The daily gazette., 1875-07-15
The Prodigal's Return
BY PAUL PLUME.

0OuIrey RuSSell was eighteen years O
age when he entered Princeton College
He was the only son Of a rich man, and
had been INDUCED in every whim from
the days of his childhood. His nature
was frank and generous, and his man.
ners were such that il was almost impos.
sible for him not to be popular among
his fellows. He scattered his father
money with lavish hand, and was at all
times ready to assist his fellow-students
when they were low in pocket. Temp
tations beset him on all sides and not hav.
ing enough strength of character to re-
sist them, he speedily fell into dissolute
habits.
Ten months from the day he entered
college, he was expelled for habitual in
toxlcation. His father, who had cher
boy, felt the disgrace keenly, and had it
not been for the mother, Godfrey would
have been subjected to aseverity he
never before had known. Mrs. Russell
like most indulgent mothers, shielded
her son, and pleaded so powerfully with
his father that the erring one escaped
the wrath that was pent up in his father &
bosom.
Under the promise Of reformation, Mr..
Russel permitted his son to travel but
was careful to furnish him only money
for q moderate style of living. Mrs. Rus
sell discovering this fact, privately made
her son a parting gift which defeated the
very object her husband was striving to
accomplish. Poor woman, the love she
bore her child blinded her to his defects.
Godfrey started for Cincinnati, from
which point he wrote his parents an af-
fectionate letter. From that time all
traces of him were lost. More than a
year afteaward there came rDmor that
young man, answering Godfrey Rus-
sells des cription, had been killed over a
game OF cards, on board a steamboat on
the Mississippi river.
OF course, Mr.. Russell instituted the
most careful inquiry regarding the report
but was unable TO determine whether the
victim was his son or not. Three years
had PASSED away, and Godfrey Russell
was given up for dead by his father; but
the mother still cherished hope of
clasping he son again to her heart
Trouble was wearing her fast away, and
the only pleasure she knew was in acts
Of charity. A great part of her time was
passed among the poor and sick, and she
was constantly in the midst of suffering.
One day she learned that lady arri-
we'd in the City of Nashville. She came
for the purpose of joining her husband,
who had been at the north several
months. She had been met with the in
telligence that her husband had died
suddenly. The shock was SO great that
the poor woman was taken ill, and her
recovery was matter of much doubt
Sac was young and very pretty, and those
ladies who had seen her were very much
interested in the fate of the fair
stranger.
sMrs. Russell was soon at the side of
the sufferer, whom she found in q mean
lodging with ard-hearted and worldly
woman for landlady. She professe to
pity the unfortunate lady. but gave Mrs.
Russell to understand that she would
be glad if other quarters could be pro-
vided for the sick woman. Mr.. Russell
Immediately paid months beard in ad-
vance. and ordered that every attention
be given to the suffering lady.
In two weeks the patient was able to
converse. and, to Mrs. Russells surprise,
she declined to give any other name than
Sophie, nor would she give the address
of her friends in Tennessee. The fol-
lowing story she, however, related to her
benefactress, and thereby created an in
creased interest in the mind of that good
lady:
Eight months previous her husband
had gone North, and, at length receiving
letter to join him, she set out and arri-
Veu III NeW 1OIht BOluB 10 u UOuSe luul-
Gated by her husband.
The day she arrived she was waited
upon by u man in the garb Of sailor,
who gave her package containing her
husbands s watch and photograph, and
letter from person styling himself Rev.
Thomas Greer bury, who inform ed her
that her husband had died suddenly, and
with his last breath had conjured him to
convey the intelligence to his wife as soon
as she should arrive. Strange to relate,
neither Mr.. Greenbury nor the man who
bore the package could be discovered.-
There was a mystery connected with the
matter that the poor woman could not
solve.
The story awakened deep interest in
Mrs. Russelps mind, and she began a se-
ries of Investigations which unhappily
ELECTED no information. During Sophie's
illness she gave birthlto babe. At length
she was restored to health, and on ac-
count of her refusing to make known
her name, all the ladies connected with
the society to which Mrs. Russell belong
ed withdrew their support. IT'S true,
they found nothing in Sophie's deport-
ment that was amiss, or discovered any
thing more than she was u beautiful, but
heart,broken, young creature; but they
were dissatisfied with her silence and the |
Russell alone remained her steadfast
friend, and never at any time did she |
seek to possess herself of the secret that |
Sophie guarded SO we'll. Mrs. Russell had |
her to more comfortable guar. |
ers, and continued to aid her until the |
babe was nine months old, when one |
morning lady of the society rem ,rked |
to Mrs. Russell:
81 think you have done enough for So |
phie; she seems to me so cold and indif- |
ferent that have often thought she was
"Tm not quite satisfied myself" "an.
swered Mrs. Russell. II have been
her to make some explana-
tion of the mystery that clings to her,
but she has not done so. Still she
may be more grateful than those who
make loud professions. She blesses
us, perhaps, in her heart. wish !
knew something of her history, for If
it should turn out that she is only an |