Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-09-06


Coat on arm, half in alarm.
Striding over the stony farm.
The good news clears his cloudy face,
And he cries, as he quickens his anxious pace,
Tom. Tom come homer
With twitching cheek and quivering lid
"a soft heart under the hard lines hid.
And tom, how de doI' in husky voice,
He grasps With rough, strong hands the boys
a boys omore. Il shouldn't have known
That beard" While Toms fine barytone
Rolls ont from his deep chest cheerily,
You're hale ever I'm glad to See"
IN the low back porch the mother stands
And rubs her glasses with trembling hands
And smiling with eyes that blear and blink,
Chimes in: Il neyer!'' and only think!
Our Toms come homer
With qnestoU and joke and anecdote,
He brushes his hat, they dust his coat,
While all the household gathers near
Tanned urchins eager 10 see and hear,
And large eyed, dark-eyed. shy young mother,
Widow OF Toms unlucky brother,
Who turned out i'll, and was drowned at the
mill;
The ricken old people mourn him still
And the hope Of heir lives i'll him undone;
But grief for the dissoute, ruined SON
Their best beloved and Oldest boy
j. all forgotten, or 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
OF blows or blame he was forced to bear;
Till at last he said, Here is no room
For DO HI gol' Now he to whom
Scant grace was shown has proved the one
Large-hearted, upright trusty son;
And well may the old folks JOY to find
His brow frank and his eye 20 kind,
No shadow of all he past allowed
To trouble the present hour, or cloud
His welcome home.
Hi, trunk unlocked, the lid he hits
And lays out curious. costly gifts;
For Tom ha pro- pered since he went
In his long ef-banishment.
Each young >ter- glee as he hugs his share,
The widow : surprise, and the old folks air
OF atfecuonate pride in II son so good,
Thrill him with generous gratitude.
And he thinks Am that lonely lad
Who went OFF friendless, poor and sad
That dismal day from my fathers door,
And Can ii be true he II here once more
In his childhood's home!
IT'S hard TO think of his brother dead
And widow and orphans here in his stead,
So little seems changed since they were young!
The row Of pegs where the hats We're hung;
The chechered ch mney and hearth OF bricks;
The sober old clock with lonesome ticks
And shrill. loud chime Tor the flying time;
The stairs the bare feet used TO climb,
Tom chasing his wild hedellow Will;
Md there is the small low bedroom still,
And the table he h ID when little lad;
An, Tom does it make You sad or glad,
This coming home!
Toms heart IL moved Now don't mind mel
! am no stranger guest" cries he.
And. father | say,'-with the old-time laugh
Don't Kill for me any iatted calf
But 20 now and show me the sheep and swine
And the catfle--where is that colt of mine!
And the farm and crbps--i- harvest overf
ia like chance at he oats ana clover,
| can NOW, you'll find and cradle aud bind,
A f...,a f,tfN 10 hph ~
For know a sCythe from well-sweep yet.
In an hour III make you quite forget
That I've been from home
He plucks from it, peg an old farm hat
And with cordial chat up N this and that,
Tom walks tn his father about the place.
There's a pensiye grac in his fine young face
A. tl,ey loIter under the orchard trees,
As he breathes once more the mountain breeze,
And looks from the hillside far away,
over pasture and fallow and field of hay,
To the hazy peaks Of the azure range.
Which change forever. yet never change.
The wild sweet wnas his welcome blow;
Even old Monadnock seem to know
That Toms come home.
The old man stammers and speaks at last:
You notice your mother Is failing fast,
Though she can't see it, Poor Wills disgrace
And debts, and the mortgage on Inc place
His sudden death--'twas IA dreadful blow;
She couldn't bear up like man, you know
She's IA, ked of you since the trouble came;
Some things in the past she seems to blame
Herself for: what. It'll hard 10 tell.
| marvel how she X cps round so well,
For often all night she lies awake
I'm thankful, if only for her sake,
Tia. you've come home,
They visit the field: Tom mows with the men;
And now they come round TO the porch again.
The mother draws Tom aside: lets sink
Her voice to u whisper, and" hat DO you
think?
You see. she says, ''he is broken quite.
Sometimes he losses and groan- all night.
And-Tom it is hard, it i hard indeed!
The mortgage and 20 many mouths to feedl
But tell him he must not worry so.
And work 20 hard. for be don't know
That he hasn't the strength OF younger man.
Counsel him. comfort him. al you can,
While you re at home.
Toms heart t. full; he moves away.
And pondtrS what he will do and say.
And now evening all are met
The tea IL drawn. the liable set;
But when he old man. with Blended head
IN rtycrent tervent tones has said
The opening phrase ~ hi simple grace.
lie ftter-. the tears course dosn his face;
For The words seem cold and the sense OF IN
SIT form il too weak his joy to hold;
AHd broken accents best express
The upheasrd hearts deep thaukfulness,
Now Tom = come home.
The supper done. Tom has h.s say.
] heard " some matters first to-day.
Aud call 10 shamH-you p. both 70 blame
ifb4r .op. who has uuly 10 sit,,, I'll. ,,s5,s
TO lift the mortgage sind clear The score
should never haye hsd that chance hsf1re
From ,his time 10 N yea are free from care;
Your troubles ] share your burdens bear
80 progu. Sc 10 quit hard wsk. ana saw
That you'l give yourselves a holiday.