The true northerner., 1900-06-06

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"Stop~ cried Robert Hardy. This Is
my Sonp'
The boy seemed moved as his father
had not yet seen him.
mo; they were not-that is, Bess
was not hurt at all. But Will was Sc
verely bruised, and Clara still lies in
a state of stupor or unconsciousneas,
and we do not know what the end will
be. l was on my way just now to get
some needed articles from the doctors
house. You must come back with me.
The law has no hold on you"
MAYBE the law hasn't any hold on
him, but Michael Finnerty has don't
just like the idea, mister man, of let
ting the boy go yet" replied the stub
born and unusually dutiful officer.
Mr.. Hardy began to appeal to the
mans love of his own children. 1t did
not seem to move him in the least until
he mentioned the fact that 1t was
cruelty to keep the suffering girl at
home waiting for her fathers return.
Finnerty finally loosened his hold on
George and said slowly and painfully:
''And if lose me job I'll be knowing
who was to blame for it. | always
told Michael Finnerty that he was too
soft hearted to go on the forcew
You won't suffer. officer. Many
thanks. Come. George"
And father and son moved off to-
gether, while the defender Of the law
stood irresolute, watching them disap-
pear through the storm and muttering
to himself: I'm n soft hearted fool.
! ought to "A been born a female hos
pital nurse, / had"
During that walk home. after Mr..
Hardy had gone around by the doc
tors with George, not a word was ex-
changed. The storm was increasing
The two walked along in silence. but
when George walked into the hall at
home he turned and saw a look on his
fathers face that smote him to the
soul.
Mr. Hardy had lived years in that
experience. No one could tell how his
heart had been tortured by what he
had endured that night, but the mark
Of it was stamped physically on his
face. and he knew that he would bear
It TO his grave.
Mrs. Hardy came running down
stairs as the two came in, and as
George turned and faced her she held
out her arms, crying:
"My boy! My boy! We have been
so anxious about you!'
What, not one word Of reproach, OF
rebuke, of question as TO what he had
been doing all this time that the family
had been suffering! No; not one word.
All, mother love! 1t is the most won
derful thing on earth, next to the love
for It is the love of God expressing IT,
self through the mother, who is the
temple Of the loving God.
George dashed away tear and then,
going up to his mother, laid his cheek
against hers, and she folded her arms
about him and cried little and asked
no questions, and after a moments ST.
lence he stammered out few words
of sorrow at having caused her pain,
and she toyfully accepted his broken
explanation Of how he had not known
of the accident to Clara and the others.
1t was true he had gone out the even
ing before, fully intending to go down
to the scene Of the accident; but, COM
ing across some Of his old companions,
he had gone off with them and spent
the night in disgraceful carouse and
throughout the day had been under the
influence Of liquor more or less, dimly
conscious that a great disaster had
happened down the road, but not
sober enough to realize its details or
Its possible connection with those of
his own home.
The sudden meeting with his father
had startled him out Of the drowsy In
toxication he had fallen into as the
day progressed. Now, as he felt his
mothers arms around him and realized
little what the family had been call