Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-03-09

"
rode nearly q mile before coming te
the depot. though houses were only
:: occasionally I saw one that was ia
mailiar. The town bad grown to
| ten times the size than when | knew
it. The train stopped and | jumped
off. Not a face in sight that | knew
and | started down the platform to
60 home. In the Office door stood
the station agent. l walked up and
said; 'Howdy, Mr.. Colling?"
"He stared at me and replied
You've got the best of me, SIR
II told him who ] was aud what /
had been doing in New York. and be
didn't make any bones in talking to
me. Said he:
"It's about time you come home.
You in New York rich, and your
father scratching gravel to get bare
living" 81 tell you John. it knock.
me ell in a heap. l thought my
father had enough to live upon COM
fortably. Then q notion struck me-.
Before going home l telegraphed to
Chicago to one of our correspondents
there to send me 81 900 by first mail.
Then l went to Mr.. Collins back
Office, got my trunk in there and put
on an old hand-me-down suit that I
used for bunting and fishing My
plug hat replaced by, soft hat,
took my vslise in my hand and went
home Somehow the place didn't
look right.
"The currant bushes had been dug
up from the front yard and the fence
was gone. All the old locust trees
had been cut down and young NAPLES
were plaated The house looked
smaller somehow, too. But l went
up to the front door and rang the
bell. Mother came to the door and
said: I'VE don't want to buy any
thing today. SIR"
at didn't take me q minute to sur.
vey her from head to foot, Neatly
dressed, John, but patch and darn
here and there, her hair streaked with
grey. her face thin drawn and wriDk-
led. Yet over her glasses shone those
good, honest, benevolent eyes. l
stood staring at her, and then she be-
gan to stare at me. l saw the blood
rush to her face, and with great sob
she threw herself upon me and nerv-
ously clasped me about the neck, hys-
terically crying: Its Jimmy, its Jim
my"
Then cried. too, John. l just
broke down aud cried like q baby.
She got me into the house, bugging
and kissing me, aud then she went to
the back door and shouted, George !"
Father came in in a moment and
from the kitchen asked, What you
want, Carline?"
"Then be came 10. He knew me
in q moment. He stuck out his hand
and grasped mine, and said, sternly,
well. young man. do you propose to
behave yourself now?"
He tried to put on a brave front
but be broke down. There we three
sat, like whipped school children, all
whimrering At last supper time
came and mother went out to prepare
it. / went into the kitchen with her
"Where do you live. Jimmy" she
asked.
"In New York" / replied.
what are you working at now,
Jimmy?"
II am working in dry goods
store"
"Then / suppose you don't live
very high, for 1 hear tell o. them city
clerks what don't get enough money
to keep body and soul together. So
III just tell you, Jimmy, we got
nothin' but roast spare ribs for sup.
per. We amt got any more now
Jimmy. We're poorer nor Jobs tur.
key"
II told her | would be delighted
with the spare ribs, and to tell the
truth, John, l haven't eaten meal
in New York that tasted az we'll as
those crisp roasted spare ribs did.
spent the evening playing checkers
with father, while mother sat by tell
ing me all about their misfortunes
from old white Mooley getting drown
ed in the pond to fatber's signing a
note for a friend and having to mort
gage the place to pay it. The mort
gage was due inside of week and
not a cent to meet it with-just $500
She supposed they would be turned
out of house and home, but in my
mind | supposed they wouldn't. A,
last 8 O'Clock came, and father said:
Jim 20 out to the barn and see i!
Kits all right Bring in an armfu
of old shingles that are just inside the
door and fill up the water pail Then
we will all go off to bed and get up
early and go a.6shin'.
II didn't say a word, but I weni
out to the barn, bedded down the
horse. broke up an armful of shingles,
pumped q pail of water, filled the
wood box, and then we all went tc
bed
Father called me at 4:30 in the
morning and while he was getting g
cup of coffee. | skipped over to the
depot cross lots and got my bass rod
Father took nothing but a trolling
line aud spoon hook He rowed the
boat with his trolling line in his
mouth, while | stood In the stern with
a silver sinner rugged on. Now
John, | never saw q man catch fish
like he did. TO make q long story
short he caught four bass and five
pickerel, and l never got bite.
"At noon we went ashore auc
father went home. while went to
the postoflice. got letter from
Chicago with u check for 81 900 il
it. With some trouble | got it cash
ed, getting paid in S. and $40 bills
making quite roll then got l
roast joint of beef and lot of delica
cies aud had them sent home After
that went visiting among my old
schoolmates for two hours and went
home. Thejoi was in the oven.
Mother had put on her only silk dress
and father had donned his Sundays *
to.meeting-clothes, none too good
either. This is where played jok'
on the the old folks, Mother was ID
the kitchen watching the roast Faith
or vas out in the baru, and | had {