Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-04-03

Then. seeing that II was only 81 or IS,
he pulled out his purse and emptied
that OF Its bills. while Burns, the fore
man. and all the men looked on In stu
peiied wonder.
mo, no thanks! I'll do something
more"
Mr.. Hardy walked away. feeling as
II the ground were heavy under him.
What was all his money compared
with that life which had been sacrific-
ed in that gas poisoned sepulcher? He
could not Danish from his mind the pic
ture Of that face as II looked to him
when he drew back the sheet and look.
ed at II.
He hurried back to the office through
the yard and sat down at the well
worn desk. The mail had come In. and
half a dozen letters lay there. What
did II all amount to. this grind Of busi-
ness, when the heartache Of the world
called for so much sympathy? Then
over him came the sense Of his obliga-
tlOuS W lis - uCtu Va ~
fathers help. George going to the bad,
Alice In need Of sympathy. his wife
weeping even now at home. the church
and Sunday school where he had been
of SO little use, the family Of Scoville
to be provided for. the other injured
men to be visited. improvements for
the welfare Of the men In the shops to
be looked after and the routine OF his
busIness-all these things crowded In
upon him. and still he saw the face and
heard the voice Of Eternity. Seven
days more to live"
He sank into reverie for moment
He was reused by the sounding OF the
noon whistle. What. noon already? So
swiftly had the time gone! He turned
TO his Desk. bewildered. and picked up
his letters. glanced over them hurried
ly and then gave directions for the an
swers Of some Of them to his impatient
clerk. who had been wondering ut his
employers strange behavior this morn
Ing. Among the letters was one which
made his cheek burn with self re-
proach. II was an invitation to club
dinner to be given that evening In hon.
or OF some visiting railroad president
1t was just such an occasion as he
had enjoyed very many times before,
and the recollection brought to mind
the number Of times he had gone away
from his home and left his wife sitting
drearily by the fire. How could he
have done II? He tossed the gilded In
vitation dercely into the wastebas6et
and. rising, walked his room. thinking,
thinking. He had SO much TO do and
so little time TO do II in! He thought
thus a moment, then went odt and
walked rapidly over TO the hotel where
he was In the habit Of getting lunch
when he did not go home. He ate a
little hurriedly and then FASTENED out.
As he was going out upon the side
walk two young men came In and JOS
tied against him. They were smoking
and talking In a loud tone. Mr.. Hardy
caught the sound OF his own name. He
looked at the speaker. and II was the
face OF the young man he had seen In
his dream. the one who had insulted
George and struck him afterward. For
a moment Mr. Hardy was tempted TO
confront the youth and inquire into his
sons habits.
mo" he said to himself after n
pause: II will have a good talk with
George himself. That will be the
best"
He hurried back to the office and ar
ranged some necessary work for his
clerk. took walk through the other
office. then went to the telephone and
called up the superintendent Of the
Sunday school. who was bookkeeper
In a clothing house. He felt an intense
desire TO arrange for an Interview with
him as soon as possible. Word came
back from the house that the superin-
tendent had been called out Of town by
serious illness In his old home and
would not be back until Saturday. Mr..
Hardy felt disappointment more
keen than the occasion seemed to war
rant. He was conscious that the time
was very brief. He had fully made up
his mind that so far as In him lay he
would redeem his selfish past and
make week such as few men ever
made. He was just beginning to real
ize that circumstances are not always
in our control. We are Obliged TO wait
for time to do some things. We cannot
redeem seven years Of selfishness with
seven days Of self denial. The death