Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-11-02

grasped my hand.
Welcome home, my boy!" he sale
with the loud. cheerful tones | re.
| membered so well. "You have
changed so I would never have known
you. But no matter about that, YOU
heart is in the right place, know
''How can you say that he has
changed" 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. It is
heavy heart that changes him. He
IS my boy still.
'Aye. mother" I answered, sadly,
81 am your boy STILL
Heaven help me! At that moment
I felt like 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
ofmy lips, and answered quietly, as
looked into his full, handsome face :
"You have changed, too, Frank,
but | think for the better"
"Oh, yes; thank you for the compli-
ment,' Re answered with a hearty
laugh. ''My wife tells me l grow
handsomer every day."
His VIE! Could / hear that name
and keep silent!
"And You have seen my little girls
he added, lifting the infant in his
arms, aud kissing her crimson cheek.
81 tell you. Harry, there is no such
other in the world. Don't you think
she looks very much as her mother
used to ?"
every much" I faltered.
'Hallo!" cried Frank, with a
suddenness that made me start
violently, Il have forgotten to intror
duce you to my wife. l believe you
and she were playmates in your
younger days-yes, Harry" and he
slapped the 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 10 repeat the
ceremony. Come, here she is :; 1 do,
for one, want to know how You will
manage those ferocious mustaches of
yours in the operation
He pushed Lizzie, laughing and
blushing. toward me. A CLEAN of
light and hope, almost to dazzling TO
bear. came over me, and | cried out
before l thought, mot Mary"
l must have betrayed my secret 10
every one in the room. But nothing
was said; even Frank, in general so
obtuse, was this time silent. l kissed
the fair cheek of the young wife, and
hurried to the silent figure looking
out of the window.
"Mary-Mary Moore!" I said, in a
low, eager tone, shave you no wei
come to give the wanderer ?"
She turned aud laid her hand in
mine, and said hurriedly:
Il am glad to gee you here, Harry!'
Simple words, and how blessed
they made me. I would not at that
moment have yielded her up for an
Emperor's crown. For there was the
happy home group and the dear
home Preside, with sweet Mary
Moore. The eyes that I had dreamed
of day and night were falling beneath
the ardent gaze of mine, and the
sweet face / had so long prayed tc
see was there beside me. l never
knew the meaning of happiness until
that moment.
Many years have passed since that
happy night, and hair that was dark
and g'o'sy is fast turning gray an
now grown to an old man. and can
look back to happy, and | hope,
well.spent life. And yet as sweet az
it has been I would not recall {
single day, for the love that made m,
manhood so bri ght shines also upor
my gray hairs.
An old man! Can this be so Al
heart am as young as ever. Ant
| Mary, with her bright hair parted
smoothly from brow that has
slight furrow upon it, is still thu
| Mary of other days. To me she car
never grow old or changed. The
heart that held her in infancy ant
sheltered her in the flush and beaut,
of womauhood can never cast her on
till life shall cease to war m it.