Middletown transcript., 1900-04-21

family has kept her struggling for
mere existence. The cook was almost
beside herself with grief as she told
the story and said she must leave us
and care for her sister, who could not
live more than a week at the longest.
/ pitied the poor girl. Robert don't
you think we could do something for
the family? We have SO much our
selves. We could easily help them and
not miss single luxury"
"And where would such help end? If
we give to every needy person who
comes along we shall be beggars our
selves. Besides, can't afford II. The
boys are heavy expense to me while
they are in college, and the company
has been cutting down salaries lately.
If the cooks sister is married to rail-
road man, he is probably getting good
wages and can support her all right"
"What If that railroad man were in.
jured and made cripple for lifeY in
quired Mrs. Hardy quietly.
"Then the insurance companies or
the societies can help them out. l
don't see how we can make every case
that comes along our care. There
would be no end Of it IL we once be-
gan"
"As nearly as could find out" con-
tinued Mrs. Hardy, without replying to
her husbands remarks, "cook's sister
is married to one Of the men who were
hurt this afternoon. She talks SO bro
kenly in our language that could not
make out exactly how it is, and she
was much excited. Suppose it was Sco-
vile, couldn't you do something for
them then, Robert"
II might" replied Mr.. Hardy briefly.
"But l can tell you have more calls
for my money now than I can meet.
Take the church expenses, for example.
Why, we are called upon to give to
some cause or other every week, be-
sides our regular pledges for current
expenses. It's a constant drain. I
shall have to cut down on my pledge.
We can't be giving to everything all
the time and have anything ourselves"
Mr.. Hardy spoke with touch Of in
dignation, and his wife glanced around
the almost palatial room and smiled.
Then her face grew a little stern and
almost forbidding as she remembered
that only last week her husband had
spent $3.50 for a new electrical appa-
ratus to experiment with in his labora-
tory. And now he was talking hard
times and grudging the small sums he
gave to religious objects in connection
with his church and thinking he could
not afford to help the family Of man
who had once saved his lifel
Again she turned to the piano and
played awhile, but she could not be
rested by the music as sometimes she
had been. When she finally rose and
walked over by the table near the end
Of the lounge, Mr.. Hardy was asleep,
and she sat down by the table, gazing
into the open fire drearily, a look Of
sorrow and unrest on the face still
beautiful, but worn by years of disap-
pointment and the loss of that respect
and admiration she once held for the
man who had vowed at the altar to
make her happy. She had not lost her
love for him wholly, but she was fast
losing the best part Of 1t, the love
which has Its daily source In an inborn
respect. When respect is gone, love is
not long in following after.
She sat thus for half an hour and
was at last aroused by the two girls,
Clara and Bess, coming in. They were
laughing and talking together and had
evidently parted with some one at the
door. Mrs. Hardy went out into the
hallway.
Hush, girls, your father is asleep!
You know how he feels to be awakened
suddenly by noise. But he has been
waiting up for you"
'Then l guess we'l 60 up stairs
without bidding him good night" said
Clara abruptly. 81 don't want to be
lectured about going over to the Cax-
tons'."
mo; want to see you both and have
a little talk with you. Come in here"
Mrs. Hardy drew the two girls into the
front room and pulled the curtains to-
gether over the arch opening into the
room where MIR. Hardy lay. Now tell
me, girls, why did your father forbid
your going over to the Caxtons'? l did
not know until tonight Has 1t some
thing to do with James"
Neither of the girls said anything for
a minute. Then Bess, who was the
younger OF the two and famous for
startling the family with very sensa-
tional remarks, replied, James and
Clara are engaged. and they are going
to be married tomorrow"
Mrs. Hardy looked at Clara, and the
girl grew very red in the face, and
then, to the surprise Of her mother and
Bess, she burst out into violent fit of
crying. Mrs. Hardy gathered her into
her arms as in the olden times when
she was little child and soothed her