Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-28
His voice struggled % bis lips With dim


! Guilty and came forth painfully. a'
al used TO be acquainted hereabout," the
stranger began, sand / feel almost like
I getting among friends, whenever I visit
! tqe place. rode over with old Gus Park.
/ or to-day, from where the train lies bedded
near The 5 mile cut, but was too busy keep.
! ingthe heehildren warm 70 ask him anyques.
I lions. came here because your son Mark
i Newell and were old croniss at school to-
I gether. II don't see him here tonight
the strangers voice trsmblsd now
I where Is her. &
HWbere We must sil follow him, sooner
% latsr-in the grave y
But hs had bTothsrs, I've heard him
I sa5," the stranger continued, With an an1-
iety in his tone that he oculd by no means
conceal; "I believe be hsd-let ne See
three brothers aud two sistsrs. Where are
thg9o l 1o'5'
1Ail gonep cried Jstob Newell, rising
snd pacing the room. Thsn suddenly facing
his singular guest, he continued, speaking
rapidly and bitter, "You have thres children
Il had six Yours are alive and hearty
Int 50 were Minis; aud when | was a young
! mar, Ike 500, ioohshly thought that I
should raise them al, and hsys them clustering
around me in my old age, die before any OF
| them, and so know no bereavementsl To-day
stand here q solitiry old man, sinking rap
idly Into the grave, and without relation
OF any kind, that know Of on the faea Of
the earth Think that such a fate may YET
be yoursl But the bitterness of life You will
NOS fully know unless one of you boys-ss
one Of mine did-turns out profiigate aad
drunken, leaves your freside to associate
with the dissolute, and finally deserts his
home and all, foreYsrD
"If that son OF yours be set alive, and
we're ever to return, suddenly and with.
cut warning, So have broken In upon you
to -night-if he should come to you and
say, Father, have sinned against Hesv-
en-, and before thee, and am no mora Wor.
thy to Be called thy sonr what would you
say to hIm2' p
"I should say, For fifteen years yon
/ have deserted me Withou giving mark or
token that you ware in the body; now you
hs7s come to see me die, and you may stay
to bury mel should say that, I think,
though 1 sEore to Ruth but nov that
would curse him, If he ever retUrned,--
curse him and drive him from my doorl6 q
But II he came back penitent indeed for
psst tollies and offences, and only anxious to
do well Ia the futuTe,--if your son should
come II that way, convincing you with tears
OF his sincerity, You surely would 30 moss
gentle to him than that. You would out
away wrath, would you not2 | ask yau,'
the stranger continued, with emotion, abe
cause find myself in the position we suppose
your soR to be Plaoed,in. I am-going homo
after an absence of years during all which
time have held no communication with my
family. | have sojouTned In foreign lands,
and now come to make my father ana my
mother happy, if il be not too late ioF that
come, halt hopiag and half fearing; tell me
what am to expsct2 Place yourself in M
tstheF.s position and read me my fate"
While We spoke, his wife, sitting silent by
the fire, bent low over the child she held, and
q few quiet tears fell upon the little ons's
frock. .srt1H Hr-r ]
Ruth Newell, moving back Rni foFth, Ia the
preparation Of the strangers supper, wore sn
unquiet and troubled aspect while the old
farmer himself was sgitatei in q manner
painful to sac 1t was some. seconds before
he broks,ths silence. When hs spoke. his
=A'-eE hsi 4 "a 1iEs you, Ii id5ss hitis
children were nay ETandchildTsn, the
sweet LADY there was my sons Wife,-ah,
then But it is too lstsi Why do you
come here to put turbulent, raging regrets
into ny hasIt, that bat fof yoa would be
beating calmly as it did yesterday, and tie
day before, and has for years? AhI If ny
son 6sTs indeed heIel IfSams0a were indeed
hsTsf
The stranger half aToss, as though to spring
forward, and thel sank back into his seat
again,
But the little child sitting IN hsT mothers
lap by ths IRE olapped her hands and laughed
a childish, happy laugh.
"What Please5 my little girl asked the
mother.
"Why, Samson, f" the child said, "tkafs
seAat y6H cal papa r
Then Ruth, who stood By the table with
pitcher Of Wster in her hand, staggered back
waEis like one stricken with 8 violent and
sudden blow l-staggeFed backwards, drop
/ ping the pitcher with a heavy crash as abe
Fetrsated, and crossing her hands upon her
bosom with quick, short ostchings Of tbs
breath Then crying, " Ny sonI my sonr'
che threw herself with one long, long sob,
/ upon The strangers neck