The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-01-07
AT LAST.
A Pathetic Love Story Founded on
Fact.

al suppose any one would take me
for n regular tramp" muttcrcd Gid
con Holmes. n hc turned aside from
the dusty road. aud seated himself un-
der the shade Of n great oak tree. 81
look like one, goodness knows. Well,
my tramping days are most over, |
hope. Only two miles more TO New
vile, and my journeys done. | Won
der il any of the old friends will know
me. How good it will seem TO take
'cm by the hand, after fifteen years
absence! Thcrc'll be changes; | must
expect that. I'm changed myself
Battered and gray don't look moth
i'm like the fcllcr | was when | enlist
cd. War was hard on men and coun-
try alike; but the men show il morc'n
the country. | wonder, now. what's
become of Joe McMurtric! Settled
down. | expect, farmin' somewhercs.
an married 10 that girl he set so much
by. can see him now a-lookin' Mt
her pctcr. She was pretty, there's no
dcnyin' that"
Old Gideon was tired and hungry.
lie had walked all tho way from North
Carolina, where hc had remained after
being mustered out 1T The close of the
war of the rebellion. lIo had worked
rs farm hand, but his wages were
small, aud he had nev'r been able TO
save any thing. So, when great de-
sire seized him to see again the hills
aud valley Of his native Pennsylvania,
he had been obliged TO make the jour
ncy on foot. and To beg his food Mt the
different farm-housos he passed. He
had slept In barns, sheds and under
haystacks, aud he had sometimes been
rated soundly by the farmers wives
for leading such an idle life; for they
regarded him rs the worthless vaga-
bond he appeared to b.. aud refused
10 believe the story he told.
But he was in Pennsylvania nj last,
and only ten miles from the
little village whore his youth
and carly manhood had been
passed, and whore his wife and chill
dren-who had died before the war
lay buried in the old. grass-grown
churchyard.
This bread is about rs hard as
bread can over be- the old man NUT
tered, as he opened his bundle and
took out part of loaf which farm
er's wife had given him the previous
day. Il wonder if the folks in that
house yonder would give me n cup of
milk Ia soak it iu.'
The house at which his gaze was di-
rcctcd stood ut some distance from the
road 1t was two-story frame build
ing. unpaiutcd and wcather-beaten.
There were no shades at the windows,
aud all the panes in those of the upper
story were brokrn out. Hat |, not
been for the lowing Of COW in shed.
and the anxious clucking of half n
dozen hens to their broods, old Gideon
would have thought the place unoccu-
pied,
Leaving his bundle under the tree,
he crossed the roaL pushed open the
little gate. and walked up TO the front
door, on either side If which roses aud
syringa were blooming luxuriantly.
He had 10 knock twice before there
was any sound ot life wthin; Then
he heard the shuillt of mans feet
over the bare floor. aud at last the door
was thrown open with j,tk.
''Vill you let me have a a'---bcgan
Gideon. and then broke off viii laugh
that was almost sob. joel Joe
he cried. holding out his
brown and callouscd hand. don't you
know mep Don't you know me. old
comradep"
The man in the doorway stared at
him minute. puzzled expression on
his face; then. with the effusiou of n
boy, threw both arms around Gideon's
neck.
know your he repeated; 'as IL
could ever forget you. Gideonl
He drew him into the house aud
pushed forward wooden chair.
''Sit down. comrade." he said. ''and
tell me how YOU came 90 find me out"
Gideon told his story as briefly as