The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-04-19


bring you up something nice to eat!
Mother had Norah save something for
you. Didn't you. motherT
Bessie asked the question just as her
mother came In.
Mrs. Hardy said Eyes" and. going
up to George, sat down by him and
laid her hand on his head, as his sister
had done.
The boy moved uneasily. He saw
the marks Of great suffering on his
mothers face. but he said nothing 10
express sorrow for his disgrace.
"Bess. will you 60 and get George
his breakfastT' asked Mrs. Hardy. and
the minute she was gone the mother
turned to her son and said:
George. do you love meT'
George had been expecting some.
thing different. He looked at his moth.
er as the tears fell over her face, and
nil that was still good In him rose up in
rebellion against the animal part He
seized his mothers hand and carried
It to his lips. kissed It reverently and
said In low tone:
Mother, am unworthy. II you
! knew
He checked bjp,sAlf ss on the
verge Of confession. His mother wait.
ed anxiously and then asked:
won't you tell me all?"
"No; | can't"
George shuddered. and at that mo-
ment Bess came in bearing n tray with
toast and eggs and coffee. Mrs. Hardy
left Bess to look after her brother and
went out Of the room almost abruptly.
George looked ashamed and after eat
ing little told Bess to take the things
away. She looked grieved. and he
| said:
Cant help 1t. I'm not hungry. Be
sides. | don't deserve all this attention.
Say, Bess. is father still acting under
his impression. or dream. or whatever
1t wasY"
"Yes: he Is" replied Bess with much
seriousness. land he Is ever so good
now and kisses mother and all of us
goodby In the morning. and he Is kind
and ever so good. | don't believe he is
in his right mind. VIII said yesterday
he thought father was non campus
meant US. and then he wouldn't tell me
what It meant. but guess he doesn't
think father Is just right intellectual
ly."
Now and then Bess got hold Of big
I'D II Shn
| said intellectually" over twice, and
George laughed little. but II was a
bitter laugh. not such as n boy Of his
age has any business to possess. He
lay down and appeared to be thinking
and after awhile said aloud:
81 wonder II he wouldn't let me have
some money while he's feeling that
way"
"WhoY' Queried Bess. "Father"
what! You here still. Curiosity :
Better take these things down stairs"
George spoke with his headache
tome" as Clara called II, and Bess
without reply gathered up the tray
| things and went out. while George con-
tinued to figure out In his hardly yet
sober brain the possibility of his ia
ther letting him have more money with
which to gamble. and yet in the very
next room Mrs. Hardy knelt In an ago.
ny of petition for that flrstborn, crying
out Of her heart:
20 God. 1t is more than l can bear!
To see him growing away from me So
Dear Lord, be thou merciful to me
Bring him back again to the life he
used to live! How proud was of him
What a Joy he was to me! And now
and now! o gracious Father. II thou
art truly compassionate, hear me! Has
not this foul demon Of drink done harm
enough? That it should still come into
my home! All, but have been indif
ferent to the cries Of other women. bu
now 1t strikes mel Spare me, great ant
powerful Almighty! My boy! my heart'
hunger is for him! would rather SCI
him dead than see him as saw hin
last night. Spare me! spare me. I
Godw
Thus the mother prayed. dry eyet
and almost despairing, while he TO
whom she prayed that heartbrokel
prayer calculated. with growing cold
ness Of mind. the chances Of gettini
more money from his father to use II
drink and at the gaming table.
o appetite. and thou spirit Of gam
bling! Ye are twin demons with WHOM
many a fair browed young soul toda
Is marching arm In arm down tn
dread pavement Of helrs vestibult
lined with grinning skeletons OF pas
victims. and yet men gravely discus
the probability Of evil and think ther
ID NO special danger n Ntsls spscula
ton now and thea
Parents say. "Oh. ~ ~ wouldn
!. do such a thing" But how many kno!
really and truly what their boy Is rea
ly doing. and how many Of the youn
men would dare reveal to their mott
ers or fathers the places where the
) have been and the amusements the
have tasted and the things for whic
they have spent their money?
. Mr.. HARDY went at once to his neigl