The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-06-12
CHAPTER NJ.


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CHAPTER NJ.
Those words of Clara. 81 shall go
with you then" filed the family with
dismay Mi. Hardy bowed his head
and groaned Mrs. Hardy, almost be-
side herself with grief and terror. flew
to the side of the girl and. with be-
seechng cries and caresses. tried to
bring back to consciousness the mind
that for moment or two had cleaned
with reason and then had gone back
into the obscurty and oblivion of that
mysterious condition in which it had
been lying for three days. but all in
vain. The eyes were closed: the form
was rigid. The others, George and
Win and Bess, grew pale. and Bess
cried, almost for the first time since
the strange week began. Robert was
the first to break the grief with quiet
word He raised bis head. saying:
81 do not believe Clara is going to
die when do"
"Why, father. what makes you think
that?' cried Alice.
81 don't know. | can't give any ex.
act reason. | only know that | don't
believe it will happen"
"God grant that she may be spared
to usr' said Mrs. Hardy. "Oh, Rob-
ert, it is more than | can bear! Only
today and tomorrow left. 1t can't be
real. haves battled against your
dream all the week. 1t was a dream
only will not believe it to be any
thing else. You are not i'll. There is
no indication that you are going to die.
| will not. | cannot. believe it! God
is too good And we need you now,
Robert. Let us pray God for mercy"
Robert shook his head sadly, but
firmly.
mo, Mary; | cannot resist an i'm
preston so strong that | cannot call It
anything but conviction of reality;
that somehow, in some way, | shall be
called away from You Sunday night |
have struggled against it, but it grows
upon me even more firmly. God Is
merciful do not question his good
ness. How much did l deserve even
this week of preparation after the life
l have lived? And the time will not
be long before we shall all meet there.
God grant that it may be an unbroken
company
Mr.. Hardy spoke as any one in his
condition could. The children drew
about him lovingly. Bess climbed into
his lap She laid her face against her
fathers face, and the strong man Sob
bed as he thought Of all the years of
neglected affection in that family cir
Gle. The rest of the evening was spent
in talking over the probable future.
George. who seemed thoroughly hum
bled now, listened respectfully and
concerning the direction of business
and family matters.
The boy was going through a strug-
gle with himself which was apparent
| to all in the house. Ever since his
mother had seen him kneeling down in
| the night watch he had shown a differ
| enr sprIt. 1t remained to be seer
whether he had really changed ol
| whether he had been for the time be
ing frightened into little goodness.
| Saturday morning found the Hardys
weary with the agitation of the week
but bearing about a strange excite
ment which only the prospect of The
fathers approaching death or remova
| could have produced.
| Robert could not realize that hi!
| week was almost at an end. Why, i
seemed but yesterday that he haC
dreamed after the Sunday evening
service!
AS on every other day, he asked him
self the question, What shall l DOR
Only until he had prayed could h,
answer the question. Then the Egh
came. Who says prayer is merely ;
form? 1t is going to God for wisdom
and getting it. 1t is crying out 70
light, and, 10! the darkness fees.
is spreading out our troubles and ou
joys and our perpleXities and our need
and finding God himself the best pos
sible answer to them all.
Robert Hardy was finding this on
lately. and it was the one thing tina
made possible to him the calmness o
the last two days allotted him.
The day was spent in much the sam
way that the other days had bee
spent. He went down to his ottic
about 10 o'clock and after comm
home to lunch went down again wit
the intention of getting through all til
business and returning home to spen
the rest of the time with the family
Along toward 3 o'clock, when the rot
tine work of the shops was dispose
of. the manager felt an irresistible dt
sire to speak to the men in his emplo.
They numbered about 500 in his d'
partment. and he knew how impossibl
it would be for him to speak to thel
individually. He thought a minut
and then called Burns in and gave a
order that made the foreman stare
the most undisguised wonder.
'Shut down the works for n litt1
while and ask the men to get tOGetht
:. in the big machine shop. | want
speak to them"
Burns had been astonished so ofte
this week that, although he opened h
mouth to say something, he did III