Middletown transcript., 1900-04-28

miserable father had seen so far cut
him to the quick quite so sharply as
this. He had pridrd himself on his
own freedom from vices and had an
honest horror of them, for Mr.. Hardy
was not monster of iniquity, only an
intensely selfish man. Gambling, drink
ing, impurity1all the physical vices
were to Mr.. Hardy the lowest degrada-
ton.
The thought that his own son had
fallen into this pit was terrible to him.
But he was compelled to look and lis
ten. All the young men were smoking,
and beer and wine stood on buffet at
[ one side of the room and were plenti-
fully partaken of.
81 say, George" said very dashily
dressed youth who was smoking that
invention of the devil, a cigarette
"your old man would rub his eyes to
see you here, eh?''
"Well, 1 should remark he would"
replied George as he shuffied the cards
and then helped himself to a drink.
81 say, George" said the first speak
er, ''your sister Bess is getting to be a
beauty. Introduce me, will you?'
mo, l won't" said George shortly.
| He had been losing all the evening, and
he felt nervous and irritable.
"Ah! We are too bad, eh?'
George made some fierce reply, and
the other fellow struck him. Instantly
George sprang to his feet, and fight
took place. Mr. Hardy could not bear
it any longer. He thought he broke
away from the scene by the exercise
of a great determination and next
found himself looking into his own
home. 1t seemed to him it was an even
ing when he and all the children had
gone out, and Mrs. Hardy sat alone,
looking into the fire as she had been.
looking before he fell asleep. She was
thinking, and her thoughts were like
burning Goals as they fell into Mr..
Hardy's heart and scorched him as not
any scene, not even the last, had done.
my husband!' Mrs. Hardy was say
ing to herself. "How long it is since
he gave me a caress, kissed me when
he went to his work or laid his hand
lovingly on my cheek as he used to do!
How brave and handsome and good 1
used to think him in the old Vermont
days when we were struggling for our
little home and his best thought was Of
the home and of the wife! But the
years have changed him! Oh, yes;
they have changed him bitterly!
wonder if he realizes my hunger for
his affection! OF what value to me are
all these baubles wealth brings com
pared with a loving look, tender
smile, an affectionate caress?
"Oh, Robert, Robert! Come back to
me, for ! am so lonely. so lonely!
Would to God all our riches might be
taken from us and all our position in
society be lost TO us, for | am fast los
ing my love for him who is my hus-
band! Great and long suffering and
forgiving God, help me! ! feel wicked
sometimes. | cannot bear this kind Of
a life. 1t is killing me. 1t is robbing
me Of all that life contains that is
sweet and true. Oh, Father of Mer
cies, for Jesus sake do not let me grow
insane or without belief! Oh, Robert
Robert, my lover, my husband. l will;
| will love your And Mrs. Hardy fell
on her knees by the side of the couch
and buried her face in its cushions and
sobbed and prayed.
Suddenly the whole scene changed. |
and Mr.. Hardy, who had stretched oat
his arms to comfort his wife as in the |
old days when love was young, felt |
himself carried by an irresistible pow |
er up away from the earth, past the |
stars and planets and suns and satel- |
lites that blaZed like gems in space; on. |
on, for what seemed to him like ages
Of time, until even the thought Of time |
grew indistinct; on and up and into |
the presence of the most mighty Face |
he had ever looked into. 1t was the |
Face of Eternity. On it's brow was
written In words of blazing light the
one word "Now." And as he looked |
into that calm, awful Face and read |
that awful word Mr.. Hardy felt his
soul crumble within him. When the
Face spoke, it was the speech of a
thousand oceans heaved by a million
tempests, yet through the terror of it
ran a thread Of music-a still sweet
sound like everlasting love-as if
angels sang somewhere a divine ac-
compartment. And the Face said:
Child of humanity, you have neg
lected and despised me for 80 years.
You have lived for yourself. You have
been careless and thoughtless of the
worlds great needs. The time Of your
redemption is short. 1t has been grant
ed you by him who rules the world
that you should have but seven more
days to live upon the earth-seven DAYS
to help redeem your soul from ever
lasting shame and death. Mortal, see
to it that thou usest the precious time
like those who toll for jewels in the
mine beneath the sea. who speak un.
to thee am Eternity"
Then Robert Hardy thought he fell
upon his face before that awful Face
and begged in bitterest terror for a
longer lease of life.
Seven days! Why, it will be but |
seven swift seconds to redeem my
past! Seven days! 1t will be n nothing
q the marking Of time! O mighty Pow
er, grant me longer! Seven weeks! |
Seven years! And l will live for thee
Is never mortal yet lived"
And Robert Hardy sobbed and held I
lis arms beseechingly up toward that
most resplendent Face. And as he thus !
stretched out his arms the Face bent :
lown toward his, and he thought q
mile of pity cleaned upon it, and he I
loped that more time would be granted
i'm; and then, as it came nearer, he
uddenly awokc, and there was his
wn wife bending over him, and a tear :
rom her face fell upon his own as she
aid:
Robert. Robertm
Mr.. Hardy sat up confused and trem.
ling Then he clasped his wife to him
nd kissed her as he used to do. And
hen to her great amazement he related
her N . loEE ttene the Tie dream he had
nst had. Mrs. Hardy listened In the
lost undisguised astonishment. But
hat followed filed her heart With
ear.
"AIarv said bar 6,,eJ,o Il ..-.xt a. six