Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-09-07

Grow wide with wonder and guess and doubt
Then quick, half-stifled voice shreks out.
Tom! Toms come homer
The face at the easement disappears,
To shine at the door, all joy and tears,
As traveller, dusty and bearded and brown,
over the wheel steps lightly down.
We'll, mother!" my SOM" Aud TO his brcas
a forward-totiering form is pressed.
She lies there, and cries there; now at arms
length
Admires his manly size and strength,
while he winks bard one misty eye;)
hen calls TO the youngsters staring nigh
Quick 20 for your gnan'ther. run boys, run
Tell him your uncle-tell him his SON
Our Toms come homer
The siage-coach waits but little cares she
W hat faces pleasantly smile 10 see
Her losiled glasses snd tumbled cap.
Big Georges hands the trunk uBsirap
And bear it in; while two light-heeIed
Young Mercuries fly TO the moving field,
And shrek and beckou, snc meet halfway
The old grand'ther, lame and gaunt and gray
Coat on arm, half in alarm.
Striding over the stony farm.
The good news clears his cloudy face,
And he cries, as he quickens hi. anx ious psce
Tom! Toms come bomer'
With twitching cheek and quiyering lid
"a soft heart under the hard line. hid,
And Tom. how DE dc, - in a husky voice
He grasps with rough, strong hand the boys
A boys no more. Il shouldn't have known
That beard While Tom. fine baritone
Rolls out from MS deep chest cheerily,
"lou'rc hale a. ever, I'm glad 10 see
In the low bsck porch the mother stands,
And rubs her glasses with trembling hands,
And. smiling with eyes that bear and blink.
Chimes in, Il neVerH' and only think
Our Toms come home !"
With question and joke and anecdote,
He brushes his hat, they dust his coat,
W bile all the household gathers near
Tanned urchns, eager to see and hear,
And large eyed. -Tk-eyed, shy young mother,
W dow Of Toms unlucky brother.
Who turned out III, and was drowned at the
mill;
The stricken old people mourn him still.
And the hope OF their lives in him undone:
But grief for the dssolute. ruined SON
Their besi-beloycd aiid oldest boy
Is all forgotten. OF turned 10 Joy.
Now Toms come home.
Yet Tom was never the favored child.
Though Tom was steady and viii was wild /;
But often his own and his brothers share
or blows or blame he was forced to bear.
Till at last he said. Here is no room
For both-I go.' Now he to whom
-
Large hearted, upright. tru.ty son;
And well may the old folks JOY to ffnd
His brow 80 frank and his eve so kind.
No shadow Of all the past allowed
To trouble the present hour. or cloud
His welcome home.
His trunk unlocked, the lid he lifls,
And Isy. out curious, costly glfl.;
Into his long self-banishment.
E.rh vouug.ter'. plep. l. he hugs his share.
The widows surprise ,snd the old folks air
OF sffectionate pride in 4 son so good
Thrill him with generous gratitude.
And he thinks. Am l that lonely lad
Who went of friendless, poor, and sad
That dismal day from my fathers door,
And can II be true he is here once more
In his chdhood's home;
'Tis hard to think Of his brother dead,
And widow and orphans here in his stead
80 little seems changed since they were Young !.
The row Of pegs here the hats were hung;
The checkered chimney and hearth OF bricks ::
The sober old clock with its lonesome ticks
And shrill, loud chime for the flying time;
The stairs the bare feet used 10 climb,
Tom chasing his wild bedfellow Will;
And there is the small low bedroom still,
And the table he had when 4 little lad;
All, Tom, does il make you sad or glad.
This coming home!
Toms heart is moved. "Now don't mind me /!
am no stranger guest" cries he.
And. father.I say with the old-time laugh.
Don't kill for me any fatted calf!
But go now and show me the sheep aud swine
And the cattle-where Is that cot OF minef-
And the farm and crops-is harvest over;
I'd like a chance st oats and clover.
/ can mow You'll find, and cradle and bind,
Load hay, stow away, pitch. rake behind;
For know a scythe from a well-sweep yet,
In an hour I'll make you quite forget
That I've been from home"
He plucks from its peg an old farm hat.
And with cordial chat upon this and that,
Tom walks with his father about the place.
There's Il pensiye grace in his fine young face
As they loiter under the orchard trees,
As he breathes once more the mountain breeze
And looks IRON the hillside far away,
Over pasture and fsllow, and field Of hay.
To the hazy peaks of the azure range.
Which change forever, yet never change.
The wild, sweet winds his welcome blow;
Even old Monadnock seems to know
That Toms come home.
The old man stammers and speaks st last;
..You notice your mother Is failing fast,
Tbough she can't see il. Poor Wills disgrace
And debts and the mortgage on the place;
His sudden death-'twss dreadful blow;
She souldn't bear up like a man, you know.
She, talked oil YOU u IouDlc
Some things in the past she seems TO blame
Herself for; what, it is hard to tell.
| marvel how she keeps round SO well,
For often all night she lies swake.
I'm thankful, if only for her sake.
That you've come home"
They visit the field; Tom mows with the men
A nd now they come round to the porch again
The mother draws Tom aside lets sink
Her voice 10 a whisper, and-"What do yol
Think
You see,n she says, "he is broken quite.
Sometimes he tosses and groans all night,
Aud-Tom II is hard, IL 10 hard indeed!
The mortgage, and so many mouths to feed!
But tell him he must not worry so,
And work so hard, for he don't know
That he hasn't the strength Of a younger man
Counsel him, comfort him, all you can,
While you're at home"
| Toms heart is full ; be moves away.
| And ponders what he will do and say.
And now at evening all are met,
| The Tea Is drawn, the table set;
| But when the old man, with bended head,
| In reverent fervent tones has said
! The opening phrase Of his simple grace.
| he fsiters, the tears course down his face
For the words seem cold, and the sense Of th
old
Set form Is too weak his Joy to hold;
| And broken accents best express
The upheaved hearts deep thankfullness,
Now Toms come home.
The supper done. Tom has his say:
II heard Of some matters first to-day:
And call it q shame-you're both to blame
That q son, who has only to sign his name,
To liz the mortgage and clear the score.
should never have had that chance before.
From this time forth you are free from care !;
Your troubles / share your burdens bear.
So promise to quit hard work, and say
That you'll give yourselves holiday.
Now, father now. mother. you can't refuse !:
For what's son for, and what's the use
OF his coming homer
And so there is cheer in the house tonight.
1t can hardly hold so much delight.
Tom wsnders forth across the let,
And, under the stars-Though Tom Is not
So pious as boys sometimes have been
Thanks Heaven, that turned his thoughts fro
sin
And blessed him, and brought him home on
! more.
: And now he knocks at cottage door.
! | For one who has waited many year
! In hope that thrilling sound to hear:
J who, happy ~ other hearts may be,