The true northerner., 1900-06-06
had once in his younger DAYS been |.


sage of life at the present crisis in his
own. He at once spoke of the meet
ing 10 his wife.
"Mary, what do you say? | know ev-
cry minute is precious. l owe to you
and these dear ones at home a very
sacred duty, but no less, Ii seems to
me, Is my duty to the society where
have lived all these years. doing literal
ly nothing for It's uplift toward God,
who gave us all life and power. l feel
as If he would put message into my
mouth that would prove q blessing to
this community. 1t seems to me this
special opportunity is providential."
Robert" replied his wife, smiling at
him through happy tears, 'it is the will
of God. Do your duty as he makes 1t
clear TO YOU"
1t had been an agitating week to the
wife. She anticipated its close with a
feeling akin TO terror. What would
the end be? She was compelled to say
to herself that her husband was not
INSANE, but the thought that he was
really to be called out of the world in
some mysterious manner at the end Of
the rapidly approaching Sunday had
several times come over her with n
power that threatened her own reason
Nevertheless the week so far, in
spite of its terror and agitation had a
sweet JOY for her. Her husband had
come back to her, the lover as he once
had been, only with the added tender
ness of all the years of their compan-
ionship. She thanked the Father for
1t, and when the hour came for Rob-
ert to go down TO the. meeting she
blessed him and prayed heaven to
make his words 10 the people like the
words of God.
Father, what do you want me to
do? Shall l stay here?" asked George,
who had not stirred out of the house
all day. He had watched by Clara
faithfully. She was still in that mys-
terious condition of unconsciousness
which made her case so puzzling TO the
doctor.
Mr.. Hardy hesitated a moment, then
said: mo, George. | would like to
have you go with me. Alice can do all
together now before we go out The
Lord is leading us mysteriously, but
we shall some time know the reason
why"
So In the room where Clara lay they
all kneeled down except VIII, who lay
upon n lounge near his unconscious
sister. Mr.. Hardy as lie clasped his
fa,o Iat In. l,fr l.
soul in this petition:
Dear Lord, we know thou dost love
us, even though we cannot always
know why thou dost allow suffering
and trouble, and we would thank thee
for the things that cannot be destroy
ed, for the loves that cannot suffer
death, for the wonderful promises Of
the life to come. Only we have been
so careless of the things that belong to
thy kingdom. We have been so selfish
and forgetful Of the great needs and
sufferings and sins of earth. Pardon
us, gracious Redeemer. Pardon me,
for am the chief offender. Yea, Lord,
even as the robber on the cross was
welcomed into paradise, welcome thou
I
May they recover. Make this beloved
one who now lies unknowing among
us to come back into the universe of
sense and sound, to know us and smile
upon us again.
I'VE say, Thy will be done Grand
wisdom, for thou knowest best. Only
our hearts will cry out for help, and
thou knowest our hearts better than
any one else. Bless me this night as
stand before the people. This is no
selfish prayer, dear Lord. / desire only
thy glory; pray only for thy kingdom.
But thou hast appointed my days TO
live. Thou hast sent me the message,
and I cannot help feeling the solemn
burden and joy of it.
81 will say to the people that thou
art most important of all In this habi-
tation Of the flesh. And now bless us
all. Give us new hearts. Make us to
feel the true meaning of existence
here. Reveal TO us thy splendor For
give all the past and make impossible
In the children the mistakes of the par
ent Deliver us from evil. and thine
shall he the kingdom forever. Amen"
When Mr.. Hardy and George reach
ed the town hall, they found large
crowd gathering. They had some diff
Guilty in gaining entrance. Mr.. Hardy
at once passed up to the platform,
where the chairman of the meeting
greeted him and said he would expect
him to make some remarks during the
evening.
Robert sat down at one end of the
platform and watched the hall fill with
people, nearly all well known TO him.
There was an unusually large crowd
OF boys and young men, besides large
gathering of his own men from the
shops, together with great number Of
citizens and business men, a repre-
sentative audience for the place,
brought together under the influence
of the disaster and feeling somewhat
the breaking down of artificial social
distinctions In the presence of the grim
leveler Death, who had come so near to
/ a Al l.. r. Iaxv