The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-11-25
Aottrp.
TOMS CONE HOME,


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Wititits heavily rocking and swinging load,
The stage coach rulls up The mountain road.
The mowers lean on their scythes and say,
.Hnllol what brings Big George this way !"
The children climb the Stats, and wait
10 see him drive past the door-yArd gate
When four IN hand, sedntu and grand,
At the window, mild erandmotheIly eyes
Beam from thelr glasses with quaint surprise,
Then 4 auick, halfstilled voice shrieks out
tom Toms come homey. 81
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.
well. mesa her, NY so1r And 70 his breast
She Lies there, and cries theFei now atarIns-lengh
4dmifes his manly size and strength
while be winks hard one misty eye)
Then calls 70 the youngsters staring nigh
"QuIckl 60 for your gran'theri run, boys run
Tell him your uncle-tell him his SON
Our Toms come homel"
The stage coach waits; but little cares She
What faces pleasantly smile 10 see
Her lostled glasses and tumbled cap.
Big Georges hands the trunk unstfap
And bear Il In; while two lightheeled
Young Mcrcuries fly TO the moving field,
And shrek and beekon, and meet halfway
The old gran'theI, lame and gaunt and gr4s.
Coat on arm, half In alarm.
Striding over the stony farm
The good news cleans his cloudy face.
And he cries as he quickeDs his anxious pace.
'ToanY Tom come homer
with twitcbing cheek and quiyering lid sl.,
"a son heart under the hard lines hid1
And "Tom, how de dot" in husky voice,
He grasps with rough, strong hand the boys
4 boys no more. n shouldn't have known
That beard While Toms fine barytone
Rolls out from his deep chest cheerily,
You're hale As ever. I'm glad 70 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 neveris and sonly think z
Our Toms come homer
with question and Joke and anecdote,
He brushes his hat they dust his coat,
While all the household gathers near
Tanned urchins, eager TO see and hear,
And large,syed. daEk-eyed. shy young mother
Widow of Toms unlucky brother,
Who turned out ill., 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 absolute, ruined son
Their best-beloved and oldest boy
Is all forgotten, or turned TO JOY,
Now Toms come home.
Yet Tom was never the favored child,
Though Tom was steady, and Will was wild:
But often his own and his brothers share
Orblows or blame ne was forced 70 bear;
=
For both-I gop Now he to whom
scant grace was shown has proved the one
IArge-hearted, upright, trusty son;
And well may the old folks Joy TO find
His brow 30 frank and his eye so kind,
No shadow OF all the past allowed
To trouble the present hour, or cloud
His welcome home.
His trunk unlocked, the I'D he iins,
And lays outcurious, costly gifts;
For Tom has prospered since he went
info his long sci abandonment
Each youngsters glee rs he hugs his share,
The widows surprise, and the old folks air
OF aftecfionate pride in son 50 good,
Thrill him with generous gratitude.
And he thinks, Am that lonely lad
Who went on frendless, poor, and sad
That dismal day from my fathers door,
And can II be true he Is here once more
In his childhoods homer
IT'S hard to think of his brother dead
And widow and orphans here in his stead
So little seems changed since they were youugi
The row OF pegs where the hats were hung;
The checkered chimney and the hearth OF bricks;
The sober old clock with its lonesome ticks
And shrill, loud chime for the flying time;
The stain the bare feet used TO climb,
Tom chasing his wild bedfellow, win;
And there Is the small low bedroom still
And the table he had when little lad.
All, Tom, does IL make you sad or glad,
This coming home?
Toms heart Is moved "Now don't mind mel
am no stranger guest" cries he.
"And father, 1 say r--wifh the old-time laugh
Don't kill for me my fatted calf
But 60 now and show me the sheep and swine
And the cattle-where Is that colt of miner
And the tarm and crops--is harvest 0ver2
I'd like chance at the oats and cloverl
can NOV, you'll find, and cradle and bind, >
Load hay, stow away, pitch, rake behind
For know scythe from a well-sweep yet
In an hour I'll make you quite forget
That I've been from home"
He plneks 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 pensive grace in his fine young face
As they 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,
10 the hazy peaks OF the azure range,
Which change forever yet never change.
The wild sweet winds his welcome blow
Even old Monadnock seems 10 know
That Toms come home.
The old man stammers and speaks at last:
You notice your mother is falling fast
Though she can't see ii. Poor Wills disgrace
And debts, and the mortgage on this place.
His sudden death-.was terrible blow;
She couldn't bear like man, you know
She's talked Of you since the trouble came
Some things in the past she seems to blame
Herself for; what, II Is hard to tell.
marvel how she keeps round so we'll
For often all night she lies awake
I'm thankful, Il only for her sake,
That you've come home"
They visit the field: Toni mows with the men;
And now they come round TO the porch again
The mother draws Tom aside; lets sink
Her voice 70 whisper, and, What do you think?
You see,' she says, "he is broken quite.
Sometimes he losses and groans all night
And Tom-it Is hard it is hard indeedl
The mortgage, and so many mouths to feed
But tell him he must not worry so,
And work 80 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 al home
Toms heart is full he 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 Bonded head,
In reverent, fervent tones he said
Iheopening phrase Of his simple grace
He falters, the tears course down his face;
For the words seem cold and the sense OF the old
Set form is too weak his Joy to hold
And broken ACCENTS best express
The upheayed hearts deep thankfulness
Now Toms come home.
The supper done. Tom has his say
Il heard some matters first to day
And call II q shame-y0ur both 10 blame
That son who has only to sign his name,
To lift the mortgage and clean the score
Should never have that chance before.
from this time forth you are free from care
Your troubles share your burdens bear.
That you'll give yourself holiday
Now father now motherl you can't refuse
For what's q son for and what's the use
OF his coming homer
And 50 there Is cheer in the house to night.
~ can hardly hold 70 much delight
Tom wanders forth across the lot
And, under the stars-though Tom Is not
SO pious as boys sometimes have BEEN
Thanks Heaven, that turned his thoughts from sin,
AND blessed him, and brought hime home once
And now be knocks at a cottage door,
For one who has waited many year
In hope that thrilling sound TO hear
Who, happy rs other hearts may be, qH
Knows well there's none 30 glad as she
That Toms come home.
Tha sfarmfr