Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1882-11-18
JACK hIaa{d lcabghtd At The idea Win

tWe might, Nell, think we can.
I'll try and borrow a few hundreds
somewhere" 1' " p'p li"i",
l"Oh, jack mo, NOT" 1 sobbed ont in
my Temorse and despair. IL won't go
to the ,seashore. You see how i'll baby
lis. oh, Jack. ask your father to let rs
rettrT. home. NJ d1 -id isnIuJ tjio n,
i"Oh, you wouldn't be satisfied, Nell,,
'ifl we went back. =. It is. ,dreadfulIy
stupid down there these summer days,
with the tlaymaking, and the reaping,
and all that sort of thing. We should
never be able to endure it now."
L said no more. The long, bright,
burning days wore on, and our bills
ran up higher and higher, and baby's
little breath seemed to grow weaker
and weaker, and poor Jack himself
began to look dreadfully ill and worn.
And one afternoon he was sent home
in carriage, quite unconscious,
stricken down by sudden fever.
put my pride aside then and wrote
a letter to Jacks father. fe
:" Jack and baby are both i'll, and we
are sick and tired of this life. Pray
forgive us, and let us come home"
The very next day the dear old
gentleman arrived, but the bailiffs and
the officers Of the law were there be-
fore him. The rumor that we in
tended to leave town had got out, and
our creditors rushed in, anxious to
secure the lions share of our effects.
The Brussels carpet, the handsome
furniture and costly bric-a-brac all
went under the hammer at a disas-
trously low figure.
"Never mind" said my father-in-law,
not shadow of reproach on his kind
old face; ''let them squabble over it if
they will. We must get our sick ones
home"
AS we got Jack into the carriage,
and with his poor hot head upon my
face, and baby in my arms, turned
my back upon the scene of my short-
lived triumph.
"We are going back to Cherry HILL"
said the old gentleman. as in the dusk
of the golden day we drove through
the dewy stiffness of the mountain ra-
vine. "The old home has been wait
ing for you all these months. l was
pretty sure you'd want to come back.
could not utter one word in an
swer. A great full moon was rising
above the mountain peaks as we
reached the house. Not the smallest
thing was changed, The great red
roses bloomed on the terrace, the bees
droned in their hive and the cattle
bells tinkled in the barnyard. The
doors stood wide open. We carried
Jack in and laid him down in the
broad, breezy room that had been our
bridal chamber.
He opened his eyes and drew a deep.
quivering breath, as the mountain
breeze touched his throbbing head.
"Nell, where are you?" he said
"Surely this must be home?"
Il am here, jack" l answered,
through my tears, "and this is home.
dear; old Cherry HILL"
"Thank God y he murmured, and
fell back upon the pillows, and i saw
great tears tricllling slowly from be-
meath his closed cyelids.
Beyond the open window, in the
silver glory of the rising moon, the old
grandfather sat, with baby at his feet,
half hidden in the rank, cool grass, and
even at that late hour the pigeons came
tluttering round her as of old, and she
screamed with rapture as she clutched
at them with her thin little hands.
] arose softly and fell on my knees
beside Jacks low pillow.
"Oh, jack" l sobbed, II have been
so wicked. Forgive me, Jack, forgive
me. l am so glad to be at home
again"
His worn face grew radiant, and his
dear arms held me close.
And then and there, clasped to my
husbands heart, in the safe, sweet
shelter of the home he loved. | under
stood all the past.
"You didn't mean it, Jack" I
whispered. You only pretended to
enjoy it all to please me-"
He smiled at me with his grave fond
smile.
"And, oh, Jack, our money is all
gone, and"
He silenced me with kiss.
"No matter, little woman, the lesson
we have learned has been cheaply
bought. We shall not care to leave the
safe old mountain nest in search Of
fashion and society again."
| could not answer. / heard my
baby cooling to the pigeons in the grass,
and sat there, clasped in Jacks for
giving arms, the happiest woman the