Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-07-10
The Old Man.

One time there was an old man whose
back was bent and his step slow. Men
who gazed upon his snowy hair and
wrinkled face shook their heads aud
whispered to each other: He is a good
old man who has not long to live.' The
old man had been well of in his day;
but when he found himself on the shady
side of life, wife dead, and home broken
up, he said to his only son: Here.
William, take all | have and let your
home be my home until L de- The
son took the papers-yeu bet he did;
and the father was given a cosy corner
big chair, and corn-cob pipe.
Advent well for year or so, and
then the son and the sons wife began
to make it uncomfortable for the nice
cid man in the corner. They threw
out hints, deprived him Of his comforts
and one cold day in winter he was told
that he had better 90 to HALIFAX
Nova Scotia.
The old mans heart was sore as he
went out into the world, to battle
against hunger and cold: and when
night came he covered into doorway
and wept like child.
Who is making that chin-music up
there?' called reporter, whose steps
had been arrested by sobs; and he
went up the steps, patted the old man
on the back, and sat by him until his
story was told.
Come down to the station with me-
said the reporter, taking the old mans
arm.
Your son is first cousin to the man
who preferred buzzard to lamb, and III
help you fix him.
Next morning one of the daily papers
contained an item to the effect that an
old gentleman named Goodheart had
been found wandering the streets at
night, and that. when taken to the
station, ten thousand dollars worth OF
United States bonds were found on him.
The old man read 1t over three times,
slappng his leg as he saw the point, ,and
beautiful smile covered his face and
climbed up through his hair. In about
an hsur his son William rushed into the
station aud called out:
Father! dear father! come home"
We were crying all night long, and my
wife is now lying IN a comatose state en-
your account
The old man went home with HIM,
winking at the lamp-posts, and smiling
as he turned the corners. He had all Of
his comforts back, and the son bought
him a costly pipe andh pair of box-toed
boots that very day.
Well, as time went on, the son VEN
tured to suggest that the bonds had
better be turned over to him; and every
time he said bonds the old man would
smile and turn the subjects
The other day the father went to bed
to die, and he smiled oftener than pe-
fore as he lay waiting fer the summons.
The son said his heart was breaking,
and then he went through the cid mans
clothes to find the bonds. he didn't
find any. He searched the barn, the
garret and the cellar; and finally, when
he saw tha: death was near, he leaned
over the bed and whispered:
Father, do you know me:'
oh, yes! l know you like book,'
replied the dying man.
AMI, Father, don't you see this
thing is killing me:'
Yes, William see 1t =
And, father, those-those bonds,
ysu know. l suppose you want them
used to purchase monument =
Yes! correct, Wllliam?' whispered
the father, winking a CHASTITY wink, and
as the same old smile covered his face
death came to take HIM 10 Il better
home.
When evening fell, the son and the
sons wife were wildly searching the
straw bed to get their hands on those