The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-04-12

employers strange behavior this morn
ing. Among the letters was one which
made his cheek burn with self re-
prOach. 1t was an invitation to club
! dinner to be given that evening In hon.
or Of some visiting railroad president.
1t was Just such an occasion as he
had enjoyed very many times before,
and the recollection brought to mind
the number Of times he had gone away
from his home and left his wife sitting
drearily by the fire. How could he
have done it? He tossed the gilded in
vitation fiercely into the wastebasket
and, rising, walked his room, thinking,
thinking. He had so much to do and
80 little time to do 1t in! He thought
thus moment, then went out and
3 walked rapidly over to the hotel where
he was In the habit Of getting lunch
/ when he did not go home. He ate q
little hurriedly and then FASTENED out
As he was going out upon the side.
walk two young men came in and JOS.
tied against him. They were smoking
and talking in loud tone. Mr.. Hardy
caught the sound Of his own name. He
looked at the speaker, and it was the
face Of the young man he had seen in
his dream, the one who had insulted
George and struck him afterward. For
a moment Mr.. Hardy was tempted to
confront the youth and inquire into his
sons habits.
NO" he said to himself after a
pause; ~ will have a good talk with
George himself. That will be the
best"
He hurried back to the Office and ar
ranged some necessary work for his
clerk, took walk through the other
office, then went to the telephone and
called up the superintendent of the
Sunday school. who was a bookkeeper
in a clothing house. He felt an intense
desire to arrange for an interview with
him as soon as possible. Word came
back from the house that the superin.
tendent had been called out Of town by
serious illness in his old home and
would not be back until Saturday. Mr.
Hardy felt disappointment more
keen than the occasion seemed to war
rant. He was conscious that the time
was very brief. He had fully made up
his mind that so far as in him lay he
would redeem his selfish past and
make a week such as few men ever
made. He was just beginning to real.
ize that circumstances are not always
in our control. We are obliged to wait
for time to do some things. We cannot
redeem seven years Of selnshness with
seven days Of self denial. The death
Of Scoville revealed to Mr.. Hardy his
powerlessness In the face Of certain
possibilities. He now feared that the
superintendent would fail to return in
time to let him confess to him his Just
sorrow for his lack Of service In the
school. He sat down to his desk and
under that impulse wrote a letter that
expressed In part how he felt Then
he jotted down the following items to
be referred to the proper authorities Of
the road:
Item /. The dust in the blacksmith
shop and IN the brass polishing rooms
Is largely unnecessary. The new En-
gleneld revolving rolling fans and ele-
vator ought to be introduced in both
departments. The cost will be but an
item to the road and would prolong the
life and add to the comfort Of the en-
ployees. Very important.
Item 2. Organized and intelligent ef-
fort should be made by all railroad cor.
porations to lessen Sunday work In
shops and on the road. All perishable
freight should be so handled As to call
for the services Of as few men on Sun
day Us possible, and excursion and pas
senger trains should be discontinued
except in cases of unavoidable neces-
sity.
Item 3. The inspection Of boilers, re-
torts, castings, machinery Of all kinds.
should be made by thoroughly compe-
tent and responsible men. who shall an
swer for all unnecessary accidents by
swift and severe punishment In case Of
loss of life or limb.
Item 4. In case Of injury or death to
employees, II incurred through the neg
lect Of the company to provide safety.
1t should provide financial relief for the
families thus injured or stricken by
death and 90 far a. possible arrange
for their future.
Item 8. Any well organized railroad
could, with profit to its employees,
have upon its staff Of salaried men .
corps Of chaplains or preachers whose
business is would be to leok after the
religious interests Of the employees.
Under this last item Mr.. Hardy wrote
In q footnote. Discuss feasibility Of
this with Mr.. B., influential director"
1t was now 3 o'clock. The short win
ter day was fast drawing to q close.
The hum Of the great engine in the ma
chine shop was growing very wear!-
some to the manager. He felt sick Of
its throbbing tremor and longed to es-
cape from It. Ordinarily he would
have gone to the clubroom and had .
game Of chess with q member. or else
he would have gone down and idled
away an hour or two before supper at
tho n u,uaoum WHARF no uyas a ron.