Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-04-06
THE BROAD WAY.
BY RCTHELLA SCHULTZ.

" Many there be that go in there
at" and poor Percy Howell was one
of the many.
He was a frank, good-natured,
impulsive boy; the latest born and
only surviving child of his aged
parents. One by one the others,
whose brief lives were full of bless
ings, had been buried in the village
churchyard; and, without a shadow
of doubling, the old couple hoped
to see their boys promising youth
ripen into the fragrance and fruit
age of a perfect manhood.
Alas! they never sat under the
shadow of that tree, nor inhaled its
perfume, nor gazed on its beauty,
nor partook of its bounty, for the
AK was early laid at the roots.
Percy was just twenty when he
left his native village for the dis
tant city-his fathers house, with
its simple cheers, for a homeless
abode among strangers; his fond
parents, and the tried friends of his
youth, and the sweet girl of his
choice, for the mixed multitude of
the metropolis.
Had YOU been there when the
stage-coach stopped at the lane gate;
had you seen the serious faces of the
neighbors gathered around; the
aged mother, wiping her streaming
eyes; the feeble father, uttering his
blessing; and Annie Collins, Percy's
sweetheart, rushing distractedly in
to the house, yoR would almost have
thought that the same thing had
never happened before. They at
least, thought so. The neighbors,
as they walked homeward, said one
to another that there were not many
boys nowadays like Percy Howell.
The old couple, returning to their
fireside, wept to see his vacant chair,
his lonely dog, his empty place at
the table, and his impressed pillow.
Surely no other son so dear had ever
left q home so sorrowful.
As for Annie Collins, she went
back to her fathers cottage, and
quietly discharged her daily duties.
But whatever occupied her hand or
heart, there flowed constant un-
dercurrent of thought, and Percy
was its burden. my Percy she
whispered to herself a thousand
times a day, as if to assure her sad
heart of its blessed ownership.
During the journey, Percy, with
eyes on the lookout and ears on the
alert, and with heart full of bright
hopes and untried expectations,
went joyfully on, and thought but
little Of the dear ones at home.
Yet, when at nightfall he found
himself in 4 little ballroom, con-
tanning a bed very suggestive of a
bier in its siX-by-three dimensions
and white covering; a washstand of
iron, with ordinary accompaniments,
minus soap; one chair; and di-
minutive looking glass, he began to
wish himself at home.
Wh-e-wr said he, giving vent
to deep drawn breath. wonder
how Annie is! S'pose she's think
ing about me, this very minute.
'Fraid father won't get along with
the outdoor work, Wish l hadn't
ha' come! Don't believe there's a
fellow in New York that's got a
mother like mine! W-h-e-w, guess
I'll look at the newsn'
He had already seen every thing
of interest in the daily paper, but
he caught it up and glanced over il
to keep the moisture from gathering
in his eyes. Running down the col.
umns, he chanced upon the "amuse
ments," and the following attracted
his attention:
"Clerks, young men from th,
country seeking employment, clergy,
men, the judges ofthe various courts
policemen, and all officers of the
law, should visit the Widegate The,
ater to see "'The Old Man of tho
Moor"
Wasn't brought up to 90 to tho
theater," thought Percy, reading il
again. Don't believe in it; but
A knock at the door. Instead o.
calling @Come in,' as man does
when he has been six weeks in .
boarding house, Percy cautiously