Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-05-09

Home, Sweet Home

Now when the day was far spent,
girded up my loins, and gat me to the
train. And it was No %, mail ex.
press, going east on fourteen's time, for
the snow was deep Twenty-Five was
three hours late, and fourteen was abon-
doned. Dimly lighted was the car, and
cold. Men curlsd up in their overcoats
hated one another, and no man spake to
his neighbor by reason of the cold and
the delay.
Twinkling past go the station lights,
white and cold lay the drifted fields,
and with rattle and jar the train crepi
along, Two seats ahead, a seedy-look.
ing man, bereft of his overcoat, and not
fastidious as to collar, began to whistle
Usually tho note of tho railroad warbler
wakens our ire; but we all listened to
this man.
Mellow, as flute notes rose his
many puckered whistle, "Home, Sweet
Home" At the first line surly- looking
men sat up to hear, mid pleasures and
palaces" Not often did the seedy whis-
tier roam amid very gorgeous palaces,
we wot Scant indeed must be the
pleasures of man without an overcoat
on stormy night in March. 'Be it
ever so humble" We followed tho air
with the words, as we listened, and the
stranger seemed to he breathing his very
soul into the song. Alb, yes, humble
his home might be, as lowly indeed as
was his state, but welcome, and warm
love light from watching eyes. and the
home light from the ruddy hearth, the
clinging arms of little ones waited for
him, and we were glad of it.
The very car grew warmer AZ he
whistled Into the distant corner, away
down by the wood-box, the mellow notes
driftcd, dreamy current Of melody.
There's no place like home !" why, it
swelled out into the very storm, with lis
passionate longing. It mado those of
us who we're not going home, homc-sick
down TO the soul "A wandrer from
home" there were tears in the melody !;
no alien splcndor could dazzle heart so
home-loving. ooh, give mo the lowly
matched cottage again, came fairly sob
bing In the tender, bird-like notes, and
then again tho ''Ilome, sweet home, re-
frain, sympathetic, rich, plaintive, yearn-
ing.
The train slowed up, stopped, the
conductor came in abruptly, the mel
low whistle died away in a scarce audi
Bile sigh.
"Come," said the conductor, II can't
carry you any further"
The whistler rose, and as he vainly
fumbled for a button on his buttonless
coat, started for the rear door.
"This way" shouted the conductor,
as the whistler meekly turned and
walked out Of the forward door. A
lantern swings out from the step. the
train moves on, and the homeless wills
tier is shivering out 10 the snow.
"What station is this, couductoY?"
"No regular station. It's crossing
The station is two miles further down.
Don't stop there"
"Whcro did that fellow get on p
"Climbed on At the tank, when VIC
took water, about twenty miles back. :"
Game from Nowhere, got OF at No
where, had Nowhere TO go, and wbistled
Home. Sweet Home, Till he made w
all cry All. me, wish had given
him . quarter. But that's me. My
good impulses are always slow. | never
think of the quarter in time, unless I
am on the sleeping-car. And then the
porter, who is believer in practical
and prompt benevolence, always helps
me to think of IL. But the tattsYed
whistler, who's. lips dropped music like
the singing Of the birds when the vines
with the tender grapes give n good
smell, why should he be bounced out
into the night and the storm, when fare
for bis ride, and bread for his mouth
were right here in a dozen pockets
Then ! saw that the race is not to the
swift, nor the battle TO tho strong,
neither yot bread to tho wise. not yet
riches 10 men Of understanding. nor yet
favor TO men Of skill; but time and
chance happensth to them all. "--Frops
Bnrlette's Sermon.