The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-11
THE BROAD WY.

MANY.
He was frank, good-natured, i'm
pulsive. boy; the latest born and only
surviving child of his aged parents
One by. one the others, whose brie
lives were full of blessings, had beer
buried in the village churchyard; and
without a shadow of doubling, the ole
couple hoped to see their boys promis-
ing youth ripen into the fragrance and
fruitage of a perfect manhood.
Alas! they never sat under the sha-
dow of that tree nor inhaled the per-
fume, nor gazed on its beauty, nor par
took of its bounty, for the axe was early
= laid at the roots!
Percy was just twenty when he left
his native house, for the distant city
his fathers village, with its simple
cheer for a homeless abode among
strangers; his fond parents, and the
tried friends of his youth, and the sweet
girl of his choice, for the mixed multi
tude of the metropolis.
Had you been there when the stage
coach stopped at The lane gate; had
you seen the serious faces of the neigh
bors gathered around, the aged mother,
wiping her streaming eyes, the feeble
father uttering his blessing; and Annie
Collins, Percy's sweetheart, rushing
distractedly into the house, you would
almost have thought that the same
thing had never happened before
They, at least, thought so. The neigh
bors, as they walked homeward, said
one to another that there were not
many boys nowadays like Percy How
ell. The old couple returning to their
fireside, went to see his vacant chair,
his lonely dog, his empty place at the
table, and his impressed pillow. Sure
ly no other sonso dear had ever left a
home so sorrowful r o3ret
As for Annie Collins, she went back
to her fathers cottage, and quietly dis
charged her daily duties. But what
ever occupied her hand or heart, there
flowed constant undercurrent of
thought, and. Percy was its burden.
''My7Percy!'' she whispered to herself |
thousand times day, as if to insure |
her sad heart of its blessed ownership. |
During the journey, Percy, with eyes
on the lookout and ears on the alert,
and with heart full of bright hopes
and untried expectations, went joyfully
on, and thought but little of the dear
ones at home. " a.. .1 r-n IL
Yet when at nightfall he found him
self in a little hall room, containing a
bed very suggestive of bier in its six
by-tliree dimensions and white cover
ing;sa washstand of iron, with ordinary
minus soap; one
chair; and diminutive looking-glass,
he began to wish himself at home.
''Wh-e-wr' said he, giving vent to
breath. ''Woxder how
Annie is! S'pose she's thinking about
me this very minute. 'Fraid father
won't getalong with the outdoor work.
Wish hadn't ha' comel Don't believe
there's fellow in New York that got
4 mother like minel W-h-e-wl guess
I'll look at the newsp'
He had already seen everything of
interest in the daily paper, but he
caught it up and glanced over it to keep
he moisture from gathering in his eyes.
down the column, he CHANGED t
lpon the 'amusements, and the fol- l
owing attracted his attention:
CLERKS, young men from the coun- \
ry seeking employment, clergymen,
he judges of the various courts police t
men, and all officers of the law, should
isit the Widegate Theatre, to see
The Old Man of the Moor"
Wasn't brought up to go to the
heatre," thought Percy reading it n
gain. Don't believe in it; but"
A knock at the door. Instead of call n
10 Come in," as man who does
hen he has been six weeks in board
lg house, Percy cautiously opened the a
DOR and peered out. A fine-looking G.
,llow, beside whom he had sat at the IL
x O'Clock dinner, said: h
BEG pardon! As you are stranger, W
thought you might be lonely. a.
Wouldn't you like to go out for short 81
trollp"s Il
Percy was very grateful, and said as 81
Iuch; then took his hat, and followed W
is new friend down the stairs, and out eN
ito the lighted street. ..a --> in
They went directly to Broadway. ST
talking along that brilliant thorough
re, Percy tried to appear as if he no. 10
ced nothing; but he saw much, and til
fought more. Among other things, he m
,served that the majority of young la
en- carried a slender walking stick, fe
hich seemed to add grace and dignity H
the bearers. An air of elegance sur s.
unded these men, which, to Percy's III
ind, came directly from the fanciful TO
eds which they waved coquettishly le
It'll daintily gloved fingers. More s
er, they afforded employment for so
herwise unoccupied hands; and Percy so
shed for a cane. Kingsley-that was an
e name of his new friend-carried "a un
auty," the top representing an ex-
isite leg and foot, the kneeioint form Sc,
: the bend of the handle Percy re- ws
wed to have one Just like it, In fact. an
greatly admired Kingsley. He took yo
no airs, was neither supercilious nor we
tronizing; and Percy. grateful for his WI
entions, pronounced him ''frst-rate go
low. .r see
Do you drink, HowellP" said Kings the
pausing hesitatingly before bril- a f
ntly lighted saloon. out
No." said Percy, as if ashamed; sto
=" az COZ
Neither DO ]" said the other, NOV To
on. of
i take glass of champagne, oc- the
lonally, but champagne is light, you the