The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-03

night the merchant found himself alone in his
office writing letter
As he leaned back in his chair to take mo-
ment's rest he thought of the night a score of
years before when Tom had visited him there
to make last appeal.
Tears came into the rich mans eyes.
He was my only brother" he sobbed, "and
L acted like brute. How easy it would have
been for me to have paid his little debts. Then
/ could have watched over him, and in time
my love would have touched his heart and he
would have turned out all right. But it is too
late now TO think of these things"
The door opened with hardlya creak, and
the merchant would not have known it but for
the rush Of cool air.
lie rose from his chair Just in time to greet a
visitor who walked into the office without even
a knock on the door to herald his approach
Henry Dyson locked upon him in speechless
establishment, If lie could trust his eyes this
was Tom Dyson, but not the Tom OF twenty
years ago. He was an old man with wrinkled
face and white hair.
Brother said the visitor, holding out his
hand. ARE you glad to see me?'
With a joyous exclamation the other caught
him in his embrace, and then seated him in a
chair.
This is glad hour for me, Tom" he said ;
Il had given You up for dead and / have all
these years been reproducing myself for my
harshness to you that night, you know"
Hold on" cried the other excitedly. you
must not overwhelm me with such kindness
until have made restitution Here in this pack
age you will find the money to replace the sum
l took from your safe in the little tin box. 1t
has taken me these twenty years to make it,
but here it is at last
but L do not understand" interrupted
Henry.
ooh but you must,'' replied his brother
w hen you turned away to get your coat that
night I slipped the box out OF the safe and
concealed it. Then You closed the safe uncon-
SciouS of your loss, and / left yOu.''
But the box was emptY!'' shouted Henry.
"Impossible,' answered Tom, "for you told
me that it contained twenty thousand dollars
Well, l rushed off with the box, but repented,
and was on my way to return it when care
lessly let it slip into the water when L crossed
the river Now you know why l ran away and
concealed myself. l had but one object-to
make enough money to pay You back, and then
would ask your forgiveness"
ooh what foolish Tom" said Henry.
"Nhy man [ found in the morning that my
bookkeeper had taken the money from the
box and carried it back to the bank that after
noon, when he found that | was not going to
use il until the next day. l missed the empty
box, but never connected that with your dis
''Fhen this money"
''Is yours said Henry, fbut even if you
had lost my money, as you supposed. YOU
should have come back to me. l sometimes
talked roughly to you, but you ought TO have
known how l loved you, Tom,
The two white-haired men sat there till mid
night, talking about old times and making
tiT1ir Pf9ttts fer H g future.
You must live with me, Tom,' said Henry,
as he took him home. 81 can't trust you out
Of my sight again.
And Tom gave his promise, at the same
time thanking the good Lord for blessing him
with such big-healted brother
These two kncW no misrllaefsla lGing and
no parting until death came to separate them,
and in all the city no man was more respected
and more beloved than Tom Dyson. His big
mistake made man of him.