Middletown transcript., 1900-06-16

|
Mrs. Hardy found him knccltng doaDn dt
a couch.
| monster mass meeting in the town hal
for the benefit of the sufferers, both ir
the railroad accident and in the explo
sion of the Sunday before In the shops
1t was true the company would settle
for damages, but in many cases
through Barton the adjustment OF
claims would not be made until much
suffering and hardship had been en-
dured.
There was common feeling on the
part of the townspeople that q meet.
ing for public conference would result
in much good, and there was also, as
has been the case in other large hor.
rors, a craving to relieve the strain of
feeling by public gathering and con-
Bultation.
"Can you come out to the meeting,
Hardy" asked his friend.
Mr.. Hardy thought minute and re.
piled, eyes; think 1 can" Already
an idea had taken shape in his mind
which he could not help feeling was
inspired by God.
might be good thing If you could
come prepared to make some remarks.
find there is disposition on the part
of the public to charge the road with
carelessness and mismanagement"
'T'lI say word or two" replied Mr..
Hardy, and after brief talk on busi-
ness matters his friend went out.
Robert Immediately sat down to his
desk, and for an hour, interrupted on
ly by an occasional item OF business
brought to him by his secretary, he jot-
ted down copious notes. The thought
which had come to him when his
friend suggested the meeting was this:
He would go and utter a message that
burned within him, message which
the events Of the past few days made
imperative should be uttered. He went
home absorbed in the great idea. He
had once in his younger days been ia
nous for his skill in debate. He had
no fear of his power to deliver a mes
sage of life at the present crisis in his
own. He at once spoke Of the meet
ing to his wife.
MARY, what do you sayf I know ev-
cry minute is precious. I owe to you
and these dear ones ct home a very
sacred duty, but no less, it seems to
me, 10 my duty to the society where l
have lived all these years, doing literal
ly nothing for its uplift toward God,
who gave US all life and power. feel
as If he would put a message into my
mouth that would prove q blessing to
this community. 1t seems to me this
special opportunity is providentiaI.R
"Robert," replied his wife, smiling at
him through happy tears, at is the will
Of God. Do your duty as he makes it
clear to you."
It had been an agitating week to the
wife. She anticipated its close with
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
power that threatened her own reason.
Nevertheless the week so far, in
spite Of its terror and agitation, had
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 aad prayed heaven to
make his words to the people like the
words Of God.
Father, what do you want me to
do? Shall stay hereY asked George,
who had not stirred out of the house
oil 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. 1 would like to |
have you go with me. Alice can do all
that is necessary. But let us all pray
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 Will, who lay
upon lounge near his unconscious
sister. Mr.. Hardy as he clasped his
wife's hand in his own poured out his
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
I'd, for the loves that cannot suffer
1eath, for the wonderful promises of
.hs life to come. Only We have been