Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-05-08

to sweep out every morning before
sunrise.
One night he returned bone
flushed and excited.
Mr.. Erless has raised my wages, ;
he cried. Now | can repair this
house and we will be 80 comfortable
and happyl Why, what is the mat
ter mother, you look so wretched-
lyr
He noticed her hahds clasping
and unclasping in nervous agitation;
her old movement in her days OF
trouble.
He has come back she whisper
ed, looking toward an inner room.
No need to ask who he was. The
wild vagabond brother, whom
nothing but a legal bubble had
saved from the penitentiary. The
thief whom they had never thought
of without blush was at home
again. Since he left Covington two
years ago no news had come back
of him; and the wretched mother
felt with shndjer that the news OF
his death would be the best she
could expect to receive of him.
He entered-a coarse, burly look
ing ruffian with a loud, overbearing
voice and manner.
'Hilloa, youngster you here
Don't seem over glad to see your
elder brother. Blessed if you amt
the same slip of boy without bit
of muscle yet So you are playing
niger for old Erless. are you
Catch me in that sort of business.
will be my own master and no.
body's servant as long as l live.
Well, old woman, if | am tho pc obi
gal son, you amt treating me in a
Scripture like manner. Blessed il
you have offered me a bite or sup
since come in.
Il forgot that you must be hun.
CRY, Dick she said in Responding
voice, rising from the chair and hur-
riedly setting the supper on the ia.
BILE.
Ned noticed with a pang that the
old cowed, brighten cd look had come
back into her eyes. His mother al.
ways feared her bad con quite as
much as she feared his bad father.
There was no conversation that
night. Dick talked and cursed
awhile and then went to bed; and
then his mother went to bed afraid
to discuss his return within his hear.
ing. Poor Ned sat by the embera.
his face buried in his hands and a
cruel pressure on his heart.
Had Dick come back to disgrace
them again, TO make them ashame ed
to hold mp their heads smong their
neighbors? The shadow had cross
ed the threshold once more and
were they to sicken in it again But
as he sat there other thoughts be-
gan to strengthen him for the con-
flict he felt was impending.
81 have my employers confidence
and he will not turn me off because
Dick has come back even if be is
bad If possible l will do my duty
more strictly
Had his mother been a stronger
woman he knew that Dick would
not have been allowed to bring the
leprosy of his life among them
again. She would have sent him off;
but as | said a long course OF bad
treatment had broken the poor wo-
mans will and besides she feared
her son.
so wild Dick has got back said
Mr.. Erless the next morning to Nei.
Reformed, eh?-or has he come be-
cause be has nowhere else TO go?'
/ do not know. SIR he answered
frankly. We asked him DO ques
tions last night
'Bad thing for you and your
mother said the merchant. Better
have nothing to do with him. II
your mother knew her duty she
would ship him to day. l have one
warning to give you, Ned, and you
must heed it-never speak of the
business of the store before that
man. l trust you looking keenly at
Ned, 'and you must show yourself
worthy of my confidence
'He distrusts me already thought
poor Ned, with swelling heart, or
he would not put my duty before
me with that look on bis face
He went to work with his usual
alacrity, but his step was heavy and
his face was very grave.
But somehow as the days passed
away, Dick AIvord seemed 80 much
quieter than usual that Ned's fore.
bodings were forgotten. Dick was
still lazy and shiftless, he did not
try to make living, but spent most
of his time at the grog.shops; but
he did not get as drunk as formerly
and was less quarrelsome and noisy.
In fact be seemed to have settled
down into one of those nuisance
who loaf around bar.rooms to be
treated by weak customers and
who die oftener in cutters than in
jails. Yet he was seldom seen real.
ly intoxicated and was no longer
the brawler he had been.
One night two respectable look
ing strangers stopped at the bar
where he was drinking. There was
no sign of greeting between the
vagabond at the bar and the two
wel'dressed men. They had en-.
tered to ask some questions as to
the locality of certain boarding.
house on that street, but when Dick
lounged out they followed him not
only down the street but out of the
town to bridge in an unfrequented
spot. There he stopped and waited
for them.
You've kept me waitin' everlast.
ingly.' he said with an oath, Sin
this sleepy village
Had to get up an OUTFIT laughed
one. You see we are government
surveyors come to stake off a claim
and we had to learn some of their
lingo. What have you got for us
Of course you've been prospecting
while you've been waiting?'
Two or three farmers have got
lots OF money in their houses and
don't even lock their doors. | have
managed to get plan of some OF