The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-11-20

do it for met" She was almost frightened as
she looked up and met his stern, white face.
at is your bedtime now, Lucy" interrupt
ed her aunt. well think it over till morn
ing" And Lucy was glad to retire to the
adjoining room, wondering what she could
have said to make Uncle Jerry look $3.50
dreadful?"
An hour later Jerry Winters broke the
silence, which was becoming oppressive:
81 suppose we must do something, or the
child will be homesck."
Yes" assented his wife.
Don't see how can stop chopin day,
with that contract on my hands, and Jake
and Steve have both begged off for Thanks
giving. | wish there were no such days. l
suppose nothing less than turkey will satisfy
that child ?"
mo but we can well afford it. Who is
going to have our money after we are gone?
We may as well make the child happy, and
have good time once in our lives
"She might be happy, anyhow. 1t seems
waste 10 me, must confess"
"Wcll, Jerry, we never wasted very much
that way; and it strikes me that if we had
had more holidays, and had made the old
farm house more congenial to young, lively
spirit, we would have had our son with us in
our old age"
| "Estherp
81 know we haven't mentioned him for
years, jeremiah but, for all that neither of
us has lived a day without thinking of him."
"Well, did my duty by him, if ever a
father did by his child"
I'VE did what we thought was for his best
good but fear we made some mistakes"
"He was wild as young colt nothing
could tame him ~ The father spoke impa-
tiently and scowled hard, lest his face might
show the love and longing in his heart
"He was full of life and fiery, too and, in
stead ofguiding him gently in traces which
would not gall, we bound him, as it were, so
tightly that he broke the letters and disap-
peared We wanted him to be old and steady,
and his young spirit could not be subdued. l
see it all now. There were no companions
for him, no Jolly times as Lucy says, and
nothing about the old farm worth STAYING
for"
No answer but smothered groan.
There, Jerry, amt blaming you more
than do myself. We were wrong, and the
boy was wrong, too. II we only knew where
to find him, we might make it all right before
we die. I'll warrant he has longed to return,
but pride and fear have kept him back He
can't know how we long for him. for he never
knew how much we loved him; we never
told himw
"Oh, Esther!"
"Well, father, won't say any more. All
these thoughts have been crowded down in
my heart 50 long that had to speak, and
think it'll do us good, after ALL"
She drew nearer and laid her head on his
shoulder, while tears rolled down her wrinkled
cheeks, and thus they sat far into the night.
They next day. among the families of the
neighboring farmhouses, there was but one
topic of conversation the invitation to spend
Thanksgiving with jeremiah Winters.
The eventful day came at last Lucy, with
dozen girls and boys, made the rafters ring
with their glad shouts. Down stairs, the best
room was filled with hum of elderly voices
recountng "old times" while in the sitting
room the young people were eating apples
and counting the seeds, with much Jest and
laughter, sly glances and bushes.
In the kitchen long table was loaded with
good things, while Aunt Esther, with plenty
of help, was completing the preparations for
dinner.
Uncle Jerry excitedly went from room to
room, trying to appear as if this sort of thing
was OF common occurrence in his house. For
the first time in her life, his wife had asserted
her right to entertain her friends, and now he
felt glad that she had persevered, He was
surprised to find what pleasant neighbors he
had.
its height The walls echoed laughter and
song, and from every window lights cleaned
far out into the darkness.
From the village depot, five miles away,
traveller was walking over the lonely road, as
If eager to join the joyous party; but when at
length he come in sight of the many lights, |
he stopped in amazement. Nearer and nearer
he came, till through the unshaded windows |
he saw the friendly scene within. With |
glad smile on his face he turned away, and, |
standing in the deep shadow of a pine, he |
watched long and patiently.
At last, after a host of thanks and pleasant |
"farewells," all was still, and only three sat |
in the deserted rooms
A hush fell over them, and they looked |
thoughtfuy into the Pickering fire. Lucy
climbing on her uncles knee, thanked him |
80 prettily for the days pleasure that he |
bent and kissed her. Then, holding out his |
hand to his wife, he said "This little lady |
has thanked me, but we both ought to thank |
you. 1t has been pleasant day to me-"
This was a great deal for this man to say ; |
and they were silent again, but each one hap |
Ply through making others glad
Then the door opened, and stranger en-
tered. He was tall and heavily bearded but |
mothers eye will know her own, and, with |
cry which expressed the yearning of years,
MY Uoy sue was lOlueu III Ills strOnR en- |
brace, while about them both were clasped |
the fathers trembling arms. No one knew |
how long they sat together-the long-separat.
ed family once more united. Lucy, with |
wideopen eyes, enjoyed to the utmost the |
browning excitement, much pleased with the |
tall cousin of whom she had never heard |
"Oh, John, why did you stay away so |
long ?" ventured the mother.
Il came back once five years ago, and saw |
you and father through the window But, |
knowing deserved no welcome, feared to |
enter. Tonight should not have entered at |
all events; but when l saw you with your |
friends about you, and, later, sitting here with |
clasped hands, l felt sure of a welcome-sure |
that you had forgiven the past, and felt only |
pity for your hayward son. Now mean to |
cancel the suffering ofthe past by making the |
future happy"
"Now, Uncle Jerry, told you SO Thanks
giving can amount to great deal some |
times!" and the merry laugh which followed |
was no less hearty because it broke through |
tears of joy Hearthstone
Neuralgia Headache Of Women.
Says the London Lancet: The increased |
and apparently increasing frequency of neu-