Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-05-30
ROBERT }}ARDY'S
SEVEN DAYS>
A DREAM AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
By REV. CHAS. MI. SHEI.DoN
anbor Of n His Steps, Crucfxion
Philip

drive away your headache, and I'll
bring you up something nice to eat!
Mother had Norah save something for
you. Didn't you, motherT"
Bessie asked the question just as her
mother came In.
Mrs. Hardy said Eyes" and, going
up to George, sat down by him and
laid her hand on his head, as his sister
had done.
The boy moved uneaslly.> He saw
the marks Of great suffering on his
mothers face. but he said nothing to
express sorrow for his disgrace.
"Bess, will you 60 and get George
his breakfast" asked Mrs. Hardy. and
the minute she was gone the mother
turned to her son and said:
George. do you love me"
George had been expecting some
thing different. He looked at his moth
er rs the tears fell over her face, and
all that was still good in him rose up In
rebellion against the animal part he
seized his mothers hand and carried
1t to his lips. kissed 1t reverently and
said in low tone:
Mother. I am unworthy. If you
knew
He checked himself, as If on the
verge Of confession. His mother wait
ed anxiously and then asked:
won't you tell me all?'
"No; can't"
George shuddered. and at that mo-
ment Bess came in bearing tray with
toast and eggs and coffee. Mrs. Hardy
left Bess to look after her brother and
went out Of the room almost abruptly.
George looked ashamed and after eat
Ing q little told Bess to take the things
away. She looked grieved, and he
said:
"Cah't help it. I'm not hungry. Be-
sides. don't deserve all this attention.
Say. Bess, Is father still acting under
his impression, or dream, or whatever
it was"
"Yes; he is," replied Bess with much
seriousness. land he Is ever so good
now and kisses mother and all Of US
goodby in the morning, and he Is kind
and ever so good. | don't believe he Is
In his right mind. Will said yesterday
be thought father was non campus
meant us. and then he wouldn't tell me
what it meant, but | guess be doesn't
think father Is just right intellectual
ly."
Now and then Bess got hold Of big
word and used it great deal She
said intellectually" over twice, and
George laughed little, but it was
bitter laugh, not such as boy Of his
age has any business to. possess. He
lay down and appeared to be thinking
and after awhile said aloud:
81 wonder If he wouldn't let me have
some money while he's feeling that
wayW
"Who" queried Bess. "Father?"
"What! You here still, Curiosity?
Better take these things down stairs"
George spoke with his headache
tone," as Clara called it, and Bessi
without reply gathered up the tray
things and went out. while George con-
tinued to figure out in his hardly yeti
sober brain the possibility Of his ia
ther letting him have more money with
which to gamble. and yet in the very
next room Mrs. Hardy knelt In an ago.
ny of petition for that firstborn, crying
out of her heart:
20 God, it is more than l can bear!
To see him growing away from me so!
Dear Lord, be thou merciful to me.
Bring him back again to the life he
used to live! How proud was Of him!
What a JOY he was to me! And now,
and now! o gracious Father, if thou
art truly compassionate, hear me! Has
not this foul demon of drink done harm
enough? That it should still come into
my home! Ah, but | have been indif'
ferent to the cries Of other women, but
now it strikes me! Spare me, great and
powerful Almighty! My boy! my hearts
hunger is for him! l would rather see
him dead than see him as | saw him
last night. Spare me! spare me. .
Godw
Thus the mother prayed, dry eyed
and almost despairing, while he for
whom she prayed that heartbroien
prayer calculated, with growing cold
ness of mind, the chances of getting
more money from his father to use in
drink and at the gaming table.
o appetite, and thou spirit Of gam
bling! Ye are twin demons with whom
many q fair browed young soul today
Is marching arm in arm down the
dread pavement Of helrs vestibule.
lined with grinning skeletons OF past
victims, and yet men gravely discuss
the probability Of evil and think there
Is no special danger in little specula
tion now and then.
Parents say, "Oh, my hoy wouldn't
do such a thing" But how many know
really and truly what their boy is real
ly doing. and how many of the young
men would dare reveal to their moth
ers or fathers the places where they
have been and the amusements they
have tasted and The things for which
they have spent their money?
Mr.. Hardy went at once to his neigh
borS. the Cations, who lived only a
block away. He had not been on speak
ing terms with the family for some
timp and he drpadel the interview