The Baltimore County union., 1883-06-30

so and in some sort Of way make restitu-
ton for the wrong she had done him.

II was to be sold at the Court House
door to the highest bidder for cash to
satisfy the mortgage, and she must find
another home. Pondering all these
things made Mrs. Higgins very unhap.
py. She took no note Of the flight oil
time. Somehow the face Of John Sill.
yers kept forcing itself before her in
her meditations. She did not say "drai
that brat !" now. She did not even
think it. She caught herself wondering
il he were alive and how he appeared
as grown up man. She suddenly
realized what John Silvers might be to
her now il he had grown up on the
farm in love and respect. Would he
ever come back, and If so would he for.
give her. Oh, If he only would come
back to her and let her tell him what
was in her heart to say to him!
While the broken woman was indulg.
ing in this sad train of thought she was
aroused by knock upon the door,
Bidding the person without enter she
srose to receive, as she supposed, the
lawyer who had come to tell her that
the farm was sold. A young man, an
entire stranger entered the room and
advanced toward her.
care you Mrs. Mary Higgins ?"
said the stranger.
ayes, SIR"
al came out to tell you that your
farm was sold at O'Clock this after
noon. Lawyer Smith was engaged upon
other matters and delegated to me the
duty Of conveying the intelligence.
Mrs. Higgins almost gaspcd for
breath. She did not know how heavy
the blow would be when it fell. Recov-
cring herself, however, she asked il
there was anything left for her after
satisfying the mortage.
"Not 4 cent, Madam" replied the
stranger, "thcre were a few hundred
dollars over bu, they were swallowed up
by the immediate purchase Of Deacon
Smiths meadow in order to enlarge the
pasture land OF the farm"
al do not understand you, Sir
What right had the purchaser to invest
the little balance due me in buying
land Who is hep"
"Hc is not he, Madam. The
purchaser Of your fam is lady,"
"a lady! What is her namc?"
"NIrs. Mary Higgins"
"Why that is my name -
eyes, and | understand you to be
the purchaser"
"But, sir,-I did not-Oh, don't
understand you at all! What do you
mean ?" and the poor woman fell back
in her chair in bewildcred condition.
"Aunt Mary, don't you know me?"
"What Are you John Silvers1 The
boy treated so cruellyl"
al am"
"Oh, John, I've been terribly punish
ed all these years. I've so longed to
see you and tell you SO and ask your
for"
"Stop, Aunt Mary cannot let you
say that. was willful boy and gave
you much trouble, and I've come back
herc to live with you on the old farm,
and we will both try and make up to
each other what we lost years ago in
mutual help and duty"
"But you don't know all. John,
your fathcr-l-"
"Yes, | know all, Aunt Mary. Say
no more about it. bought the old
farm to-day in your name and still have
several thousand dollars in bank. We
will live on together at the old house
and will take care OF the farm"
1t is needless to recount the JOY oi
the poor woman over the happy fortune
which had come to her rescue in the
person OF her nephew, or the modest
pride with which that young gentleman
recounted his adventures and specula-
tions in the West which had enabled
him to amass money enough to give
him comfortable start at the old
home.
Years afterwards when Johns children
were playing around the old farm house,
Aunt Mary was beloved by all the
household, Johns wife asserting that
she didn't know what she could do
without her. The old lady, whose mis-.
erable son had been shot while escaping
from prison, now looked upon John as
her son and was never tired Of descan-
ting upon his good qualities among her
cronies.