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il' OD Tues.
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4
1
X
JU ROBERT
"1 .- i i i by i
olVLN
I J A DREAM AND ITS
BY REV. CHARLES M. SHELDON,
AuOmtf Hi Stps." "The CrueifixuiH uf I'hUip Strong," "Makvm Kirk,'
Copright, 1900, by Advance Pnhlishinu Co.
Aot Tues. Wed. Thurs. Prl, Sat. Sur.
1 2 3 4 516 7
jyjyj. :.;
. 000
CHAPTER I.
It was Sunday iiiulit, and Robert
Hardy bad just come home from the
evening service in the church at Bar
ton. lie was not in the habit of attend
Ing the evening service, but something
said by his minister In the mofniog
had Impelled him to go out The even
ing bad been a little unpleasant, ami a
li-ht snOW was falling, and his wife
bad excused herself from going to
church ou that account Mr. Hardy
came borne cross and fault finding
"Catch me going to evening service
again! Only SO people oat, and it was
a sheer waste of fuel and light. The
sermon was one of the dullest I ever
beard. I believe Mr. Jones is growing
I too old for our church. We Deed a
: young man, more up with the times.
He is everlastingly harping on the ne
i cesslly of doing what we enn in the
present to save our souls. To hear bin)
talk you would think every man who
wasn't running round to save souls ev
! ery winter was a robber and an enemy
I of society. He is getting off, too, on
i this newfangled Christian sociology
and thinks the rich men are oppressing
I the poor ami that church members
ought to study and follow more closely
the teachings of Christ and be more
brotherly and neighborly to their fel
low men. Bab I I am sick of the whole
subject of humanity. I shall withdraw
my pledge to the salary If the present
style of preaching continues."
"What was the text of the sermon to
nlgbtt" asked Mrs. Hardy.
"Oh, 1 don't remember exactly. Some
thing about 'This night thy soul shall
lie demanded' or words like that. I
don't believe In this attempt to scare
folks into heaven."
"It would take a good many sermons
to scare you, Robert."
"Yes; more than two a week," replied
Mr. Hardy, with a dry laugh. He drew
off his overcoat and threw himself
down on the lounge In front of the
open fire. "Where are the girls?"
"Alice Is up stairs reading the morn
ing paper. Clara and Hess went over
to call on the Caxtons."
"How did they happen to go over
there?"
Mrs. Hardy hesitated. Finally siie
said, "James came over and Invited
them."
"And they know I have forbidden
them to have anything to do with the
Caxtons! When they come In, I will
let them know I mean Whet I say. It
Is very strange the icls do not appear
to understand that."
Mr. Hardy rose from the lounge and
walked across the room, then came
back and lay down again and from his
reCUtnbent position poked the lire Hit v
,,,,,,,. with the shovel.
Mrs. Hardy bit her lips and seemed
on the point of replying! hut said noth
ing. At Inst Mr. Hardy asked, "Where are
the hoys?"
"Will Is si'ttlns out his lessons for
tomorrow up in his room. Georjre went
out nhout 8 o'clock. He didn't say
where he was cjninjf."
"It's a ulce family. Is there- one
Dlgbt In the year, Mary, when all our
children are lit home?"
"Almost as many as there nre when
ymi are :it home." retorted Mrs. Hardy.
"What with your club nnd your lodge
nud your scientific society nnd your
reeding circle and your directors' meet
ing the children see nhout ns much of
you ns you do of them. How inanj'
nights lu a week do you give to us,
Robert? Ho you think it Is si range
that the children go outside for their
amusements? Our home" Mrs. Hardy
paused and looked nround at the costly
interior of the room where the two
were "our home Is well furnished
with everything hut our own children."
The man on the lounge was silent.
He felt the sharpness of the thrust
made by his wife and knew it was too
! true to he denied. Hut Mr. Hardy was.
BbOVS all things else, selfish. He bed
uot the remotest Intention of giving up
his club or his scientific society or his
frequent cozy dinners with business
men down town because ids wife spent
so many lonely, deserted evenings at
home and because his children were al
most strangers to him. But it annoyed
hltn, as a respectable citizen, to have
his children making acquaintances that
be did uot approve, nnd it grated on his
old fashioned, inherited New England
ideas that his boys and girls should
be away from home so often in the
evening nud especially on Sunday
evening. The maxim of Ilobert Hardy's
life was "Self interest tlrst." As long
as he was not thwarted in bis own
pleasures he was as good natured as
the average man. He provided liberal
ly for the household expenses, and his
wife and children were supplied With
money and travel as tbey requested
It. tBut the minute be was crossed in
bis own plans or any one demanded of
blm a service that compelled some self
denial he became bard. Ill ifatured and
haughty.
