The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-05-08

slept in the building, and it was his bus-
mess to sweep it out every morning be-
fore sunrise.
One night he returned home flushed
and excited.
''NEr. Erless has raised my wages, he
cried. Now I can repair this house, and
we will all be so comfortable and happy
Why, what's the matter, mother7 You
look wretchedly.
He noticed her hands clasping and
unclasping, in nervous agitation; her old
movement in her days OF tronble.
Hes come back" she whispered,
looking towards an inner room.
No need to ask who he was. The wild
vagaboEd brother, Dick, whom roiling
but legal quibble had saved from the
penitentiary. The thief, whom they
never thought Of without blush, was at
home again. Since he left Covington
two years before, no news had come back
of him; aud the wretched mother felt
with a shudder, that the news of his
death would be almost the best she could
expect to receive of HIM.
He entered the room-a course, bury
looking ruffian, with a loud overbeariug
voice and manner.
''Ifilloa, youngster, yoa here Don't
seem over glad to see your elder brother.
Blessed if you amt The same slip Of a
a boy, without q bit of muscle yet So
you're playing nigger for old Erless, are
youl Catch me ct tLat solt OF business.
I'll be my own master long as live, and
nobody's servant. Well, old woman, if
I'm the rrodigal son, you amt treatln'
me in a scripture like manner. Blessed
ii you've offered me bite or a sup since
[ come III !"
81 forgot that you must be hungrye
Dick" she said in desponding voice,
rising from her seat, and hurriedly set
ting the supper on the-table.
Ned noticed with a pang that the old
cowcd, frightend look had come back
to her eyes. His mother had always
feared her bad son quite as much as she
had feared his bad father.
There was no conversation that night.
Dick talked and cursed awhile, and then
went to bed; and then his mother crept
to her bed, afraid to discuss his return
within his hearing. Poor Ned sat by
the cmbers, his face buried in his hands,
and a cruel pressure on his heart.
Had Dick come back to disgrace them
again, to make them ashamed to lift VI
their heads among their neighbors The
shadow had crossed the threshold once
more, and were they to sicken in it
acain2 but IS he sat thare, otaot
thoughts began TO strengthen him for
the conflict he felt was impending.
81 have my employers confidence, .
he thought, and he will not turn me of
because Dick has come home, even il
he is bad. If possible, I'll do my duty
more strictly
Had his mother been a stronger wo
man, he knew that Dick would not have
been allowed to bring the leprosy of bis
life among them again. She would have
sent him off; but, as I said, long course
of bad treatment had broken the poor
woman's will; and beside, she feared hel
son.
80 Wild Dicks got back, said Mr.
Erless the next morning to Ned. 'Re
formed, eh OR has he come because
he's nowhere else to gol'
81 don't know, sir, he answered
frankly. eve asked him no question:
last nigh"
bad thing for you and for your moth
or, said the merchant. Better Lavt
nothing to DO with him. If your mother
knew her duty, she'd ship him to-day
I've one warning to give you, Ned, anc
you must heed it,-never speak of th
business of the store before that man.
trust you, looking keeuly at Ned, an,
you must show yourself worthy of m
/ confidence.
"He distrusts me already, though
poor Ned, with swelling heart, or h
would not put my duty before me wit
that look on his face"
He went 10 his work with his usua
alacrity, but his step was heavier, an
his face very grave.
But somehow as the days passed ava
Dick Alvord seemed so much quiete
than usual that Ned's forebodings wer
forgotten. Dick was still lazy and shift
less, he did not try to make a Twin:
but spent most Of his time ct the gro
shops; but he did not get as drunk {
formerly. and was less quarrelsome an
noisy. In fact, be seemed TO have Sc
tied down into one OF those nuisance
who loaf around bar-rooms to be tTeate
by weak customers, and who die oftent
in cutters than in iails. Yet he was Sc
dom seen really Intoxicated and was /
longer the brawler he had been.
One night two respectable lool
, ing strangers stopped at the b.
, where he was drinking. There was !
sign of greeting between the vagabond
the bar and the two well dressed me
They had entered to ask some questic
: as to the locality of certain boardi1
house in that street, but when DIX
, lounged out they followed him not on
f down the street, but ont of the town to
I bridge in an unfrequepted spot. The
2 he stopped and waited for them.
/ you've kept ME waiting everlastin' I
he said, with IN oath, in this sleepy V
1 lage =
s Had to get up an outfit, laughed on
You see we're surveyors, come to sta
: Of government claim, and we had