The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-07-30

A few days ago an old man paid his last
dollar for ticket from this city TO Limerick In Mont
geometry County. His long hair had been prematuIely
whitcned by the trosts of nfty years His coat was
threadbaie aud shabby. Arriving at Limerick, he
stnrliy tramped out the Vincent Road. through the
long old bridge, up the rugged mountain road, until
he reached the tavern of the Seven Stars, overlooking
the beautiful valley OF the Schuylkin. Under the
sheltering portco of the antlQuacd tavern the old
man seated himself, aud was for u long while appar-
emily engrossed In melancholy thought. The tavern
keeper Jolly and iotund, was puzzled. His ancient
appeared to have settled down Into do-nothng way
for the day. after long while he asked abruptly
Landlord who lives over there - pointing To a
pretty farm, house embowered in grove OF chesnut
and willow trees.
''Tha said the tavern. keeper sis John II. Mil
Ter place. - The stranger lips troubled he gazed
moment over the rich fields of rpening grain to the
stone farm house, and then said eagerly:
And the old man, Henry Miller, where is hep
been dead these five years.
The wanderer' head fell upon his breast. He said
his feet, he said slowly: Landlord, it's been
thirty years snce left this place. never saw my
father since was seventeen years old. And SO the
old mans dead And then the landlord knew that
he was talking to Josiah Miller, whose esCapades and
flight from the valley quarter of century be-
fore had become legend of tile neighbUrfood Henry
Miller In those days was counted one OF the best
farmers the township. His broad acres were the
talk of northern Chester County lie was rich and
respected. Josiah was his favurite sou, and was
Known ag the most promising lad In all the county
about. The lad was little healstrnng, fond of so
cletS, anu WAS OOkeu upon ny the young laeS with
especial favor The father objected to the lad inti
macy with one of the bellies of the section Miss
Deborah sleichler. She was, however, older than
the scapegrace aud the old man did not like her. lie
told Josiah As might he expected, 1t soon trans
pired that Deborah and Josiah loved too we'll and not
within the statutes made and provided by the Com
monwealth There was terrible scene be-
tween father and son when this was discovered
Josiah left lome that night thirty years ago.
and never returned until he back to be told tina
his father was dead. lie became rolling stone that
gathered no moss He lived n precarious hand to-
mouth existence, sometimes In luck, with money and
friends plenty, sometimes without either. His six
brothers, In the meantime, grew up, receiving the
paternal blessing and n start In life, but the black
sheep gave no sign. Deborah married gentleman
from Reading, aud now lives In that city With the
nrmities of age there came to Josiah great desire
to return home, He knew nothing of those whom he
had left at the homestead The old gentleman did
not forget his Maynard In his WILL and Josiah was
left an equal share with the other children. lie re-
manned at the tavern of the Seven stars for days.
fully establishing his Identity, and has gotten his
share of the estate with which he proposes to settle
down at safe llarbor Lancaster County, and cultivate
tobacco on farm lie has purchased. Philadeiphid
RecOrd