The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-04-12

impression Of the night before was evi-
dently deepening with him. 1t would
have been absurd to call him insane.
His wife was obliged to confess to her
self that he had never appeared more
sound In judgment and calm In speech.
He was naturally man Of very strong
, will. His passions, as we have al
ready seen, were under control. Never
In all his life had he felt SO self con.
tanned, SO free from nervousness, so
capable of sustained effort. But the
enc great thought that filed his mind
was the thought of the shortness Of
the time.
Almighty God" was his prayer,
SHOW me how to use these seven days
In the wisest and best manner"
Robert, what will you do today"
asked Mrs. Hardy.
"I have been thinking, dear, and
believe my first duty is to God. We
! have not had morning worship togeth-
er for a long time. After we have
knelt as family in prayer to him be-
lleve he will give me wisdom to know
what ought to do"
81 think father ought to stay at home
with us all the time." said Bess.
Robert" said Mrs. Hardy, who
could not comprehend the full mean
ing Of the situation much better than
little Bess. twill you give up your
business? How can you attend to It?
VIII you have the strength and the pa
tience while laboring under this i'm
preston"
81 have already thought over that.
Yes; l believe l ought to 60 right on.
l don't see what would be gained by
severing my connection with the com.
pany."
"Will you tell the company you
have only Mrs. Hardy could not
say the words. They choked her.
what would you do. Alice" asked
her father turning to his oldest daugh.
ter. who. although a cripple, had more
than once revealed to the family great
powers Of judgment and decision.
~ would not say anything to the
company about it." replied Alice
finally.
"That is the way feel" said Mr..
Hardy with a nod Of approval. They
would not understand it. My successor
In the Office will be young Wellman. in
all probability. and he is perfectly com.
petent to carry On the work. l feel az
II the matter were one that belonged to
the family. I shall. Of course. arrange
my business affairs with reference to
the situation. and George can give me
half q day for the details. But you
know. Mary, have always kept my
business In such shape that In any case
Of accident or sudden death matters
could easily te arranged. Thank God
I shall not have to take time for those
matters that ought TO give to more
serious and important duties"
It was true that Mr.. Hardy, always q
man Of very nethodical habits In q
business way. had always arranged his
Affairs with reference to accidental re.
movaL His business - manager ne
cessitated his being on the road great
deal, and he realized, as many railroad
men do realise. the liability. Of sudden
death.
But such q thought had not had any
influence on his actions to make him
less selfish. he thought, as all men do
that he should probably live right
along after all; that death might take
the engineer or conductor or fireman
but would pass him by.
Suddenly VIII spoke up: Father, DE-
you want George and me to leave col
legeT
Certainly not my boy. What would
be gained BY that? want you to keel
right on Just as II were going to live
80 years moro"
George did not say anything. HI
looked at his father as II he doubted
bis sanity.
His father noticed the look, and 4
terrible wave Of anguish swept 0vel
him as he recalled the part Of bis vi
sion In which he had seen his oldes
son in the gambling room.
Again the prayer he had been silentl!
praying all the morning went up out u
his heart, Almighty God, show M
how to use the seven days most wise
ly."
Father" said Bess suddenly. "wha
will you do about Jim and Clarai Dit
you know they were engagedr'
"BessP' said Clara passionately. Thel
she stopped suddenly, and, seeing he
fathers brow grow dark, she covered
afraid Of what was coming.
But Mr.. Hardy looked at the worlt
differently this morning. Twsnty-fou
hours before he would have treatet
Bessie's remark as he usually treate'
her surprising revelations Of the Sc
crets Of the family. He would hav,
laughed at II a little and sternly com
manded Clara to break the engage
ment II there was one at once, 70
James Caxton was not at all the sor
Of man Mr.. Hardy wanted to hav
come into the family. He was poor
to begin with. and, more than all, hi
father had been the means Of defeating