He bad been a member of the church
1 '
Pri. S&t. Sjo.
5 6 r
h Wo
in r v y
DA To.
CONSEQUENCES.
8
A
I.. .
- ;. . .,..-s.-ivS... ......
L If
O I
II
l' I
O00000OOOOO0O00e0OO00000OO
at Barton for 'J."i yours, one of the trus j
tees ami a liberal giver. lie prided !
himself on that fact. Hut so far us 'iv
in-, any of his time or personal service
was concerned, he would as stou have
though! of giving all his properly away
to the first poor man he met His miu 1
Ister bad this last week written bun an
earnest, warm hearted letter, express
In;: much pleasure at the service be
had rendered so many years as a ti ns
tee and asking blm If be would not
come to the Thursday evening meet
ill"; that week and take some part,
whatever be ( hose, to help along. It
was a season of anxious Interest among
many in I lie church, and the pastor
earnestly desired the presence and help
of all the members.
Robert bad read the letter through
hastily and smiled a little scornfully.
What! He take part in a prayer meet
ing: lie couldn't remember when he
had attended one. They were too dull
for blm. lie wondered at Mr. Jones
for writing such a letter and almost
felt as tbougb be bad been Imperti
nent. He threw the letler In the waste
basket and did not even answer it. He
would not have been guilty of such a
lack of courtesy in regard to a busi
ness letter, but a letter from his minis
ter was another thing. The Idea of re
plying to a letter from him never oc
curred to Mr. Hardy. And when
Thursday night came be went down to j
-a .1 -l I... .....1 ,. I
a lievllug oi me cocss uiuu nuu uau
good time with his favorite game, for
he was n fine player and was engaged
in a series of games which were being
played for the state championship.
The superintendent of the Sunday
school had lately timidly approached
Mr. Hardy and asked him If he would
uot take a class of boys In the Sunday
school. What, HI take a class of boys!
He, the Influential, wealthy manager
of one of 1 he largest railroad shops In
the world he give his time to the
teaching of a Sunday scnoOl class: lie
excused himself on the SCO re of lack of
time, nnd the very same evening of his
Interview with the superintendent he
went to the theater to bear a roaring
farce and after he reached home spent
an hour In his favorite study of chem
istry in his laboratory at the top of ids
bouse, for Mr. Hardy was a man of
considerable power as a student, and
he bad an admirable physical constitu
tion, capable of the most terrible
strain. Anything that gave blm pleas
tire be was willing to work for. He
was not lazy, but the Idea of giving his
personal time and service ami talents
to idess the world had no place In his
mind.
And so as be lay n the lounge that
evening titu! listened to his wife's plain
statement concerning his selfishness be
had no intention to give up ;i single
thing that gratified his tastes ntnl fed
his pride.
Alter a silence Just about long
enough fur some one to give the expla
nation Just given. Mrs. Hardy said,
speaking coldly, as If It wen- a matter
of Indifference to ber:
"Mr. Burns, the foreman, called
while you were out."
"He did? What did he want?"
"He said four of t he nvn In the cast
ing room were severely Injured tills
afternoon by the bursting of one of the
retorts, and the entire force bad quit
work and gone home."
"Couldn't Burns supply the place cf
the injured men? lie kuows where the
extras are."
"That was what be came to see you
about. He said he needed, further di
rections. The men tlatly refused to
work another minute and went out in
a body. 1 dou't blame them much.
Robert, dou't you believe God will pun
ish you for keeping the shops open on
any Sunday?"
"Nonsense, Mary," replied Mr. Har
dy. Vet there wns a shadow of un
easiness lu his tone. "The work has
got to go on. It Is a work of necessity.
Ilailroads are public servants; they
can't rest Sundays."
"Then when God tells the world that
It must not work on Sundays be does
uot mean railroad men? The fourth
commandment ought to read: 'Remem
ber the Sabbath day and keep It holy,
except all ye men who work for rail
roads. Ye haven't auy Sunday.' "
"Mary, I didn't come from one ser
mon to listen to another. You're worse
than Mr. Jones."
