West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-08-02
The Brothers, Return.

II was a stormy night. Farmer Gowland
and his wife sat before their great fireplace
together. The boys had gone out with the
servant TO see to the cattle, and husband and
wife were alone
The farmer was stout, sturdy, middle
aged man, with handsome face, which
one would have called merry but tonight
as he looked into the embers change came
over him, which only his wife knew, and
he put out his hand 70 her as if for com
fort.
'Elsie, he said ''you know how suf-
fer when a storm like this breaks over the
valley. If live TO be fifty years older
than ] am II will always he so. When Jack
went away the wind mOancd in the trees as
1t does now, and when he opened the door
the rain beat it and swept across the floor,
and | saw the zigzag lightning darting over
the black hills. Yes, he went away i'm a
storm, lass and let him -pennilcss and
afOOt-in "a storm like this. / should have
remembered that he was my younger
brother that he had not penny, while all
this place was mine. You were but child
then, a fiaxen-harcd lassie Of twelve, and
was a man Of five and twenty and he nine
teen. We were both in love with one
young woman Mamie Conner We quar-
relied about her She was an arch cOduette.
and led us on, laughing i'm her sleeve, and
she bctrothed To- the rich squire's son all the
while. But we brothers fought about her,
and ] saw him 90 out into the storm.
know the poor lad was so helpless, 80 i'll
fitted TO fight with life. We had not much
education, and my father bade me share all
with him on his death-bed / was the cid
est son and let him go. I.asslc, | think
old Beau here knew il and hated me for il
for years Beau loved Jack 80.
"But Beau loves you now, said the wife
''iIcre, Beau, here, come and speak TO your
master"
At these words an old dog perfectly blind
and weak with age, crawled from beneath u
tall settcc and felt his way to his masters
side
The farmer let his hand fall on his head,
and the dog thrust his nose into the great
brown palm.
''Beau cannot live long now, wife, said
the farmer, sadly "Hc is very old dog
now. The oldest dog ! ever knew and he
is failing every day
"Beau will not die yet, father" cried a
chccry voice at the door. ellis hearing is
good, though his sight is gone but I've
something to say. When we went down
TO the barn TO see all safe, VIII and Ned
and /, we found an old man lying there
upon the hay. lie seems very il and fee
BILE, and he begged that he would let him
sleep there. But ! knew you and mother
would not permit il, and ] asked him into
the house and he said in n way that
brought tears 10 my eyes "No, lad, no /,
not unless he bids me himself. III not en-
ter his house unless he takes me by the
hand, and says, Come in His house is
his own, and am only n poor wanderer.
So ] came 10 yoI, father
"Right, laddie said tho farmer. "Wifo
we We always room at our table for another,
eh III come out and ask the old fellow
in.
"Yes-yes, Robin, replied the wife.
and turned her attention 10 the hot supper
just now being dished for the hungry party.
''No, Beau lie down. It's no tramp, but
r good, well-deserving Christian, no doubt
Why do you wine 20 ~
But Beau was not 20 be calmed lie had
snlfied his way 20 the door, and stood there,
with bic head bent down, uttoring low