Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-27

Ysrk, nov ona visit to his relativesiu the East,
lately took With hin, In his dug out, the modest
up. We can Imagine" continued the sprightly
journal, "that no such misfortune is likely TO
0vertake Htllsite this season. And yet we be-
few journals broke out inro poetry. The ope-
rator at Simpsons Crossing autographed TO the
Sacramento Universe GAN day the low clouds
have shook their garnered fullness down."
San Francisco journal lapsed into noble verse,
thinly disguised rs editorial prose "Rejoice,
the gentle rain has come, the bright and pesrly
safts them Ger he plain. Rejoice" etc. In
deed, there Was only one to whom the rain had
not brought blessing, and
THAT WAS PIUSKRTr.
In some mysterious and dsrksome way. IL had
interfered with the perfection of his new met cd
of reducing ores, and thrown the advent of
that invention back another season. 1t had
brought him down to An habitual seat in the
ar-room, where. to needless and inattentive
ears, he sat and discoursed Of the East and his
family.
that some funds had been lodged with the land
lord, by person or persons unknown, whereby
his few wants were provided for His msnis,-
for that was the charitable construction which
Monte Flat put upon his conduct,-was in
duleed, even to the extent Of Monte Flats
accepting his invitation to dine with his family
on Christmas Day an Invitation extended
frankly to every one with whom the old man
drank or talked. But one day. to everybody g
astonishment, he burst into the BARRON, hold
ing an open letter in his hand. 1t read as
follows:
"Bx READY TO MEET YOUR FAMILY
at the new cottage on Heavytree Hill on Christ
mas Day. Invite what friends You choose:
The letter was handed round In silence. The
old man, with look alternating between hope
and fear, eazed in the faces Of the group. The
doctor looked up significantly after pause.
cts a forgery. evidently" he said, in a low
voice; ''he's cunning enough TO conceive it
they always are-but youll lind he'll fail in ex-
ecuting 1t. Watch his facet Old man, ;" he said
suddenly. in a loud, peremptory tone, "this is
trick-a forgery-and you know IL. Answer
me squareiy, and look me in the eye. Isn't 1t
SOP"
The eyes of Plunket stared a moment, and
then dropped weakly. Then, with a feebler
smile, he said: ~ cure too many for ma, boys.
The docs right; the little games up. You can
take the old mans hat" and so, tottering,
trembling, and chuckling, he dropped into 81
lence apd his accustomed seat. But the next
day he seemed to have forgotten this episode,
and talked as glibly as ever Of the approaching
And 20 the days and weeks passed until
Christmas,-a bright, clear day. warmed with
of springing grasses, broke upon Monte Flat
And then there was a sudden commotion IN the
hotel BARRON, and Abner Dean stood beside
the old mans chair, and shook him out of SUM-
Der to his feet. Grouse up, old man; York is
here,
WITH YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER,
at the cottage on Heavytree. Come, old man.
hciC, pOyrb kNc MIN anu IN hnOlucf
moment dozen strong and willing hands had
raised the old man and bore him in triumph to
the street, up the steep grade Of Heavytree
Hill, and deposited him, struggling and con-
fused, in the porch Of little cottage. At the
same instant two women rushed forward, but
were restrained by gesture from Henry York
The old man was struggling to his feet. With
an effort, at last, he stood erect, trembling, his
eye fixed, gray pallor on his cheek, and deep
resonance in his voice.
"Ir's ALL A TRICK, AND LIRi"
They STINT no flesh and blood or kin o. mine. 1t
amt nv wife, nor child. My daughters q
beautiful giri,-a beautiful gfrl,-d'ye hear!
She's in New York, with her mother, and I'm
going to fetch her here. 1 said I'd 90 home,
and I've been home dive hear me?-rye been
home! It's mean trick you're plsyin' on the
old man. Let me go, dye hear. Keep them
women off me! Let me 60! I'm going
I'm GOING HOMR!"
His hands were thrown up convulsively in the
sir and, half turning round he fell sideways
on the porch, and so to the ground. They
picked him up hurriedly; but too late. He had
gone home.