Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-11-07
I heard a light step and pleasant voice


I heard light step and pleasant voice
saying:
Did you wish to see my father, sir?"
looked up. There stood a pretty, sweet
faced maiden of twenty, not much changed
from the dear little sister loved so well.
looked at her moment, and then, sitting the
tumult Of my heart by an effort, opened my
arms and said
Jennie, don't you know me p
"Harry! Oh, my brother Harry she
cried, and threw herself upon my breast. She
wept as if her heart would break. l could
not weep. l drew her gently iuto the lighted
parlor, and stood with her before them all
There was rash and cry of joy, and then
my mother and father srrang towards me and
welcomed me home with heartfelt tears. Oh
strange and passing sweet is such greeting
to the waywOrn traveller And as held my
dear old mother to my heart, and g=asped my
fathers hand, while Jennie clung beside me, l
felt that all was not yet lost, and, although
another bad secured life's choicest blessing,
many jOv remained for me in this dear sane
tuary Of home.
There were four others, inmates of the
room, who had risen on my sudden entrance.
One was the bIue-eyed child whom l had al
ready seen, and who now stood by Frank
Chester, clinging to his hand. Near by stood
Lizzie, Mary Moore's eldest sister, and in a
distant corner, where she had hurriedly re-
treated when my name was spoken, stood a
tall and slender figure, half hidden by the
heavy window curtain that fell to the floor.
When the first rapturous greeting was over
Jennie led me forward with timid grace, and
Frank Chester gLasped my hand.
Welcome home, my homie" he said, with
loud, cheerful tones 1 remembered so WE'LL
"You have changed so would never have
known you; but no matter for that-your heart
is in the right place, know"
How can you say he is changed ?" said my
mother gently. 'To be sure he looks older
and graver, and more like a man than when he
went away but his eyes and smile are the
same as ever. 1t is that heavy beard that
changes him. He is my boy STILL"
"Yes, MOTHER" l answered sadly; 81 am
your boy still"
God help me At that moment felt like
boy, and it would have been blessed relic
to have wept upon her bosom, as had done il
my infancy. But kept down the beating o
my heart, and the rremor Of my lip, and an
swered quietly, as looked in his full handsome
| face
You have changed too, Frank, but thinl
for the BETTER
"On, yes-thank you for the compliment
! Nv wife tells ME grow Landowner every day.
His wife Could l ls-r that name ant
keep silent still?
"And have yoa seen my little girl ?" he ad-
ded, lifting the infant in his arms. and kissing
her crimson cheek Il tell YOU, Harry, there
is not snother like her in the United States
Don't you think she looks very much like hel
mother used tn?'
Very much,' faItered.
"Hallo !" said Frank with a suddenness tha
made inc start violently L had forgotten t.
introduce yau to my wife l believe you ant
he used TO be playma'es in your young days
I1h, Harry" and he slapped me on the back
For the sake of old times and because yol
were not at the wedding will give yov leav'
to kiss her once but mind old fellow, don
repeat the ceremony. Come, here she is, an6
FOR once | will manage those ierocious nous
taches of yours in the operation"
He pushed Lizzie, laughing and biushing
towards me. A CLEAN of light and hope, al
most too dazzling to bear, came over me, and
cried ont befure Thought, Not Mary !"
1t must have betrayed my secret to ever
one in the room, but nothing was said; eve
Frank was this time silent. l kissed the fai
cheek Of the young wife and hurried to th
silent figure looking out of the window
Mary Mary Moore, said L, il a low voice
"have YOU alone no welcome to give the wan
derer'
She turned and laid her hand in mire, ant
i marmured hurriedly; 81 am glad to see yo
here, Harry"
/ Simple words-yet how blest they mad
mel l would not have yielded up that me
: ment for an emperor's crown. There was th
, happy home group, and the dear home fresidt
and sweet Mary Moore The eyes I ha
' dreamed of by night and by day were faIlin
e be,ore the ardent gaze of mine, and the swet
t race had so long prayed to sec was there bt
2 fore me-more beautiful than before. l nevC
e knew till that moment the meaning of re,
I hapl ness.
4 Many years have passed since that happ
: night, and the hair that was dark and gloss
d then, is fast turning grey. I am growing
y be an old man, and can look back to a lon
s happy and wellspent life. And yet, sweet {
it has been, I would not recall a single day: ft
the love that made nv manhood so brigl
s shines also upon me in my white hairs. A
: old man Can this be so? AT heart I am
t young as ever. And Mary, with her brig
Y hair parted smoothly from her brow that has
ieI;C III G,rro1u in 10 still tho Marv Of m
r earlier days. To me she can never grow o
a CT change The heart that held her in infanc
e and sheltered her piously in the flush and bea
J. ty of womanhood, can never cast her out t
e life shall cease 10 warm it. Nor even the
Y for love still lives in Heaven