New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-12-02


Iup, Mr.. Forrest called out. Put up
your horse in the stable there. We
have no servants, and / can t venture
into the rain to help you
In a few minutes the Il ( traveller stood
at the threshold. A tall, well-built
man, with a heavy brown beard and
moustache which nearly covered his
face.
Come in, come in," Mr.. Forrest
said. "Why you areas wet as rat. !"
Only my overcoat,' he answered,
IN a hoarse voice.
"With your permission, TIL stop a
minute i'll the hall and take it off. 2
He was long time getting off his
coat, and when he came in, Mrs. For
rest was placing an ample meal on the
table. The stranger walked to the
window and looked out.
.'You have a pretty place here" he
said. "At least, it must be an at
tractive place in good weather.
Yes, " answered the old man, with
a sigh, eve are fond Of the old house
and its surroundings"
'sDo you live alone here?"
GAS you see,' he answered, shortly.
He thought the stranger too inquisi-
tive. "But dinner is ready. Take q
seat"
The traveller noticed bhat at one
place there was a handsome china
plate and i'll a, glass near it, a bouquet
OF white chrysanthemuns and red ger.
aniums. Naturally supposing that it
was seat OF honor appropriated to
guests, he moved towards it. Mrs.
Forrest nervously waved him back
"Not there, sir!'' she cried. please
take this seat
excuse me, madam" as he took
the indicated place. "Pm afraid you
will be disappointed in the guest you
expect, the storm is so severe. Buthe
ought to have tried to come. There
should be no vacant place at a.
Thanksgiving dinner
cit is always vacant, SIR" Mr..
Forrest said. 1'It is a notion of my
wife's to keep it for our boy, who left
us fifteen years ago. You see, she has
always kept his place on the yearly
returns of these days, and puts a
bouquet Of his favorite flowers near it..
It seems to do her good to think he
will come back some day"
"He will come back to it," she said,
quietly. 1--WE always felt sure that
my boy would sit there face to face
with me some day"
The strangers face worked convui-
sively. He suddenly moved towards
the seat, and held out his arms to her.
Mother. mother!" he cried, with tears
filling his eyes. "Don't you know me?
Father, mother, I've come back to
you'll"
She fell in his arms with a glad cry.
But the father made one step forward
and fell unconscious on the floor. 1t
was SO unexpected, so almost impos-
sible, that the shock overcame him.
But joy seldom kills, and he was soon
restored to consciousness, and learn.
ed with a feeling OF rapture, such as
for many years he had not experienced,
that his son had come back a reform
ed man.
Il did not mean to run away when
left the house," David said. .sItwas
only when l was paying the money to
Mr.. Rapp that I realized the depth OF
my degradation, and I felt as if I
could never look either OF you in the
face again. I shipped as sailor in a
vessel bound to Brazil, and when l
reached there / left it, and found work
up the country. did not write, for
thought you'd rather think of me as
dead. My business prospered, and
then, after had accumulated some
property, began to long for home,
and for mother and for you. And so
l have come back to see if you still
care enough for ME to take me back. y
1t was a Thanksgiving supper they
had that night, for the interrupted
dinner had been entirely forgotten.
Do you think that three happier peo-
pie could have been found in the world
on that Thanksgiving Day?