The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-05-15

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times goes to church. What for, won
der? Will he be here, think?"
Don't know" replied Mr.. Burns
curtly
"Do you mind when he"-pointing to
Scovilie-"saved Mr.. Hardy's lifer
Remember it well enough; was
standing close by"
"What'll be done with the children
when Scoville goes, ehY'
Don't know"
Just then the surgeon came in, and
preparations were rapidly made for the
opera ton. The last that Mr.. Hardy
heard was the shrek of the poor wife
q fit across the floor where two of the
youngest children clung terrified to her
dress, and the father cried out, tears of
agony and despair running down his
face, my God, what a hell this world
isl
The next scene was q 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
group of young men engaged in-what!
He rubbed his eyes and stared painful
ly. 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
thfc had r.pidad hir,,caIf on is
own freedom from vices and had an
honest horror of them, for Mr.. Hardy
was not a monster or mIqulry, only an
intensely selfish man. Gambling, drink
ing. impurity-all 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 fiashily
dressed youth who was smoking that
invention Of the devil, cigarette,
see you here, eh?'
"Well, l should remark he would"
, replied George as he shuffied the cards
and then helped himself to a drink.
'I say, George" said the first speak
er, ''your sister Bess is getting to be a
beauty. Introduce me, will you"
"No, l won't" said George shortly.
He had been losing all the evening, and
he felt nervous and irritable.
"Ah! We are too bad, ehY
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 1t 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 husbandr' 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 /
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 fol-
his affection! Of what value to me are
all these baubles wealth brings com
pared with a loving look, a tender
smile, an affectionate caress?
"Oh, Robert, Robert! Come back tt
me, for 1 am SO lonely, so lonely
Would to God all our riches might bt
taken from us and all our position il
society be lost to us, for | am fast los
ing my love for him who is my hus
band! Great and long suffering an(
forgiving God, help me! | feel wicked
sometimes. l cannot bear this kind o.
life. 1t is killing me. 1t is robbins
me of all that life contains that il
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! | will
will love your And Mrs. Hardy fel
on her knees by the side of the coucl
and buried her face in it's cushions ant
sobbed and prayed.
Suddenly the whole scene changed
) and Mr.. Hardy, who had stretched ou
his arms to comfort his wife as in til
old days when love was young, fel
himself carried by an irresistible pow
er up away from the earth, past tn
stars and planets and suns and satel
lites that blazed like gems in space; or
J on, for what seemed to him like age
of time, until even the thought Of tim
grew indistinct; on and up and int
. the presence of the most mighty Fac
he had ever looked into. 1t was th
i. Face of Eternity. On it's brow wa