The true northerner., 1900-04-04


them then. Iobcrt!"
II might" replied Mr.. Hardy briefly.
"But | can tell you l have more calls
for my money now than | can meet.
Take the church expenses, for example.
| Why, we are called upon TO give to
some cause or other every week, be-
sides our regular pledges for current
expenses. It's constant drain. i
shall have to cut down ON my pledge.
We can't be giving to everything all
the time and have anything ourselves"
MIR. Hardy spoke with "A touch Of In
dignation, and his wife glanced around
the almost palatial room and smiled.
/ Then her face grew a little stern and
| almost forbiddng as she remembered
| that only last week her husband had
| spent $50 for new electrical appa-
ratus TO experiment with I'm his labora-
tory And now he was talking hard
times and grudging the small sums lie
gave to religious objects in connection
/ with his church and thinking he could
not afford to help the family Of man
who had once saved his life!
Again she turned TO the piano and
played awhile but she could not be
rested by the music as sometimes she
had been. When she finally rose and
walked over by the table near the end
Of the lounge, Mr.. Hardy was asleep,
and she sat down by the table, gazing
into the open fire drearily, look Of
sorrow and unrest on the face still
beautiful. but worn by years of disap-
- ha+ cot
and admiration she once held for the
man who had vowed at the altar to
make her happy. She had not lost her
love for him wholly, but she was fast
losing the best part Of it, the love
which has its daily source in an inborn
respect. When respect is gone, love is
not long in following after.
She sat thus for half an hour and
was at last aroused by the two girls,
Clara and Bess, coming in. They were
laughing and talking together and had
evidently parted with some one at the
door. Mrs. Hardy went out into the
hallway.
FLUSH, girls, your father is aslcep!
You know how he feels to be awakened
suddenly by noise. But he has been
waiting up for YOU"
"Then | guess Wen go up stairs
without bidding him good night" said
Clara abruptly. Il don't want to be
lectured about going over to the CaX-
tons"
mo; l want TO see you both and have
little talk with you. Come in here"
Mrs. Hardy drew the two girls into the
front room and pulled the curtains to-
gether over the arch opening into the
room where Mr. Hardy lay. Now tell
me, girls, why did your father forbid
your going over to the Cations? l did
not know until tonight. Has it some
thing to do with james,"
+ Neither of the girls said anything for
minute. Then Bess, who was the
younger of the two and famous for
startling the family with very sensa-
tional remarks, replied, James and
Clara are engaged, and they are going
TO be married tomorrow"
Mrs. Hardy looked at Clara, and the
gill grew very red in the face, and
then, to the surprise Of her mother and
Bess, she burst out into violent fit Of
crying. Mrs. Hardy gathered her into
her arms as in the olden times when
she was little child and soothed her
into Quietness.
Tell me all about it, dear. did not
know you cared for James in that
way"
"But | do" sobbed Clara. "And ia
ther guessed something and forbade us
going there any more. But | didn't
think he would mind it If Bess and 1
went just this one night. | couldn't
help it anyway. Mother, isn't it right
for people to love each other"
"'Tisn't proper to talk about such
things on Sunday" said Bess solemnly.
Clara said Mrs. Hardy. why,
you're only child yet! Is it true that
James is Why, he is only n boy!"
'He is u, and am 1S, and he's earn
ing $40 a month in the office and is one
of the best stenographers in the state.
We've talked it over, and l wish we
could be married tomorrow, sou Clara
burst out with it all at once, while Bess
remarked quietly:
"Yes, they're real sensible, and l
think James is nice, but when / marry
/ want more than $40 n month for can
dy alone And, then, he isn't particu-
larly handsome"
"IIe Is, too" cried Clara. "And he's
good and brave and splendid. and I'd
rather have him than a thousand such
men as Lancey Cummings. Mother, l
don't want money. 1t hasn't made you
happy"
"Hush, dearv Mrs. Hardy felt as IL
blow had smitten her in the face.
She was silent then.
Clara put her arms around her moth
er and whispered Forgive me, moth
er! l didn't mean to hurt you. But l
am so unhappy
Unhappy! And yet the girl was just
beginning to blossom out toward the
face of God under the influence of that
most divine and tender and true feel
ing that ever comes to girl who
knows a true, brave man loves her
with all his soul. And some people
would have us leave this subject to the