The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-07-09
"That's Bill Strong, madam" an,

"That'S Bill Strong, madam, and
with lingering stare of surprise and
curiosity, left the gentle woman alone
with the astonished and now thor
oughly sobered man.
The soft eyes of the lady wandered
with sad, plying expression over
Bills features, and then in low, sweet
voice she asked
cam / rightly informed? ? Dol ad-
dress Mr.. William Strong ?"
All with these words the lady had
gotten further up the winding stairs,
nearer the hidden door, than all that
had gone before her.
"Yes, that is my name, ma'am," said
old Bill, and he glanced down at his
shabby attire, and actually tried to hide
the elbow which was peeping out far
thest, for it was long time since he
had been addressed by that name,
and, somehow, it seemed very pleasant
to him.
81 am very glad to meet you, MIR.
Strong," said the lady. 81 have heard
my father speak of you often, and of
the days when you and he were boys
together that / almost feel as if we
were old acquaintances. You surely
cannot have forgotten Charles Morris
son 2"
"No, no Charles and / used to be
old cronies," said Old Bill, with sud-
den animation and a light in his eyes
such as had not been there for many
day, except when rum lent it fitful
brilliancy.
All ! the lady did not know, as per-
haps the angels did, that she had
mounted the stairs, and was softly
feeling for that unseen door. So she
went on:
81 almost feel as though | could see
the old spot upon which your home
stead stood, MIR. Strong, l have heard
father describe it so often. The hill,
with its crown of old oaks, at the back
of your house, and the field of golden
harvest grain that waved in front.
Then there was green grass plat be-
fore the front door, and the huge old
apple tree that threw its shadows
across it, and the great old fashioned
portico, and the grapevine that crept
around the pillars, and the rose-bush
that looked in at the bedroom win
dow, and the spring that went fash
ing and singing through the bed of
mint at the side of the house,"
Old Bill moved uneasily in his chair
and the muscles around his mouth
|. twitched occasionally but, unmind-
full of this, in the same low, sweet
tones, the lady kept on:
"Many aud many were the hours
so father would say, willie and used
to pass under the shadow of that
old apple tree, playing at hide and
seek, or rolling and tumbling about on
the grass, telling each other the things
we would certainly do when we be-
came men; and when the sun set its
cap of gold on the top of the oaks, l
can see Willie's mother standing i'm
the front door, with her white cap and
check apron, and the pleasant smile
that always hovered around her lips,
and hear her cheerful voice calling,
"Come boys, come to supper"
One after another the big, warm,
tears came rolling down Old Bills
pale cheeks. All the lady had found
the door then.
"I was always at home at Willie's"
father would say, sand used to have my
fresh milk and bread, too; and when
this bad disappeared, Willie would
draw his stool to his mothers feet, lay
his head on her lap, and she would tell
us some very pleasant story, it might be
of Joseph or David, or some good
child who afterward became a great
man; and then she would part Will
lies brown curls from his forehead,
and in voice, can never forget, say,
"Promise me, Willie, when you go in
to the world and its temptations, and
your mother is laid down in the church
yard yonder, promise me, child, that
her prayers and her memory shall keep
you from all evil ways" And Wine
would lift his laughing, blue eyes 10
her face, and say, ''1'll be hrst-rate
man. don't be afraid, mother" And
then. after we had said ourprayers, we
would 90 to bed as happy as the birds
that went to their nests in the old ap
ple-tree branches by the window, and
Just as we were sinking to sleep, We
would hear a soft football on the
stairs and a LOVING face would bend /