The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-05-11
CHAPTER l.


It was Sunday night, and Robert
Hardy had just come home from the
evening service in the church at Bar
ton. He was not in the habit Of attend
ing the evening service, but something
said by his minister in the morning
had impelled him to go out. The even
ing had been little unpleasant, and q
light snow was falling, and his wife
had excused herself from going to
church on that account. Mr.. Hardy
came home cross and fault finding.
"Catch me going to evening service
again! Only SO people out, and it was
a sheer waste of fuel and light. The
sermon was one of the dullest l ever
heard believe Mr.. Jones is growing
too old for our church. We need a
young man, more up with the times.
He is everlastingly harping on the ne
cessity of doing what we can In the
present to save our souls. To hear him
talk you would think every man wing
| wasn't running round to save souls ev-
cry winter was a robber and an enemy
of society. He is getting off, too, on
| this newfangled Christian sociology
and thinks the rich men are expressing
the poor and that church members
ought to study and follow more closely
the teachings of Christ and be more
brotherly and neighborly to their fel-
low men, Bah! l am sick Of the whole
subject of humanity. 1 shall withdraw
nay pledge to the salary If the present
| style of preaching continues"
"What was the text of the sermon to-
night 2" asked Mrs. Hardy.
| "Oh, don't remember exactly. Some
thing about This night thy soul shall
be demanded or words like that. !
don't believe In this attempt to scare
folks into heaven"
'It would take a good many sermons
to scare you, Robert"
"Yes; more than two a week." replied
Mr.. Hardy, with dry laugh. He drew
off his overcoat and threw himself
down on the lounge in front Of the
open fire. "Where are the girls?"
"Alice is up stairs reading the morn
ing paper. Clara and Bess went over
to call on the Caxtons."
"How did they happen to go over
there?"
Mrs. Hardy hesitated. Finally she
said, James came over and invited
them"
"And they know l have forbidden
them to have anything to do with the
Caxtons! When they come in, I will
let them know 1 mean what / say. II
is very strange the girls do not appear
to understand that"
Mr.. Hardy rose from the lounge end
walked across the room, then came
back and lay down again and from his
recumbent position poked the fire say.
lagely with the shovel.
Mrs Hardy bit her lips and seemed
on the point of replying. but said moth
ing.
At last Mr. Hardy asked, "Where are
the boys?"
"Will is getting out his lessons fol
tomorrow up in his room. George went
out about 8 o'clock. He didn't say
where he was going"
"It's a nice family. Is there one
night in the year, Mary, when all oul
children are at home?
almost as many as there are wher
you are at home," retorted Mrs. Hardy
what with your club and your lodge
and your scientific society and youl
reading circle and your directors meet
ing the children see about as much o!
you as you do Of them. How many
nights in a week do you give to us
Robert? Do you think it is strangs
i haf hn nr1fc fnr hof
amusements? Our home"-Mrs. Hardy
paused and looked around at the cost,
interior Of the room where the twt
were-"our home Is well furnished
with everything but our own children.
The man on the lounge was silent
He felt the sharpness Of the thrus
made by his wife and knew it was to-
true to be denied. But Mr.. Hardy was
above all things else, selfish. He hat
not the remotest intention Of giving VI
his club or his scientific society or hi
frequent cozy dinners with busines
men down town because his wife spen
: SO many lonely, deserted evenings a
home and because his children were 81
most strangers 10 him. But it annoye'
him, as a respectable citizen, to hay
his children making acquaintances tha
t he did not approve, and it-grated on hi
old fashioned, inherited New Englan
ideas that his boys and girls shoul'
be away from home so often in tn
evening and especially on Sunda,
evening. The maxim Of Robert Hardy
life was "Self interest first" AS Ion
as he was not thwarted in his ow
pleasures he was as good natured a
> the average man. He provided liberia
ly for the household expenses, and hi
wife and children were supplied wit
money and travel as they requeste
IT, But the minute he was crossed 1
}. Es own plans or any one demanded Q
him a service that compelled some sci
o denial he became hard, i'll natured an
naughty.
He had been a member Of the churc