The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-05-22


Clara and Bess clung about him as he
took off his coat and came into the
beautiful room where a cheerful fire
was blazing. Will came down stairs
as his father came in, and in the brief
interval before supper was ready Mr..
Hardy related the scenes of the day.
They were all shocked to hear Of
Scoville's death, and Mrs. Hardy at
once began to discuss some plans for
relieving the family. Bess volunteered
to give up half her room to one of the
children, and Alice quietly outlined q
plan which Immediately appeared to
her father businesslike and feasible
In the midst of this discussion supper
was announced. and they all sat down.
"Where is GeorgeT" asked Mr.. Hardy.
Ordinarily he would have gone on with
the meal without any reference to the
boy, because he was so often absent
from the table. Tonight he felt an ir-
reststible longing to have all his chill
dren with him.
HE said he was invited out to sup
per with the Bramleys," said Clara.
Mr. Hardy received the announce
ment in silence. He felt the bitterness
of such Indifference on the part of his
older son. WHAT" he said to himself.
when he knows l had such a little
while left, could he not be at homer
Then almost Immediately flashed into
him the self reproach even stronger
than his condemnation Of his boy.
How much have l done for him these
last ten years to win his love and pro-
tect him from evil"
After supper Mr.. Hardy sat down by
his wife, and In the very act he blush
ed with shame at the thought that he
| could not recall when he had spent an
| evening thus. He looked into her face
and asked gently:
"Mary, what do you want me to do
Shall l read as we used to In the ole
daysY'
"No; let us talk together" replied
Mrs. Hardy. bravely driving back her
tears. II cannot realize what it all
means. I have been praying all day
Do you still have the impression You
had this morningT
"Mary, am If anything even more
| convinced that God has spoken to me-
The impression has been deepening
| with me all day. When I looked into
poor Scoville's face, the terrible nature
of my past selfish life almost over
whelmed me. Oh, why have l abused
Gods goodness to me SO awfullyw
| There was silence a moment. TheI
Mr.. Hardy grew more calm. He begar
to discuss what he would do the seconi
day. He related more fully the inter
| view with the men in the shop and hi
visits to the injured. He drew Clara Il
him and began to inquire into her trou
bles in such a tender, loving way tina
Clara's proud. passionate, willful ma
ture broke down, and she sobbed on
her story to him as she had to he
mother the night before.
Mr.. Hardy promised Clara that h,
would see James the next day. It wa
true that James Caxton had only .
week before approached Mr.. Hard.
and told him in very manful fashion o
his love for his daughter, but Mr.. Har
ldy had treated it as a child's affair, and
III dCCOruduCe Will ulS usual pOuCy IL
family matters had simply told Clart
land Bess to discontinue their visits q
the old neighbor's. But now that b,
heard the story from the lips Of hil
Iown daughter he saw the seriousness
lof 1t, and crowding back all his formel
Ipride and hatred Of the elder Caxton b,
Ipromised Clara to see James the mex
day.
Clara clung to her father in lovinl
surprise. She was bewildered, as wer
all the rest, by the strange event tina
had happened to her father, but sh
never had SO felt his love before, and
forgetting for awhile the signifcanc
of his wonderful dream, she felt happ,
in his presence and in his affection 70
her.
The evening had sped on with SUI
prising rapidity while all these matter