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


heard til" sound from the rnrl"r, az,
saw the half-supprcssed smile on tn
servants face.
hrsitatrd Il moment before maxim
myself kn"wu or asking for amy ui H.
family. And while stood silent
Stl;rSr aprarition grew mp before me-
from behind tho servant prcrcd ont
golden hca'l, 4 tiny, delicate form All.
sweet childish face with blue eyes, s.
like those of ono who had briShtcnr'
my h"yh""l, that started with !, sud
den feeling OF pain.
"N|lat is your name, my pretty ~
asked, while the wondering servant hcl,
he door.
Mary Moore"
And what else?" asked quickly.
She lifted mp her hands to shade hr
lace. ] had seen that very attitude i,
another, IN my luyll"'d many and man,
Il time and answered in Il sweet bird
like voice,
"Mary Moore Chester
My heart sank down like lead. Her,
was an end to al! Il e bright dreams an,
hopes Of my youth and mainland
Frank Chester, my boyish rival, wl,t
had often tried in vain to us,,rp III,
place beside the girl had succeeded IL
last, and had won her away from me
This WAS the cllild--his child ..r,
N[ary's.
sank, body and soul, beneath thi.
blow, and, hiding my face in my hand.
lt1me'l against the door, while m,
heart wcpt tears Of blood. The littl,
one gazcd ut me, gricvcd and amazed
and put up her pretty lips us if abou
to cry, while the pcrplcxcd servant
stepped to tho parlor and called m,
sister to see who it was that acted Sc
strangely. I heard Il light st"p and j.:
pleasant voice, saying:
"Do you wish to see my father, sir 2
looked up. There stood !. pretty
swcct-f:tccd maiden Of twenty, not mucl
chanscd from the dear little sister !
had loved SO we'll. looked ut her 70,
II moment, ami then St,lliny the tempest
OF my heart, by mighty effort
opened my arms AMI said:
| "Llzzie, don't you know inc =
Harry! oh, my brother Harry p
she cried, and threw herself upon my
breast, and wcpt as ii her heart would
break.
could not weep. drew her gently
into the lighted parlor, and stood with
her before them all.
There was rush, and cry of JOY,
ald then my father and mother sprang
toward me, and welcomed nc home
with heartfelt tears.
Oh, strange and passing sweet is such
i greeting to tho way worn traveller.
And us [ held my dear old mother to
my heart, and graspel my father
hand while Lizzie chung beside me, !
felt that [ was not yet lost; and
although another had secured lifc's
most choice blessing, many Joy re-
manned for nc i'll the dear sanctuary of
home.
There were four inmates of the room
VIII" had risen on my sudden entrance.
One *as the bluc-eycl child who now
stood beside Frank Chester, clinging
to his hand. Near by stood Lizzie
Moore, Mary's eldest sister, ami in u
distant corner, to which she had hur-
richly rctrcatcd when my name was
spoken, stood a tall and slender figure
half hidden by the heavy window cur
t;.ins that fell to the floor.
When the first rapt,,rous greeting
was over, Lizzie led me forward with !.
timitl grace, anu Frank Chester graspcd
my hand.
"Welcomc home, my boy" he said
with the loutl, cheerful tones; I rcmcm-
bcred so we'll. "You have changed SO
that [ would never have known you !;
but no matter about that, your heart is
i'll the right place T Know
How can you say that he is
changed" said my mother, gently.
"To be suro he looks older and .,r,vcr.
and more like l, man than when he went
away, but his eyes and sluilc are the
same us ever. 1t is II heavy heart
which changes him. lie is my boy
STILL"
"Ayc, MOTHER" I answered sadly, 81
am your boy STILL"
Heaven help me! ut that moment T
felt like 1. boy, and it would have been
II blessed relief to have wept upon her
bosom us l had done in my Infancy.
But kept down the trcmor Of my lips,
and answered quietly, as looked into
his full, handsome face.
"You have changed, too, Frank, but
l think for the better"
"Oh, ycs-thank you for tho compli-
mcnt," he answered with IL hearty
laugh. "NIy wife tells me 1 grow
handsomer every day."
His wife! Gould hear that name
and keep silent still?
Sand you have seen my little girl %
he added, lifting the inf,.ilt in his arms.
and kissing her crimson check. 81
tell You, Harry, thor" is no such other
i'll tho world. Don't you think she
looks very much as her mother used
to 2"
Very much, I faltcrc.l.
Hallo! cried Frank, with II sud-
lenness that made mo start violently,
81 have forgotten to introduce you to
my wife believe you and she used to
be playmatcs in your younger days
yes, Harry and he slapped mo on the
back for the sake Of old times, and
because you was not ut The wedding,
will give you leave to Kiss her once, but
mind, old fellow, you are never to re-
peat tho ceremony. Come, here she is
[ do for ono want to know how yon will
manage: those fcrOcious mOuSt:,cll.s Of
yours in tho operation.
| He pushed Lizzie, laughing and
blnshin", toward me. 4 CLEAN Of light
and hope almost too dazzling t., bear,
came over n.c, AMI ! cried out before
thought, "Not Mary!'
must have betrayed my secret t.
every one i'll the room. But nothing
was sud; even Frank, in general s.,
obt'lSs', was this time silent. L kssc,
| the fair check of the young wife, ano
hurried to the silent figure looking ont
Of the window.
"Mary-Mary Mm,rc y 1 said i'll :
low, eager tone, "lavr you no welcome
to give tho wan<lcrcr -
She turned and laid her hand in min,
and said hurricdly:
% | am glad to see you here, Harry.
Simple words and yet how blessed
they made me-. Iwoull not have yicltlc.
her up at the moment for an Emperor.
crown. For there WAS the happy HON,
group and dear home tircsi.le, will
s~r". Mary Moore. The eyes + i,,.
dreamed of day and night were falling
beneath the ardent gaze of mine, nrn
the sweet face [ had SO long prayed t,
sec was there beside me. [ never knew
tho meaning Of happiness until thai
moment
Many years have passed since thu
happy night, and tho hair that was dark
and glossy is faust turning gray. an
now grown to DC an old man. and ca,
look back t" II happy, and I hop pc u wei
spent life. And yet aus sweet ;.s it Int
been would not recall single day, fn
the love that made my manhood q,
bright, shines also upon my white hairs
An olI man! CAN this lm so? 4
heart ] i'm lS VOlInE as ever AM