The Placer herald., 1872-11-16
A STRANGE GUEST.

A STRANGE GUEST.
In little post town among the Highlands
of Scotland, far away from any great city,
there lived few years ago a woman much
respected and well beloved, thorg gh Of lowly
and humble fortune-ope Mrs. Jean Ander-
son. She had been left widow with one
son, the youngest and last of several children.
She was poor, and her industry was taxed to
the utmost to keep herself and her son, and
give him the education he ardently desired.
Atthe early age of sixteen Malcome Ander
son resolved to seek his fortune in the wide
world, and became sailor. He made sew
eral voyages to India and China and always,
like the good boy he was, brought some use
fu present to his mother, to whome he gave
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 a humble position in large
mercantile house in Calcutta, where being
shrewd, enterprising and honest, like most of
his conntrymen, he gradually rose to place
of trust and Importance, and finally became a
partner. AS his fortune improved, his
mothers circumstances were made eFsier
He remtted her money to secure her the old
cottage home, repaired and enlarged with a
garden and lawn, and placed at her command
annually a sum sufficient to meet all her
wants, and to pay the wages of faithful
servant, or rather companion; for the brisk,
Independent. old lady refused to be served by
| any one.
Entanged in business cares, Mr.. Anderson
| Co,,,,l g., tn,,,
age and visit home, till at last failing health
and the nece sity 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 years, showing all the usual
effects Of the trying climate. He was gray
and somewhat bald, with here and there
dash of wliie in his dark, auburn beard;
was thin, and little bent, but his youthful
smile remained full Of quiet drollery, and his
eye had not lost its old and gleeful sparkle
by pouring over ledgers and rupees.
He had married country woman, a
daughter of Scotch surgeon, and had two
children, son and daughter. He did not
write to his good mother that he was coming
home, as he wished to surprise her, and test
her memory of her sailor boy. The voyage
was made without accident,
One Summer afternoon Mr.. Malcome
Anderson arrived with his family at his
native town. Putting up at little inn, he
proceeded to dress himself in suit Of sailor
clothes, and then walked ont along by a path
he well knew, and then through shady lane,
dear to his hazel-nutiipg days, all strangely
unchanged, he approached his mothers cot
tage. lie stopped for momeLt on the lawn
outside to curb down the heart that was
bounding to meet that mother, and clear his
eyes Of a little mist of tears. Through the
window he caught glimpse Of her sitting
alone at the spinning wheel as in old times.
But, alas! how changed Bowed was the
dear old form, once so erect, and silvered the
locks SO brown, and dimmed the eyes once
so full of brightness, like dew-staned violets,
but the voice with which she was croning
softly to herself was still sweet, and there sat
on her cheek the same lovely peach bloom
of twenty years ago.
At length he knocked, and the dear re-
membered voice called, "Coom ben!" The
widow rose at the sight of the stranger, and
courteousy offered bin chair. Thanking
her in an assumed voice, somewhat gruif,
he sank down as though wearied, saying
that he was a wayfarer, a stranger to the
country The twilight favored him in his
little ruse; he saw that she did not recognize
him, even as one she had never known.
But aftergivipg him the information he desired,
she asked him if he were a Scotchman by
birlh.
eyes, madam" be replied, "but ] have
been away in foreign parts many years. |
doubt if my own mother would know me
now, though she was very found Of Inc be-
fore | went to sea-" "Ah, moo! it's little ye
ken about mithers, if ye think sac | can
tell ye there is na mortal memory like theirs,
the widow somewhat warmly replied; than
added, "And where lac ye lost the Scotch
frae your speech?'
"lnda1in Calcutta madam"
Gay then it's likely ye ken something o'my
son, Malcome Anderson" "Anderson?"
replied the visitor, as though to trying remem-
Der. "There may be many Of that name in
Calcutta, but is your son a rich merchant,
man about my age and size, with something
such figure head?'
NY son is rlcn merchant, repned tle
widow proudly; "but he is younger than you
by many long year, and, begging your par
don, sir, far BONNER. Heis tall aud straight,
wi hands and feet like lassie ana has brown
curling hair, ga thick and glossy, and cheeks
like the rose, and brow like the snow, and
big blue cen, WI u CLINT in them, like the
light of an evening star. Nal ma you are
guild enough boy, I diana doubt, but you are
nae like mine"
Here the masqueyadipg merchant, consd-
erably taken down, made a movement as
IL IL A.. laa...l KIT tho hnsnit Lie dana