South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1888-01-27
I'HE[NTELLIGENCER
FRIDAY. JANUARY ~. 1888
THE OLD HOMESTEAD.
VISITED FOR THE FfRsT TINE
IN SIXTEEN YeARs.

other evening to q portly, finely
dressed man in the corridor CT tht
ST. James. Tie gentlemen etop.
red, shook hands with bis friend
aud replied: sI've been down home
to see my old father and mother
the first time in sixteen years, and
III tell you old mao, l wouldn't
have missed the visit for. all my
fortune" -
Kinder good to. visit your old
5oyhood home eh?'
You bet. Sit down. 1 was
just thinking about the old folks
and feel laxative II you have a
few moments 10 spare, sit down,
light cigar, and listen to story
OF rich man who had almost for
gotten his father and mother
They sat Gown aud the mar
told his story.
How | came to visit my home
happened in Il curious way. Six
weeks ago went down to Fire Ia
land fishing. had lunch put up a,
Crock & Masks, and You can I'M
agine my astonishment when / op-
ened the hamper TO find package
OF crackers wrapped up IN apiece
OF newspaper That newspaper
was the little country weekly pub
llshed at my home in Wisconsin
l read every word In it, advertise.
men's and all. There was George
Kellog, who was s, hoolmaie of
mine, adve. tislng hams and salt
pork, and another boy was post.
master. BY George! it made ne
homesick, and determined then
and there to 60 home, and go
home | did.
In the first place | must tell
you how came to New York. |
had tiff with my father and lett
home. / finally turned up IN New
York with a dollar in my pocket
| got a job running a freight e'eva
tor in the very house in which /
am now "a partner. My haste to get
rich drove the thoughts of my par.
ents from me, and when l did think
of them the hard words that my
father last spoke TO me ranked in
MY bosom. Well, / y ent home. l
didn't see much change in Chicago
but the magnificent new depot in
Milwaukee | thought was an i'm
provement on the old shed they
used to have. 1t was only thirty
miles from Milwaukee to M, home
and | tell you, John, that train
seemed to creep. | was actually
worse than schoo! boy gong
home for a vacation. At last we
heared town. Familiar sights met
my eyes. ard, darn 1T all, they fill
ed with tears There was Bill
Lyman's red barn, Just the same,
but great Scott! what were al the
other houses? We rode nearly a
mile before coming to the depot
through houses where only occas.
iopally'I saw one that was fanil.
lar. The train stopp ID and ] jump
ed Utt. Not face in sight that I
knew. and started down the plat.
form to go home. In the office
stood the station agent. walked
up aud said: 'Howdy. Mr.. Col.
lins?'
lie stared at me and replied:
You've got the best of me sir
Il told him who | was and what
| had been dong i'll New York,
and he dldn't make any bones talk
ing to me. Said he: It's about
time YOU came home. You in
New York rich, and your father
scratching gravel to get bare liv-
ing
q tell you, John. il knocked me
all in a heap. thought my faith.
or had enough TO live on com 'ort-
ably. Then notion struck me.
Before going home 1 telegraphed
to Chicago TO one Of our correspon-
dents TO send me $1,000 by first
mail. Then | went into Mr.. Col.
Inns back office, got my trunk in
there, aud put on an old ha1d.me,
down suit that I used Cor fishing
and hunting My plug ] replaced
by soft hat took my valise in my
hand, and went home. Some how
tue place didu't look light. Tho
currsnt bushes bad been dug Up
from the front yard and the fence
was gone. All the old locust trees
had been cut down aud young ma.
pies we're planted. The house
looked smaller, somehow, too.
But went up TO the front door
and rang the bell. Mother came
10 the front door add said: we
don't wish to buy any thing today
sir
1t didn't take a minute TO sur.
vey her from head 10 foot. Neat.
ly dressed, John but patch and q
darn Lere and there, her hair was
streaked with gray, her face THO,
drawn aud wrinkled. Yet over
her Eyeglasses shOne those good
n n