Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-11-12

III I q 5
The hrst thing he saw was his min.
listers home. It was Just after the
sunday evening service, the one which
MI. Hardy had thought 80 dull Mr..
Jones was talking over the evening
with his wife.
my dear" he said, ~ feel about dis
couraged. OF what use is all our prav.
ing and longing for the Holy Spirit
wnen our own church members are 40
cold and unspiritual that all his influ.
ence Is destroyed? And, you know. I
made special plea to all the members
10 come out tonight, and only a hand.
1ul there! feel like giving up the
struggle. You know l could make q
better living in literary work, and the
children could be better cared for
then"
But, John. It was a bad night to get
out You must remember that"
but only 30 out Of a church mem.
bership of 400. most Of them living
near by! 1t doesn't seem just right to
me-"
"Mr. Hardy was there! Did you see
himY'
Yes; after service l went and spoke
to him, and he treated me very coldly.
And yet he Is the most wealthy and In
some ways the most gifted church
member we have. He could do great
things for the good Of this community
IT,
Suddenly Mr.. Hardy thought the
minister changed into the Sunday
school superintendent and he was
walking down the street thinking about
his classes in the school. and Mr.. Har.
oy thought he could hear the superin.
tendents thoughts. as If his ear were
ut a photograph.
Its too bad! That class Of boys l
wanted Mr.. Hardy to take left the
school because no one could be found
to teach them. And now Bob Wilson
mas got into trouble and been arrested
Tor petty thieving. It will be terrible
blow to his poor mother. Oh, why is It
that men like Mr.. Hardy cannot be
made to see the importance of work in
the Sunday school? With his knowl.
edge of chemistry and geology be could
have reached that class Of boys and in.
vited them to his home, up into his lab
oratory and exercised an influence over
them they would never outgrow. Oh!
It's a strange thing to me that men Of
such possibilities do not realize their
power!"
The superintendent passed alona
shaking his head sorrowfully. and Mr..
Hardy, who seemed guided by some
power he could not resist and CON-
PEELED to listen whether be liked it or
not, next found himself looking into
one Of the railroad shop tenements,
where the man Scoville was lying,
awaiting amputation of both feet after
the terrible accident. Scoville's wife
lay upon a ragged lounge. while Mrs.
Hardy's cook kneeled by her side and
In her native Swedish tongue tried to
comfort the poor woman. So 1t was
true that these two were sisters, The
man was still conscious and suffering
unspeakably. The railroad surgeon had
been sent for, but had not arrived.
Three or four men and their wives had
come In to do what they could. Mr..
Burns, the foreman, was among them.
One Of the men spoke In a whisper to
him:
"Have you been to see Mr.. HardyT'
Eyes, but he was at church. l left
word about the accident"
AT churchl So even the devil some
times goes to church. What for, Il won.
der? viii he be here, thinkT"
Don't know" replied Mr.. Burns
CURLY.
"Do you mind when he'-pointing to
scoville- Mr.. Hardy's life2''
Remember it well enough; was
standing close BY"
'*What'n be done with the children
when Scoville goes, ehT'
"Don't know"
Just then the surgeon came In, and
preparations were rapidly made for the
operation. The last that Mr.. Hardy
heard was the shrek of the poor wife
- she struggled to her feet and fell in
. At across the floor where two Of the
youngest children chung terrified to her
dress, and the father cried out, tears Of
agony and despair running down his
face. my God, what hell this world
isr' .ss.s.
ID The next scene was q room where
/. everything appeared confused at first,
but finally grew more distinct and ter
rible In it's Significance, and the first
! person Mr.. Hardy recognized was his
Oldest boy, George, In company with q
Z group of young men engaged in-whatl
4 He rubbed his eyes and stared painful.
/, II. Yes; they were gambling. So here
was where George spent all his money
I and Bessie's tool Nothing that the
miserable father had seen 30 far cut
i him to the quick quite 90 sharply %
this. he had prided himself on his
! own freedom from vices and had an
honest horror Of them, for Mr.. Hardy
Mas not Z monster Of iniquity, only an
!. Intensely selfish man. Gambling, drink
4 ING, impurity all the physical vices
were to Mr.. Hardy the lowest degrade
N 4don. .s > 4.
81 Tho thought that his own son had
fallen into this pit was terrible to him.
but he was compelled to look and lis
I'm. AL the young men were smoking,
and beer and wine stood on buffet at
4 pne side Of the room and were plenti-
FULLY partaken Of. & Il. 81
49, ~ - .caA = vorv An.hl1v