Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-12-20

NSO46e anu edIu SLOWLY anu pal0Iuly:t
"And IL lose me job I'll be knowing
who was to blame for 1t. l always
told Michael Finnerty that he was too :
soft hearted to 60 on the force!' 49,
i You won't suffer. officer. Many
thanks!, Come, George .-
And father and son moved OF to-
gether, while the defender of the law
stood irresolute, watching them disap-
pear through the storm and muttering
to himself: "I'm soft hearted fool.
I 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 look on his
fathers face that smote him to the
heart, for he was not yet a hardened
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
1t to his grave.
Mrs. Hardy came running down
stairs IS Ine two caLle in, and as
George turned and faced her she held
out her arms, crying:
my boy! My boy! We have been
80 anxious about your
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
Of God for the sinner. 1t is even that,
for it is the love of God expressing it.
self through the mother, who is the
temple Of the loving God.
George dashed away a 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 moments ST.
lence he stammered out few words
Of sorrow at having caused her pain,
and she joyfully 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 60 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 lad 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 it's details or
it's possible connection, with those Of
his own home.
The sudden meeting with his father
had startled him out of the drowsys 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
ed. upon to endure, be. felt the shame
and disgrace of his own conduct.
Mr.. Hardy went up stairs and con-
suited with the doctor, who wondered
at his protracted absence There was
no change in Clara yet. She lay in a
condition which could not be. called
trance nor sleep. She did not seem
to be in any great pain. but she was
unconscious of all outside conditions
After a little talk with his mother
George came up and inquired after
Bess and Will. They were both Sleep
of t1,o !,
the father and mother and son sat
down together in the room where Clara
lay.
Mr.. Hardy did not say word to
George about the incident of the even
ing. The shame Of it was too great
yet. When men of Mr.. Hardy's self
contained, repressed, proud nature are
panied, it is with an intense inward
fire Of passion that cannot bear to
break out into words
George had sense enough to offer to
relieve his parents Of the burden Of
watching during the. night, and during
the exchange of watchers along toward
morning, as Mrs. Hardy slipped into
the room to relieve the boy, she found
MIN kneellng down at a couch with
his face buried in the cushions. She
raised her face in thanksgiving to God
and went softly out. " -.
r. The morning dawned gray with snow
which still whirled in wreaths about
the .sorrowing homes of Barton, but
Robert Hardy thought of the ~merciful
covering it would make for the ghast-
ly piles Of ruin down under the bridge
and along the banks of the river.
T. He said to himself: '"This is my
fourth day. How can I best spend it?
What shall l doY' He kneeled and
prayed and rose somewhat refreshed. ::
The forenoon went rapidly by, and
before he knew it noon was near The
!. x2MZIz !. !.
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