true northerner., 1900-04-18

mehts then stepped over 10 the surgeon
and lfked him III he could go into the
other room and see the dead man. The
surgeon nodded "A surprised assent, and
Mr.. Hardy stepped into the rear room
and closed the. door. He drew back the
sheet from the face of the man and
looked down upon IL. Nothing in all
his experience had ever moved him so
deeply. The features of the dead man
were fixed, ii seemed to him. in an ex-
preston of despair. Mr.. Hardy gazed
steadily upon il for half n minute;
then, replacing the sheet. he kneeled
down by the side OF the rude bed and
prayed God for mercy
20 Lord" he groaned In his remorse,
"lay not the death Of this man TO my
charge" Yet, even as he prayed, he
could not drive back the thought which
chased across the prayer: IL am this
mans murderer. ! issued the order
compelling the Sunday work. refused
a week ago TO inspect the retorts which
were declared unsafe, on the ground
that it was not my business. / COM
PEELED this man TO work under the fear
OF losing his place If he refused to
work. / compelled him to work on the
one day in which God has commanded
all men to rest. |. n Christian by pro-
fession, a member of the church. a man
of means put this man in deadly
peril upon a Sunday in order that more
money might be made and more hui
man selfshness might be gratified. /
did it. And this man once saved my
life. / am his murderer, and no muir
derer shall inherit the kingdom of
God"
So the wretched man prayed there by
the side Of that cold body. Yet the
world today goes on with men in high
places who have it in their power TO
change the conditions that exact Sun
day labor from thousands Of weary
men and drive the commerce Of the
world across the continent at the cost
Of that priceless thing, the soul Of
man, in order that the owners of rail
road stock and the men who get their
salaried living from it may have more
money. What, Is it not true that every
Sunday in this land of Christian homes
and hearts many and many a well fed,
sleek, self satisfied, well dressed man,
with high salary and well established
social position, with luxurious home
and money in the bank, goes TO church
and sits down in a softly cushioned
pew to listen to the preaching of the
gospel, while within hearing distance
of the services an express train or a
freight thunders by upon the road
which declares the dividends that
make that mans wealth possible?
On those trains are groups of coal be-
grimed human beings who never go in
side a church, who never speak the
name Of God or Christ except in an
oath, who lead lives that are as desti-
tute of spiritual nourishment as q des-
ert of sand and rocks and who are
compelled to labor contrary to Gods
everlasting law of rest in order that
man may have more to feed his body
and indulge his passions! DO not tell
us it is necessary labor. 1t is labor for
the making Of more money. 1t does
not need to be done. The community
could dispense with it, and in the sight
Of God it is n wicked use OF human
flesh and blood and souls, and the
starved spiritual natures of these men
will come up at the judgment day be-
fore the men who had il in their power
to say, Not wheel shall turn on
these tracks Sunday even if we don't
make little more money" Money or
souls! Which is worth more in the
thought of the railroad corporation?
Let the facts make answer.
Mr.. Hardy did not know just how
long he kneeled there in that bare
room. At last he arose weariedly and
came out, but his prayer had not re-
freshed him. The surgeon glanced at
him inquisitively, but asked no ques-
tions. The sick woman was in n state
Of semiconsciousness. Mr.. Hardy's
cook her sister, sat lstlessly and worn
out by the side of the lounge. The sur
geon rapidly gave directions for the
use Of some medicine and prepared TO
go. Some Of the neighbors called, and
the surgeon let two of the women come
in. Just as the two men were going
out together, Mr.. Hardy still absorbed
in his great desire to do something of
Importance for the mother and her
children, his minister, Mr.. Jones, ap-
peared.
He looked surprised at seeing Mr..
Hardy, inquired the news of the doc
tor and at once asked if he could see
the poor widow. The doctor thought it
would do no harm. Mr.. Jones whisper
ed to Mr.. Hardy:
"She was a faithful member of our
church, you know"
Mr.. Hardy did not know it, to his
shame, he confessed. This sister Of his
in Christ had been a member of the
same church, and he had not even
known it. If she had happened to sit
on the same side Of the building where
ne sat, he would probably have wonder
ed who that plain looking person was,
dressed so poorly. But she had al
ways sat back on the other side, being
| d.