Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-07-02

| A0Ify! on, my DtOCnef Harry !
she cried, and threw herself upon my
brcast, and wept as if her heart would
break.
I could not weep. drew her gently
into the lighted parlor, and stood With
her before them all. 'S' -" -
There was q rush, and q cry Of ioy,
and then my father and mother spranq
toward me, and welcomed me home
with heart-felt tears. -
Oh, strange and passing sweet is such
a greeting to the way worn traveller,
And as I held nay dear old mother ia
my heart, and grasped my fathers
hand while Lizzie clung beside me, i
felt that I was not yet lost; and
although another had secured life's
most choice blessing, many q Joy re-
NAMED for me in the dear sanctuary oi
home.
There were four inmates of the room
who had risen on my sudden entrance.
One ~as the blue-eyed child who now
stood beside Frank, Chester, clingine
to his hand. Near by stood Lizzie
Moore, Mary's eldest sister, and in q
distant corner, to which she had hur-
riedly retreated when my name was
spoken, stood a tall and slender figure
half hidden by the heavy window cur
tains that fell to the floor.
When the first rapturous greeting
was over, Lizzie led me forward with q
timid grace, and Frank Chester grasped
my hand.
"Welcome home, my boy! he said
with the loud, cheerful tones remem-
bered SO we'll. "You have changed 50
that 1 would never have known you
but no matter about that, your heart ia
in the right place, know"
| How can you say that he is
changed !" said My mother, gently.
"To be sure he, looks older and graver,
and more like q man than when he went
away, but his eyes and smile are the
same as ever. 1t is a heavy heart
which changes him. He is my boy
STILL" :. ~. J
."Aye, MOTHER" answered sadly, IL
am your boy STILL"
Heaven help me! at that moment
felt like a boy, and it would have been
blessed relief to have wept upon her
bosom as I had done in my infancy.
But kept down the tremor Of my lips,
and answered quietly, as I looked into
his full, handsome face.
lyon have changed, too, Frank, but
think for the better" f s
"Oh, yes-thank you for the compli-
ment," he answered with hearty
laugh "My wife tells me T grow
handsomer every day. : -
His wife! Could I hear that name
and keen silent still
"And you have seen my little girI'?''
he added, lifting the infant in his arms.
and kissing her crimson cheek. II
tell you, Harry, there is no such other
in the world. Don't you think she
looks very much as her mother used
to ?" ,.a5 >.,,. -" ..
Every much, )" + faltered. :.
Hallo!'' cried Frank, with a sud-
denness that, made me start violently,
II have forgotten to introduce you to
my wife; I believe you. and she used to
be playmates in Your younger days :
yes, Harry" and he slapped me on the
back for, the sake of old times, and
because you was not at the wedding, I
will give you leave to tiss her once, but
mind, old fellow, you are never to re-
peat tho ceremony. Come. hero she ID: /:
/ dos Tor one want to know how you viii
manage those ferocious moustaches of
yours in tho operation" -.
He pushed Lizzie, laughing and
blusllins, toward mo. A CLEAN of light
and hope almost too dazzling to bear,
came over me, and i cried out before 1
thought, "Not Maryl.' J.
sImust have betrayed my secret TO
every one in the room. But nothing
was said; even Frank, in general SO
Obtuse, was this time silent. I kissed
the fair cheek of tho young wife, and
hurried to the silent figure looking out
of the window. 49,
"Mary-Mary Moore - I said in {,
low, eager tone, "have you no welcome
to give the wanderer ?'''
She turned and laid her hand in mine
and said hurriedly:~ - - e~s-~~'- =.~>.~
am glad to see you here, Harry. "
Simple words and yet how blessed
they made me. Iwould not have yielded
her up ut the moment for an Emperor's
crown. For there was the happy home
group and dear home freside, with
sweet Mary Moore: The eyes T had
dreamed Of day and night were falling
beneath tho ardent gaze of mine, and
the sweet face I had so long prayed to
see was there beside me. I never knew
the meaning Of happiness until that
moment.
Many years have passed since the
happy night, and the hair that was dark
and glossy is fast turning gray. 1 am
now grown to be an old man, and can
look back to a happy, and I hope q we'll
spent life. And yet as sweet as it has
been would not recall single day. for
the love that made my manhood so
bright, shines also upon my white hairs.
An old man! Can this he SO? AT
heart I am as young as ever. And
Mary, with her bright hair parted
smoothly from a brow that has slight
furrow upon it, is still the Mary ot
other days. 10 mo she can never grow
old or changed. The heart That held
her in infancy and sheltered her in the
flush and beauty Of womanhood can
never cast hcr out till life shall cease t.
warm it.
NV v-n~r~o~- .1;x,;.7.,1 III A. .