The Factory Boy Page 3

  "God's time is the best time," murmured the widow, her eyes full oftears.

  Then Mr. Hardy bade Johnny bring the Bible, and they had reading andprayers together.

  Early as the widow rose the next morning, their guest was up before her,and on the roof examining the building. In the course of the day theleak was stopped, the broken steps mended, and a new lock put on thedoor.

  Toward night he went out, but soon returned with a wagon containing abarrel of flour, two casks of potatoes, beside sundry small parcels. Anhour later the wagon came again with a neat bedstead, mattress, and twostout blankets, and a whole web of cotton cloth for sheets.

  Mrs. Talbot clasped her hands on her breast, saying to herself, "TheLord has, indeed, appeared for me." When she tried, with a broken voice;to thank Mr. Hardy, he only smiled as he said,--

  "Wait a little. You'll find I'm selfish after all."

  They had a long talk that evening, after the children were asleep, whichaccounted perhaps for the pretty pink in the widow's cheek, when Johnnysaw her the next morning.

  "Come here, my boy," said Mr. Hardy, drawing a stool to his side; "Iloved your father. He was one of the best men I ever knew. But as he isgone, your mother last night consented that I should be a father to youand Ella. Will you be my true and loving son?"

  He opened his arms, and Johnny was clasped to his breast.

  "I will try to be a good son," he whispered.

  As Mr. Hardy urged there was no use in delay, the next Sabbath morningthey went to the Rector's house and were married, Mr. Miles giving thebride away.

  When Mr. Hardy examined the cottage, he did it with the resolution torepair it, if it proved worth the expense. But he found many of thetimbers rotten, and the sills sunken into the ground. He thought itbetter, therefore, to put up a new house, for which he had abundantmeans. He hired an old barn, and fitted it up for a shop, and then,when not otherwise engaged, labored diligently at getting out the frame,doors, and windows for his new building.

  CHAPTER IX.

  THE NEW HOUSE.

  THE factory was closed, but only for a few weeks. Just as Mr. Miles wasmaking preparation to leave, orders came in, which obliged him to employall their old hands.

  Johnny did not leave school, but worked two hours in the morning, asbefore. He did not work at night, because his new father insisted thatevery boy must have some time to play; and then, when Mr. Hardy began tohave more work than he could do, Johnny must get kindlings for hismother, or run of errands for her.

  In the spring the new house was finished; a plain, neat building, with apretty portico over the front door. Johnny and his mother often talkedabout their old trials, and always remembered with pleasure that in thehour of their sorest need, they did not forget to trust in the greatand good God.

  Would you like to know what kind of a house it was to be? I will try todescribe it as Mr. Hardy did to Johnny and his mother one evening, withElla sitting on his knee.

  "There," he said, drawing a plan on Johnny's slate, "is the front door,which leads into the entry. Out of this on one side is a room, which wewill call the Sunday-room; because I shall, by and by, have an organ inthere, and we will sing psalm tunes on Sunday."

  Johnny gave a scream of delight, and Ella asked, "May I sing, too?"

  "Certainly, my dear. Now here on the other side is the room where weshall live and take our meals. Behind the front entry is a large closet,into which I mean to put lockers and drawers, so that your mother cankeep her dishes nicely arranged, as they used to be in her old home. Iremember," he added, with a smiling glance at his wife, "how cosily theroom used to look when Dexter and I came home from our work, and how Ithought I should be the happiest man living if I had somebody to carefor me as you did for Dexter.

  "Besides, there will be a kitchen and a shed beyond, where you will havea chance to cut and pile wood. Ella must have some work, too, and sohere goes the chicken-house, where she will have to feed the biddies,and find the nice white eggs. Upstairs, Johnny, there will be fourchambers, beside a tiny room over the front entry."

  "Mother is crying!" exclaimed Ella, springing to the floor.

  "It seems like a dream, a happy dream," said Mrs. Hardy, softly. "Only afew weeks ago, and we were so destitute, and knew not where to turn forhelp!"

  "But we prayed to God, mother, and he heard us. I guess that's why hesent Mr. Hardy here, don't you?"

  * * * * *

  Transcriber's Note: Obvious punctuation errors repaired.