The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-04-26
UNDER THE ROOF TREE.

lately shouted broker the other sfep-
Ing 10 poriiy. fseIy dressed man "a ibs
corridor oi The o. James. The gentleman
stopped. shook hands With bis lrisui, aud
replied:
I've bsea home TO see nr old father
sud mother. the 6rsi time In sixteen yesfs,
aud / tell 700. old msn. wonldn'i have
n.issed hat risi, for all my fortune
"Kinder good 10 visit yonr boybood
homc. sL Z"
"You bet Sit do~n I wss iust thlok
log sboat the old folks, sod feli ialsailFe.
II you have few minutes 70 spare, III
dosn. light cigar aud listea to story OF
a rich man Who bad almost forgotten his
father aud mother"
They sa. down aud the man told bis
story.
"How came 10 visit my home happen
ed 10 . curious way Six weeks ago l
wen, down TO Fire Island fishing. had
lunch put up ct Crook a Nasb's. and
you can imagine my astonishment when |
opened the hamper to hnd package
OF crackers wrapped up in piece OF news.
paper, That newspaper Was the little pa
tent inside couatry weekly published at
my home 10 Wisconsin | read every
word OF II, advertisements and all There
was George Kellogg. who was school
mate OF mine. advertising hams aud salt
pork, and anoi her boy was postmaster.
BY George il ma,'e me homssick. and l
determined then and there to 90 home,
aud go home / did.
"In the first place must tell you how
came to New York. had tiff with
my father and left home. / finally turned
up in New York With dollar in my pock.
et got job running freight elevator
in the very house in which i AN now
partner, My haste to get rich drove the
thoughts Of my parents from me, and
when did think OF them the hard words
that my father last spoke to me ranked
in my bosom. Well, | went home. /
didn't see much change in Chicago but
the magnificent new depot in Milwaukee
| thought was an improvement on the old
shed that they used to have. 1t was only
thirty miles from Milwaukee to my home,
and | tell you. John, that train seemed to
creep. was actually worse than school
boy going home for vacation. AT last we
neared the town Familiar sights met my
eyes, and, darn it ell. they filed with
tears. There was Bill Lyman's red barn,
just the same: but. great Scott ! what
were all Of the other houses We rode
nearly mile before we came to the depot,
though houses were only occasionally l
saw one that was familiar. The town had
grown to ten times its sizs when | knew it.
The train stopped and jumped of. Not
face In sight that knew. and | started
down the platform to go home. 10 the
Office stood the station agent walked
up and said;
'Howdy. Mr.. Collins 2
He stared at me and replied: You have
the best of me sir.
told him who was and what ! had
been doing in New York, and he didn't
make any bones in talking to me. he
said: Its about time you came home.
You in New York rich. and your father
scratching gravel to get bare living
! tell you, John, it knocked me all in q
heap. thought my father had enough
to live on comfortably. Then notion
struck me- Before going home tele
graphed TO Chicago TO one Of our cores
pondents there to send me $1,000 by first
mail. Then went into Mr.. Collins back
Office. got my trunk in there. and put on
an old hand me down suit that use for
fishing and bunting. My plug hat ! re
placed By soft felt. took my valise in
my hand and went home. Somehow the
place diiut look right. The currant
bushes bad been dug up from the front
yard; and the fence was gone. ALI the
old locust trees had been cut down and
young maple trees were planted. The
house looked smaller somehow, too. But
gent up to the front door and rang the
ksl, Mother came to the door aud said /:
we DO not wish to buy anything to-day,
sir.
II didn't take me minute to. survey
her from head to foot Neatly dressed
John, but patch here aud darn there,
her hair s,reaked with gray, her face thin.
drawn and wrinkled. Yet over her eye
glasses shone those good, honest benevo.
lent eyes. | stood staring at her and then
she began stare at me | saw the blood
rush to her face. aud with great sob she
threw herself upon me, and neryonsly
clasped me about the neck. hysterically
crying; Its jimmy. it's Jimmy
Then cried, too, John. inst broke
down snd cried like baby. She got me
into the house, bngging aud kissing me,
and then she went to the back door and
George !
Father came in In y moment, aud from
the kitchen be ssked, 'Whs, do you want,
CAr'line 2
Then be came 10. He knew me In
moment lie stuck out bis band and
srSped mine. sod said steroly; We'll,
Young man, do you propose to behave
yourself nov r
He tried TO put on brave 'front.'. bat be
broke down. There we three sat like
whipped school children. al whimpering.
Al last supper time came and mother vent
on, to prepare it went into the kitchen
With her
Where DO you live. Jimmy 2 she asked
In Nev York, replied
WIS, are you wofkin' at nos, Jimmy 2
I'm xorkin' 10 a dry goods store,