Mr. Hardy half rose on the lounge
end leaned on his elbow, iookiug at his
wife with every mark of displeasure
on bis face, aud yet ns he looked some
bow there stole Into bis thought the
memory of the old New Englnnd home
back lu the Vermont hills and the vi
sion of that quiet little country village
where Mary and be had been brought
up together. He seemed to see the old
meeting house on the hill, at the end
of a long, elm shaded street that strag
gled through the village, and he saw
himself again as be began to fall in
love with Mary, the beauty of the vil
lage, and be had a vision of one Sun
day wben. walking back from church
ty Mary's side, he bad asked her to be
bis wife. It seemed to him that a
breath of the meadow just beyond
Sipiire Dean's place came Into the
room just as it was wafted up to him
when Mary turned and said the happy
word that made that day the gladdest,
proudest day he had ever known.
What, memories of the old times!
What!
He seemed to come to himself and
Stared around Into the Are as If Won
dering where he was, and he did not
see the tear that rolled down his wife's
cheek and fell upon her two bnuds
clasped In her lap. She arose nnd went
over to the piano, which stood In the
shadow, and, sitting down with her
back to her husband, she played frag
ments of music nervously. Mr. Hardy
lay down on the lounge again. After
awhile Mrs. Hardy wheeled about on
the piano stool and said:
"Robert don't you think you had
better go over and see Mr. Hums about
the men who were hurt?"
"Why. what can 1 do about It? The
doctor will see to them. 1
conipan
m the way. Did Burns
... ,
should only be
say they were badly
"One of them had his eves P"1 "t
and another will have to lose D0tD
1 think lie said bis name was Seov,.le-
"What! Not Ward Scovllle!"
"I think Hums said that was the
name."
Mr. Hardy rose from the lounge, then
lay down again. "Oh, well. 1 can go
there the first thing In the morning. 1
can't do anything now." he muttered.
Hut there came to his memory a pic
ture of one day when he was walking
through the machine shops and a heavy
piece of easting bad broken from the
end of a large hoisting derrick and
would have fallen upon him and proba
bly killed him if this man Scoville, at
the time a workman in the machine de
partment, had not pulled blm to one
side at the danger of his own life. As
it was, in saving the life of the mana
ger Scoville was struck on the shoulder
ami rendered useless for work for four
weeks. Mr. Hardy had raised bis
wages and advanced him to a responsi
ble position In the casting room. Mr.
Hardy was not a man without generos
ity and humane feeling, but ns he lay
on the lounge that evening and thought
of the cold snow outside and the dis
tance b the shop tenements he readily
excused himself from going out to see
the n an who had once saved his life
, who ow .,.. maimed for life.
T ......
if
any one thinks it impossioie inai one
man calling himself a Christian could
be thus Indifferent to another, then he
does not know the power that selfish
ness can exercise over the actions of
men. Mr. Hardy had oue supreme law
which he obeyed, and that law was
self.
Again Mrs. Hardy, who rarely ven
tured to oppose her husband's wishes,
turned to the piano nnd struck a few
chords aimlessly. Then she wheeled
abo,It an(i 8ld abruptly:
"Robert, the cook gave warning to
night that she must go home at once."
Mr. Hardy had begun to doze a little,
but at this sudden statement he sat up
nud exclaimed :
"Well, you nre the bearer of bad
news tonight, Mary. What's the mat
ter with everybody ? I suppose the
cook wants more pay."
Mrs. Hardy replied quietly: "Her sis
ter is dying. And do you know I be
lieve I have never given the girl credit
for much feeling. She always seemed
to me to lack there, though she is cer-
I talnly the most faithful and efficient
servant we ever had In the house. She
came In Just after Mr. Hums left and
broke down, erring bitterly. It seems
her sister Is married to one of the rail
road men here iu town nnd has been
ailing With consumption for some
months. She is very poor, and a large
"One of them had hit eye put out."
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
aud care for her sister, who could not
live more than a week at the longest
I 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 tht'in and
not miss a single luxury."
"And whore would such help end? If
we give to every needy person who
comes aloug we shall be beggars our
selves. Besides, 1 can't afford It The
boys are a heavy expense to me while
tbey are In college, and the company
bas been putting down salaries lately,
if the cook's sister is married to a 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 a cripple for life?" In
quired Mrs. Hardy quietly.
"Then the insurance companies or
the societies can help them out I
don't see how we can make every case
that comes along our care There
would be no end of It if we once be
gan."
