Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-04-05
THE OLD ROOFTREE.

Iately?" shouted broker the other even
ing to a portly, finely dressed man In the
corridor of the st. James. The gentle
man stopped, shook hands with his friend,
and replied, GIVE been home to see my
old father and mother, the first fine in
sixteen years, and l tell you, old man, 1
wouldn't have missed that visit for all m =
fortune"
"Kinder good to visit your boyhood
home, eh?"
''You bet. Sit down. I was just think
ing about the old folks, and feel talkative.
If you have few moments to spare, sit
down, light cigar, and listen to story
of rich man who had almost forgotten
his father and mother"
They sat down and the man told his
story.
Glow | came to visit my hone hap
pened in a curious way. Six weeks ago l
went down to Fire Island fishing. 1 had
lunch put up at Crook & Nash's and
you can imagine my establishment when l
opened the hamper to find package of
crackers wrapped up in piece of news
paper. That newspaper was the little
patent insides country weekly published
at uny home in Wisconsin. I read every
word Of it, advertisements and ali. There
was George Kellogg, who was a school
pork, and another boy was postmaster.
By George! it made me homesick, and l
determined then and there to go home,
and 70 home did.
SIN the first place / must tell you how
| came to New York. l had tiff with
my father and left home. l finally turn
ed up in New York with 81 in my pocket.
I got job running a freight elevator in
the very house in which | am now a part
ner Ny 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,
1 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 vaca-
ton. At last we neared the town. Fa-
miliar sights met my eyes, and, darn it all!
they filled with tears. There was Bill
Lymar's red barn, just the same; but,
great Scott! what were all of the other
housess We rode nearly mile before
coming to the depot, through houses where
only occasionally / saw one that was
familiar. The town had grown to ten
times its size when l knew it. The train
stopped and jumped off. Not face In
sight that knew, and | started down the
platform to go home. In the Office door
stood the station agent. / walked up
and said: 'Howdy, Mr.. Uollins?'
"He stared at me and replied, You've
got the best of me, sir!
81 told him who | was and what l had
been doing in New York, and he didn't
make any bones in talking to me. Said
he: It's about time you came home.
You in New York rich, and your father
scratching gravel to get bare living
II tell you, John; 1t knocked me all l
heap. thought my father had enoug 4
to live comfortably. Then notion struck
me. Before going home telegraphed to
Chicago to one of our correspondents
there to send me $1,000 by first mail.
Then went into Collins back Office, got
my trunk in there and put on an old hand
me-down suit that l used for fishing ana
hunting. My plug hat 1 replaced by g
soft hat, took my vaIise In my hand and
went home. Somehow the place didn't
look right. The cErrant bushes had been
dug up from the front yard and the fence
was gone. All the old locust tree had
been cut down and young map)es were
planted. The house looked smaller some
how, too. But / went up TO the front
door and rang the bell. Mother came to
the door and said: We don't wish TO buy
anything to-day, sir
sIt didn't take me moment TO survey
her from head TO foot. Neatly dressed
John, at patch and darn here anG
there, her hair streaked with gray, hel
face thin, drawn and wriukled. Yet over
her eyeglasses shone those good, homes
benevolent eyes. | stood staring at hel
and then she began to stare at me.
saw the blood rush to her face and with
great sob she threw herself upon me and
nervously clasped me about the neck
Historically crying: It's Jimmy, IT.
jim my
''Then I cried, too, John. 1 just brok,
down and cried like baby. She got me
into the house, hugging and kissing me
aud then she went TO the back door anc
shouted 'Georgen
Father came in in moment and from
the kitchen asked, What you want, Car
line?
Then he came in. He knew me in
moment. He stuck out his hand ane
grasped mine, and said, sternly, wei
young man, do you propose to behav,
yourself?'
"He tried TO put on a brave front, bu
he broke down. There we three sat, lik
whipped school children, all vim perine
At last supper time came and mothe
went ont to prepare it. ] went into tn
kitchen with her.
"'Where do you live, JimmyS' sh
asked.
"'In New York. I replied.
''What you workin' at now, JIMMY
"SI'm working in dry goods store
"'Then l suppose you don't live yer
high, for l hear tell O. them city clerk
what don't get enough money ID kee1
body and soul together. So I'll just te
you, Jimmy, we got nothin' but roas
spareribs for supper. We amt got az
money now, Jimmy. We're poorer nc
Jobs turkey
Il told her that l would be delighte
with the sparer;5s, and to tell the trptl
John, haven't eaten a meal in New Yor
that tasted as well as those crisp roaste
spareribs did. spent the evening pla.
ing checkers with father, while mothe
sat by telling all about their misfol
tunes, from old white MooIey gettip
drowned in the pond to fathers signing
note for friend and having to mortgae
the place to pay it. The mortgage Wa