The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-09-04

door, while my heart wept tears OF
blood. The little one gazed at me.
grieved and amazed, and put up her
pretty lips as il about TO cry, while
the perplexed servant stepped to the
parlor and called my sister to see
who it was that acted so strangely
heard light step and q pleasari
voice, saying:
sirT'
looked up. There stood pret.
ty, sweet-taced maiden of twenty,
not much changed from the deaI
little sister had loved so well. /
looked at her for a moment, aud
then stilling the tempest of my
heart, by mighty effort, 1 opened
my arms and said:
''Lizzie, don't you know mer'
Harry, oh, my brother Harry?
she cried, and threw herself upon
my breast, and weps as IL her heart
would break.
L could not weep. i drew her
gently into the lighted parlor, and
stood with her before them all.
There was a rush and a cry of
joy, and then my father and mother
sprang toward me, and welcomed
me home with heartfelt tears.
oh, strange and passing sweet is
such a greeting to the way-worn
traveller. And as / held my dear
old mother to my heart and grasped
my fathers hand, while Lizzie clung
beside me, l felt that was not yet
lost; and although another had Sc
cured life's most choice blessing,
many Joy remained for me in the
dear sanctuary of home.
There were four inmates of the
room, who had risen on my sudden
entrance. One was the blue-eyed
child who now stood beside Frank
Chester, clinging to his hand. Near
by stood Lizzie Moore, Mary's eld-
est sister, and in distant corner TO
which she had hurriedly retreated
when my name was spoken, stood q
tall and slender figure half hidden
by the heavy window curtains that
fell to the floor.
When the first rapturous greeting
was over, Lizzie led me forward
with a timid grace and Frank Chea-
ter grasped my hand.
"Welcome home, my poyp he
said with the loud, cheerful tones /
remembered so well. "You have
changed so that never would have
known you; but no matter about
that, your heart is in the right place,
l know"
Chow can you say that he is
changed2" said my mother, gently.
"To be sure he looks older and
graver, and more like a man than
when he went away, but his eyes
and smile are the same as ever. It
is a heavy heart which changes
him."
Gle is my boy still"
"Aye, mother" / answered sadly,
81 am your boy still.'
| Heaven help me at that moment
felt like a boy, and it would have
been a blessed relief to have wept
upon her bosom as had done in
infancy. But 1 kept down the tre-
mos of my lips and answered quiet
| u, as L looked into his full, hand
some face.
'You have changed, too, Frank,
but l think for the better"
"Oh, yes, thank you FIR your COM
pliment," he answered with hearty
laugh.
"My wife tells me 1 grow hand
somer every day.
His wifei Could hear that name
and keep silent stills
sand you have seen my little
girl?" he added, lifting the infant
in his arms, and kissing her Grim
son cheek. 81 tell you Harry, there
is no such other in the world.
Don't you think she looks very
much like her mother used toT'
every much" / faltered.
"Hallop cried Frank, with a sud
denDess that made me start violent
ly, 81 have forgotten to introduce
you to my wife; l believe you and
she used to be my playmates in
younger days-yes, Harry" and he
slapped me on she back--"for the
sake Of old times, and because you
we're not at the wedding, j will give
you leave to kiss her ouce, but mind,
old fellow, you are never 10 repeat
the ceremony. Come, here she Is;
1 for one want TO know how you
will manage that ferocious mustache
OF yours in the operation"
He pushed Lizzie, laughing and
blushing toward me. A CLEAN OF
light and hope almost too dazzling
to bear, came over me, and cried
out before 1 thought, "Not Nary
1 must have betrayed my secret
to every one in the room. But
nothing was said; even Frank, in
general SO obtuse, was this time 81
lent. / kissed the fair cheek of the
young wife, and hurried 10 the 81
lent figure looking out of the win
dow.
"Mary-Mary Moorep said in
low eager tone, shave you no well
come TO give the waDdererY
She turned and laid her hand in
mine and said hurriedly:
81 am so glad you are here,
Harry"
Simple words and yet how blessed
they made me. / would not have
yielded her up at the moment for an
Emperor's crown. For there was
the happy group and dear home
6reside, with sweet Mary Moore.
The eyes / aad dreamed OF day and
night we're falling beneath the ar
dent gaze Of mine, and the sweet
face / had so long prayed 10 see
was there beside me. never knew
the meaning of happiness until that
moment.
Many years have passed since
that happy night, and the hair that
was dark and glossy is fast turning
gray. am now grown TO be an
old man, and can look back TO hap
py, and, as hope, n well spent life.
And yet, sweet as it has been, 1
would not recall a single day, for
the love that made my manhood so
bright shines also upon my white
hairs.
An old man2 Can this be so2 At
heart ! am as young as ever. And
Mary, with her bright hair parted