The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-04-03

and fears We're almost lost slgn. Oh III
the thought of the great change in the
elder man. In tumult of feeling he
went home after begging Mrs. Hardy
i to send him word if Clara became
worse or if there We're any service he
i could render the family.
Robert went back up stairs, where
his wife sat by the side Of the injured
/ girl.
Mary" he said, 81 must go down to
4 the shops. You know left word with
| Wellman to do what he could in the
office until could get down, but this
accident has made it imperative that
be there myself There are details the
men cannot attend to. cannot do any
| more here, and must do what i can
for the sufferers. God has been merci-
| full to us, dear. Our dear ones are
spared to us. oh, when l heard Bes-
sizes voice in that hell's pit it seemed
to me God was taking pity on me for
the burden l am carrying this week!
And If she had been killed do believe
l should have gone mad. Pray for me,
sweetheart
And with kiss and embrace Robert
left the house, and even in the sorrow
of all her trouble Mrs. Hardy felt
great wave Of joy flow through her at
the thought of love come back to
her, and as she went to the window
and watched the tall, strong figure
swing down the street she almost felt
a girl again and wondered if he would
turn around and see her there and toss
his hat to her as in the old days. Yes;
just before he reached the corner
where he had to turn he looked back
up at the window, saw his wife stand
ing there and took off his hat, with
smile, and she waved her hand at him
and colored as when her Robert used
to do the same thing while he was
counting her.
1.-TWO fools!" somebody says. Yes;
two children Of God who have seen
his face and learned what all this life
means.
! He found much to do at the shops.
The accident necessitated special work.
1t looked to him as if he must be down
there all day. There was almost pan
lie in the planning rooms. The air was
heavy with the horror of the night be-
i fore. Owing to the wreck there was
more need of work in the shops than
ever, but along toward noon Burns
came into the Office, pulling long face
and asking Mr.. Hardy to step across
the yard and talk to the men, who had
threatened, Burns said, to do mischief
If they were not given the afternoon to
go down to the scene of the disaster.
Mr.. Hardy, with sinking heart, rose
and followed Burns into the planning
rooms. He told the foreman to get the
men together in the center of the room.
They stopped their machines and gath
cred in the largest open space between
the planers. and Mr.. Hardy addressed
them:
what do you want? Burns tells me
there is dissatisfaction. Speak out so
that we may know what the trouble
Is"
There was an awkward pause. Then
one man spoke up:
eve think the company ought to give
us the day off"
what forw asked Mr.. Hardy mildly.
Under any other circumstances he
would have told the men they might
leave for good if they didn't like the
pay and the company. He had done
just that thing twice before, but things
were different now. He looked at the
men in a new light. He was new
man himself. Besides, it was impera-
tive that the work in the shops go on.
The company could i'll afford to lose
the work just at this particular time.
All these considerations did not blind
Robert to his obligations as an officer
of the company. He was only anxious
that no injustice should be done, so he
said, What for?" mildly and quietly
and waited for an answer.
The spokesman was not quite ready
with an answer. The directness Of the
question and the mildness of it also
surprised him. Another man spoke up:
our friends were in the accident.
We want to go see them"
Every well. How many men had
relatives or friends in the accident
who are injured or killed? Let them
step forward''
There was moment of inaction.
Then three men stepped out. Mr.. Har-
i $ i! /; y A :.