Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-11-19

"Don't your papa wear such boots?"
inquired the man.
Il amt got no papa" the girl re-
piled.
g Nor l." laughed the tramp; but the
child was very sober.
"My names Laura, what's your
name%' she asked moment later.
"My name?" said the lieutenant, his
face becoming very grave. "My name
I haven't any. I lost it long ago"
"Did anybody find itp' was the ques-
ton sagely propounded. She stood close
to him now, one hand on his knee, and
wistfully looking up into his face. A
something he saw in it overcame him,
and he bowed his head in his hands.
"Don't be imperentp said Bridget.
"Lave the man alone! l think you'd
better be going, sir"
The lieutenant raised his head.
81 think so, too" He looked again
into the child's face-stooped down and
kissed her.
"My hat!" he demanded sharply, az
be turned away.
It was near the dining room door,
where Bridget's dress had swept it. He
stopped to pick it up. At the same in.
slant the door opened and handsome
woman, richly dressed and not more
than thirty years of age, stood in the
doorway. AS he rose his face looked
into her. His hat dropped from his
hand and he staggered back.
go God!" he cried. cit is Marian"
A quick cry of surprise and joy came
from the lips of the woman. She placed
her hands on his shoulders and gazed
lovingly and mutely into his face. The
mans head slowly dropped.
Husband, look at mel" she cried
catching his hands in hers.
81 cannot, [ dare not. See what ]
am! Remember what / was-to you"
he said.
:" Always my husband, James, and
always forgiven"
always your husband?" standing
erect and with a wild vigor in his atti-
tude. Marian, l heard that the law
had freed you from me, because | struck
you when was drunk, and in my shame
deserted you when ! was sober"
Z" 1t was all false. have waited for
you for five long years. I knew you
would come back some day. Now you
are here. Poor, poor husbandl How
you must have suffered! Come with
mel Laura, child, come! The back
way is clear"
Still he hung back. 81 am not fit,"
he said. 81 am forever disgraced. Let
me 60 away and come back again some
time when am no longer tramp"
James, this is Thanksgiving day.
1t is our day, if anybody's, You must
come. You are no longer tramp,
thank Godl Comet It is home again
for all of U.S." and putting her arms
around her husband she led him out of
the room and out of his bondage.
An hour later the tramp sat at his
wife's table as a gentleman, dressed in
black clothes, his hair trimmed, bis
beard cut in civilized shape. The trans
formation was complete. To his wife,
her father, her brother and her brother
wife, be told, after grace, the story of
his self imposed exile, of the shame and
remorse which had followed him for
years, of the strange faith which had
brought him back that night to the
presence of one whom he had supposed
to be a thousand miles away, and for
ever lost to him.
Happy! No home ever knew keener
Joy than waited upon this reunion; no
home ever had such pathos att Thanks
giving dinner. Of all bis heroism none
was nobler than that which made " LEI
tenant Jim " once more a husband and
father-the heroism of confession and
regretting the greatest wrong of his life.