Robert Hardys Seven Days

Robert Hardy's Seven Days, by
Charles Monroe

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Monroe Sheldon
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Title: Robert Hardy's Seven Days A Dream and Its Consequences
Author: Charles Monroe Sheldon

Release Date: April 4, 2007 [eBook #20983]
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ROBERT HARDY'S SEVEN DAYS.
A Dream and Its Consequences.
by
CHARLES M. SHELDON,
Author of "In His Steps," "The Crucifixion of Phillip Strong," "His
Brother's Keeper," Etc.

[Frontispiece: "He continued kneeling there."]

London: Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, Warwick House, Salisbury
Square, E.C. New York and Melbourne. 1899

PREFACE.
This story was first read by the author to his Sunday evening
congregation in the spring of 1892. The chapters were given one at a
time on consecutive Sundays, and the way in which the story was
received encouraged the pastor in his attempt to solve the problem of
the Sunday evening service in this manner.
CHARLES M. SHELDON.
Central Church, TOPEKA, Kansas.

CONTENTS.
THE DREAM
MONDAY--THE FIRST DAY
TUESDAY--THE SECOND DAY
WEDNESDAY--THE THIRD DAY
THURSDAY--THE FOURTH DAY
FRIDAY--THE FIFTH DAY
SATURDAY--THE SIXTH DAY
SUNDAY--THE SEVENTH DAY

ROBERT HARDY'S SEVEN DAYS.
THE DREAM.
It was Sunday night, and Robert Hardy had just come home from the
evening service in the church at Barton. He was not in the habit of
attending the evening service, but something said by his minister in the
morning had impelled him to go out. The evening had been a little
unpleasant, and a light snow was falling, and his wife had excused
herself from going to church on that account. Mr. Hardy came home
cross and fault-finding.
"Catch me going to evening service again! Only fifty people out, and it
was a sheer waste of fuel and light. The sermon was one of the dullest I
ever heard. I believe Mr. Jones is growing too old for our church. We
need a young man, more up with the times. He is everlastingly harping
on the necessity of doing what we can in the present to save souls. To
hear him talk you would think every man who wasn't running round to
save souls every winter was a robber and an enemy of society. He is

getting off, too, on this new-fangled Christian Sociology, and thinks the
rich men are oppressing the poor, and that church members ought to
study and follow more closely the teachings of Christ, and be more
brotherly and neighbourly to their fellow men. Bah! 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 tonight?" asked Mrs. Hardy.
"Oh, I don't remember exactly! Something about 'This night thy soul
shall be 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 upstairs reading the morning paper; Clara and Bess went over
to call on the Caxtons."
"How did they happen to go over there?"
Mrs. Hardy hesitated. Finally she 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 what I say. It
is very strange the girls 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 recumbent position poked the
fire savagely with the shovel.
Mrs. Hardy bit her lips and seemed on the point of replying, but said
nothing.
At last Mr. Hardy asked, "Where are the boys?"

"Will is getting out his lessons for to-morrow up in his room. George
went out about eight o'clock. He didn't say where he was going."
"It's a nice family. Is there one night in the year, Mary, when all our
children are at home?"
"Almost as many as there are when you are at home!" retorted Mrs.
Hardy. "What with your club and