"A, nonrlr na I could find OUT." con
. I . . .1 . ri.,.l.. ..-LI,,.,,, Mnlvlnn .A
UUU-'U CUB. O.IM1I, nuuvui icfijiu, mm
ber husband's remarks, "cook's sister
Is married to one of tbe men who were
hurt this afternoon. She talks so bro
kenly In our language tbat I could not
make out exactly how It Is, aud she
was much excited. Suppose it was Sco
ville, couldn't you do something for
them then, Robert?"
"I might," replied Mr. Hardy briefly.
"But 1 can tell you 1 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
hull have to cut down on my pledge.
We cau't be giving to everything all
the time and have anything ourselves."
Mr. Hardy spoke with a touch of in
dignation, aud bll wife glanced around
the almost palatial room and smiled.
Then her face grew a little stern and
almost forbidding as she remembered
thnt only last week her husband bad
spent $150 for a new electrical appa
ratus to experiment with In his labora
tory. And now he was talking bard
times and grudging the small sums be
gave to religious objects In connection
with his church and thinking he could
not afford to help the family of a man
Who hnd once saved bis life!
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 nnd
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 anil unrest on me race sun
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 nt the altar to
make her happy. She had not lost her
ove for him wholly, but she was fast
losing the best part of it. the love
which has Its daily source in an Inborn
respect. W lien respect Is gone, love is
not long In following after.
She sat thus for half an hour nnd
was at last aroused by the two girls.
Clara and Bess, coming In. They were
laughing and talking together nnd 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 ho has been
waitlug up for you."
Then 1 guess we'll go up stairs
without bidding him good night," said
Clara abruptly. "1 don't want to be
lectured about going over to the Cax
tons .
"No; I want to see you both and have
a little talk wttll you. come in uere.
Mrs. Hardy drew the two girls Into the
front room nnd pulled the curtains to
gether over the arch opening Into the
room where Mr. Hardy lay. "Now fell
me, girls, why did your father forbid
your going over to the Caxtons'? 1 did
not know until tonight Has It some
thing to do with James?"
Neither of the girls said anything for
a minute, men uess, wuo was ma
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 a violent fit of
crying. Mrs. Hnrdy gathered her into
her arms as In the olden times when
she was a little child and soothed ber
Into quietness.
"Tell me all about it, dear. I did not
know you cared for James in that
way."
"But I do," sobbed Clara. "And fa
ther guessed something and forbade US
going there any more. But I didn't
think bo would miutl it If Bess and I
went Just this oue night 1 couldn't
help it anyway. Mother, Isn't It right
for people to love each other?"
"Tisn't proper to talk about such
things OB Sunday," said Bess solemnly.
"Clara:" said Mrs. Hardy. "Why,
you're only a child yet! Is It true tbat
James is- Why, he Is only a boy!"
"He Is 21, and I am 18, nnd he's earn
ing $10 a month In the office and Is one
of the best stenographers in the state.
We've talked It over, and 1 wish wo
could be married tomorrow, so!" Clara
burst out with It all at once, while Bess
remarked quietly:
"Yes, they're real sensible, and 1
think James Is nice, but when I marry
I want more than $40 a month for can
dy alone. And, then, tie lsn t particu
larly handsome."
"He Is, too," cried Clara. "And he's
good and brave and splendid, nnd I'd
rather have blm than a thousand sucb
men as I.ancey Cummlngs. Mother, I
don't want money. It hasn't made you
happy."
"Hush, dear!" Mrs. nardy felt as If
a blow had smitten ber in the face.
She was silent then.
Clara put her arms around her moth
er aud whispered: "Forgive me, moth
er! I didn't mean to hurt you. But I
am so unhappy!"
Unhappy! And yet the girl was Just
beginning to blossom out toward the
face of God under the influence of that
most divine and tender and true feel
ing that ever comes to a girl who
knows a true, brave man loves her
with nil his soul. And some people
would have us leave this subject to the
flippant novelist instead of treating It
ss Christ did wben he said. "For this
cause" that Is. for love "shall a man
leave his father and mother and cleave
unto his wife."
Mrs. Hardy was on the point of say
ing something when the sound of pe
culiar steps on the stairs was beard,
and shortly after Alice pushed the cur
tains aside and came In. Alice was
the oldest girl In the family. She was
a cripple, the result of an accident
when a child, and she cnrrled a crutch,
using it with much skill and even
grace. The minute she entered tbe
room she snw soBtetklng wns happen-
i Ine. but she simply said
- - -
"Mother, Isn't It a little
strange fa
went np to
leeeeaeeseeev