Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-03-14


hopes of my youth and manhoo ,.
Frank Chester, my boyish rival, who
had often tried in vain to usurp my
place beside the girl, had succeeded at
last, and had won her away from me.
This was the child-his child and
Mary's.
| sank, body and soul, beneath this
blow, and, hiding my face in my hands
| leaned against the door, while my
heart wept tears Of blood. The little
one gazed at me, grieved and amazed,
and put up her pretty lips as if about
to cry, while the perplexed servant step
ped to the parlor and called my sister
out to see who it was that conducted
himself so strangely. l heard light
step, and pleasant voice, saying:
" Did you wish to see my father, sir ?"
l looked up. There stood pretty,
sweet-faced maiden of twenty, not much
changed from the dear little sister I
had loved so well. l looked after her
for moment, and then stilling the
tempest Of my heart, by mighty ef-
fort, 1 opened my arms and said
Lizzie, don't you know me ?"
"Harry oh, my brother Harry she
cried, and threw herself upon my breast,
and wept as if her heart would break.
/ could not weep. 1 drew her gently
into the light parlor, and stood with her
before them all.
There was rush, and a cry Of Joy,
and then my father and mother sprang
toward me and welcomed me home with
heartfelt tears.
Oh, strange and passing sweet is such
a greeting to the way-worn traveller.
And as l held my dear old mother to
my heart, and grasped my fathers hand,
while. Lizzie clung beside me, felt
t at all was not yet lost and although
another had secured lifes most choicest
blessing, many joy rename for me
IN the dear sanctuary of home.
There were four inmates of the room,
who had risen on my sudden entrance.
One was the blue-eyed child whom |
had already seen, and who now stood
beside Frank Chester, clinging to his
hand. Near by stood Lizzie Moore,
Mays eldest sister, and in a distant
corner, to which she had hurriedly re-
treated when my name was spoken,
stood a tall and slender figure, half
hidden by the heavy window curtains
that fell to the floor.
When the first rapturous greeting |
was over, Lizzie led me forward with a
timid grace, and Frank Chester grasped |
my hand.
Welcome home, my boy he said
with the loud, cheerful tones | remem-
bered so well. You have changed SO
that nev,r would have known you
but no matter about that, your heart is
in the right place, l know"
"How can you say that he is chan
ged p said my mother, gently. "To |
be sure he looks older and graver, and
more like a man than when he went !
away, but his eyes and smile are the
same as ever. 1t is heavy heart that
changes him. He is my boy still"
"Aye, mother" " | answered sadly, |
81 am your boy still"
Heaven help me at that moment l |
felt like a boy, and it would have been
blessed relief to have wept upon her
bosom as / had done in my infancy.
But kept down the tremor Of my lips,
and answered quickly, as l looked into
his full, handsome face.
"You have changed, too, Frank, but
l think for the better"
"Oh, yes-thank you for the compii-
ment, " he answered with a hearty laugh.
"My wife tells me l grow handsomer
every day"
His wife Could I hear that name
and keep silent still.
"Aud have you seen my little girl ?"
he added lifting the infant in his arms,
and kissing her crimsoned cheek. 81
tell you, Harry, t ere is no such other
in the world. Don't yoI think she
looks very much like her mother used |
to-"
Every much" I faltcre1
Halo !" cried Frank, with a sud
denness which made me start violently, /
81 have forgotten TO introduce you to
my wife l 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 were not at the wedding, / .
will give you leave to kiss her once, but
mind, old fellow, you are never to re-
peat the ceremony. Come, here she is;
l for one want to see how you will
manage those ferocous mustaches of
yours in the operation.
He pushed Lizzie, laughing and
blushing, toward me. A CLEAN of light |
and hope almost too dazzling 10 bear,
came over me, aud l cried out before I
thought, "Not Mary"
[ must have betrayed my secret to |
every one in the room. But nothing |
was said even Frank, in general so OBJ.
fuse, was this time silent. l kissed the |
fair cheek the young wife, and hur-
ried to the silent figure looking out of
the window.
"Mary- Mary Moore !" I said in a
low eager tone, "have you no welcome
to give the wanderer?"
She turned, and laid her hand in
mine and said hurriedly-
&c am glad to see you here, Harry"
Simple words and yet how blessed |
| they made me. / would not have |
yielded her up at the moment for an
emperor's crown. For there was the |
happy hymn group and dear home fire.
side, with sweet Mary Moore The
eyes | had dreamed OF day and night
we're falling beneath the ardent gaze of
mine, aud the sweet face had SO long
prayed to see was there beside me.
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,
I am now grown to be an old man, and
can look back to happy, and 1 hope
a we'll spent life. And yet, sweet as it
has been, I would not recall a single
day, for the love that made my man
hood so bright, shines also upon my
white hairs.
An old man Can this be so? At
heart, 1 am as young as ever And
Mary, with her bright hair parted
smoothly from brow that has slight
furrow upon it, is still the Mary of
other days. To me 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