Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-01-21
sETEl,CTED STORY
TIE STRANGE GUEST.

EEAEA AkE&aSGkL GS 2S
In little post town among the Highlands
Of Scotland far away from any great city
there lived, few years ago, a woman mucl
respected and well beloved, though of lowly
and humble fortune-one Mrs Jean Ander.
son. She had been left a widow, with one
son, the youngest ard last Of several prom
Using children.
She was poor, and her industry was taxed
to the utmost to keep herself and son, who
was a fine clever lad, and to give him the
education he ardently desired. At the early
age of sixteen, Malcolm Anderson resolved
to seek his fortune in the wide world and
become a sailor. He made several voyages
to India and China, and always like the good
boy that he was, brought home some useful
present to his mother, to whom he gave a
large portion Of his earnings
But he never liked seafaring life, though
he grew strong and stalwart in it, and when
about nineteen, he obtained an humble posi-
ton in a large mercantile house in Calcutta,
where, being shrewd, enterprising and hon
est, like most Of his countrymen, he gradu-
ally rose to place of trust and Importance,
and finally to a partnership As his fortune
improved. his mothers circumstances were
were made easier. He RENTED money to
secure TO her the old cottage home, repaired
and enlarged with garden, and lawn and
placed at her command annually, a sum suf-
fcient to meet all her wants, and to pay the
wager Of a faithful servant or rather compan-
ion; for the brisk, independent old lady
stoutly refused to be served by any one.
| Entangled in business cares, Mr.. Ander-
son never found time and freedom for a long
voyage and visit home till at last, failing
of health, and the necessity of educating his
children, compelled him to abruptly wind up
his affairs and return to Scotland. He was
then a man somewhat over forty, but looking
far. older than his year, showing all the usu-
al effects of the trying climate of India. He
was gray and somewhat bald, with here and
there dash of white in his dark auburn
beard was thin and little bent, but his
youthful smile remained full of quiet drol-
lery, and his eye had not lost all its old and
cheerful sparkle by porting over ledgers and
counting rupees.
He had married country woman, a
daughter of Scotch surgeon, and had two
children, son and daughter. He did not
write to his mother that he was coming
home, as he wished to surprise her, and test
her memory Of her sailor boy. The voyage
was made in safety
One summer afternoon, Mr. Malcolm
Anderson arrived with his family at bis ma
tive town. Putting up at little inn, he
proceeded to dress himself in a suit of sailor
clothes and then walked out alone by by
path he well knew, and then through a shady
lane dear to his young, hazel nutting days,
all strangely unchanged, he approached his
mothers cottage. He stopped for moment
on the lawn outside to Grub down the heart
that was bounding to meet that mother, and
clear his eyes Of a sudden mist Of happy
tears. Through the open window he caught
a glimpse of her sitting alone at her spinn-
ing wheel, as in the old time But alas J
how changed Bowed was the old dear
form, once so erect, and silvered locks sc
brown, and dimmed the eyes once SO full Of
tender brightness, like dew stained yiolets
But the voice, with which she was croonir
softly to herself, was still sweet, and there
was on her cheek the same lovely peach
bloom of twenty years ago.
At length he knocked and the dear re,
membered VOICE called to him, "Coom Der
(come in.) The widow rose at sight Of the
stranger and cautiously offered him chair
Thanking her in an assumed voice somewha
gruf he sank down, as though wearled
saying tbat-he was wayfarer, stranger tt
the country, aud asked the way to the mex
town The twilight favored him in his lit
tie ruse; he saw she did not recognize him
even as one she had ever knew But afte
giving him the information he desired, sh
asked him if he was Scotchman by birth
eyes, madam" he replied, but ! hay,
been away in foreign parts many years. !
doubt if my own mother would know MI
now. although she was very fond Of me be
fore went to sea-"
"Ah, mon it's little ye ken about NTH
ers gin ye think sac. ! lean tell ye there
ma memory like theirs,'' the widow some
what warmly replied then added: cam
where has ye lost the Scotch fra you
speech p
Gin Indian Calcutta, madam"
can, the it's likely ye ken something
Of my son, Mr.. Malcolm Anderson.
Henderson ?" repeated the visitor, a
though striving to remember 'There ma
be many of that name in Calcutta, but
your son rich merchant, a man about M
age and size, with something such figur
head? ?"
"My SOC is rich merchant" replied tn
widow proudly, "but he is younger than yo'
by many long year, and begging your par
don sir, far BONNER. He is tall and stralgh
WI hands and feet like lasses; he ha'
brown, hair sac thick and glossy, and cheek
like the rose, and brow like the snow, am
big blue cen, wi CLINT in them, like tn
light in the evening star. Ma! ma! ye ar
guild boy, dinna doubt, and decent Wo
mans son."
Here the masquerading merchant, con
siderably taken down, made movement a
though to leave, but the hospitable dam
staying him, "Gin ye hae Travelled a tn
way from India. ye maui be tired and hung
ry' Bide bit, and eat and drink WI US
Margery, come down, and let US set on I'll
supper"
The two women soon provided quite
tempting repast, and they all three sat dow
, to f. Mrs. Anderson reverently asking
, blessing. But the merchant could not Il
was only hungry for his mothers KISSES on
Ion ;o1-f,l raoounItiOfl YET IL