The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-03-23
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power he could not resist and com
PEELED to listen whether he liked 1t or
not. next found himself looking into
one of the railroad shop tenements
where the man Scoville was living.
awaiting amputation of both feet after
the terrible accident. Scoville's wife
lay upon a ragged lounge. while Mrs
Hardy's cook kneeled by her side and
In her native Swedish tongue tried to
comfort the poor woman So it was
true that these two were sisters. The
man was still conscious and suffering
unspeakably. The railroad surgeon had
been sent for, but had not arrived
Three or four men and their wives had
come In to do what they could. Mr..
Burns, the foreman. was among them
One of the men spoke in whisper to
him:
Have you been to see Mr. HardyY"
YES but he was at church. | left
word about the accident"
"At church. So even the devil some
times goes to church. What for. / won
der? VIII he be here, think?"
Don't know" replied Mr.. Burns
CURLY.
DO you mind when he"-pointing to
scoville-"saved Mr.. Hariy's lifey"
Remember it we'll enough; was
standing close by"
''What'll be done with the children
when Scoville goes. eh?"
Don't know"
Just then the surgeon came in, and
preparations We're rapidly made for the
operation. The last that Mr.. Hardy
heard was the shrek Of the poor wife
as she struggled to her feet and fell In
a fit across the floor where two of the
youngest children chung terrified to her
dress, and the father cried out. tears Of
agony and despair running down his
face, 'My God. what hell this world
is!'
The next scene was a room where
everything appeared confused at first,
but finally grew more distinct and ter
rible in Its significance. and the first
person Mr.. Hardy recognized was his
Oldest boy. George. in company with a
group Of young men engaged in-what!
He rubbed his eyes and stared painful
~. Yes: they were gambling. So here
was where George spent all his money
and Bessie's too! Nothing that the
miserable father had seen so far cut
him to the quick quite so sharply as
this. He had prided 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, impurity-all the physical vices
were to Mr.. Hardy the lowest degrade
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.
II say, George" said very fashily
dressed youth who was smoking that
invention Of the devil, a cigarette,
''your old man would rub his eyes to
see you here, chg"
well, should remark he would"
replied George as he sluhied the cards
and then helped himself to drink.
II say, George" said the first speak
er. your sister Bess is getting to be d
beauty. Introduce me, will you?"
mo, 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
1t any longer. He thought he broke
away from the scene by the exercise
Of 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 MI.
Hardy's heart and scorched him as not
any scene, net even the last, had done.
My husband!" Mrs. Hardy was say
ing to herself. "How long it is since
he gave me 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 /
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 loving look, a tender
smile, an affectionate caress?
"Oh, Robert, Robert! Come back to
me, for ! am 80 lonely, so lonely!