Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1888-10-18
UNDER THE ROOF TREE.

"ITello, jim. Where have you been
lately shouted broker the other eve
ming to a portly, fncly-dressed man in
the corridor of the ST. James. The gen.
tleman stonped, shook hands with his
friend, and replied: "Ive been home TO
see my oil | father and mother, the first
time in sixteen years, and | tell You,
o 4 man, wouldn't have missed that
visit for all my fortune.
"Kinder COOL to visit your boyhood
home, eh?'
You bet. Sit down. WAS just
thinking about the old folks, and felt
tukable. II you have Il few moments
to spare, sit down, light cigar. and
!-ten to story of a rich man, who had
almost forgotten his father and moth
rr.
They sat lown and the man told his
sorry.
How came 10 visit my h,m' hlp-
We ell in Il curiol3 wtv. Six weeks
ayo went down to FIRE Island fishing.
had a lunch put mp at Crook Il Nash S,
and vou can imagine my astonishncn;
when I opened the hamper t. G1d a
plckage of crackers wrappe1 UP il a
ri zee Of newsIppar. That newspaper
G.as the little patent inside country
weekly pnblishe a my home in Wis,
consin. | read every word of it, advrr-
tisements and all, There WAS George
Kellogg, who WIS my schoelmate, ad-
yeriseing hams and salt pork, and an
o her boy was postmaster. BY George.
it m tde me hom"sick, and determined
then and there to 60 home, and 80 home
did.
"In the first place I must tell yol
how came to New York. had Il tlff
with my father and left home. | final
ly turned up in New York with II dol
lar in my pocket. got q JOB running
freight elevator in the very house in
which am now II partner. My 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 rankled in my bosom.
Well, | went home. | didn't sec much
change in Chicago, bnt the magnificent
new depot in Milwaukee | thought was
an improvement Oh the old shed that
they used to have. 1t was only thirty
miles from Milwaukee to my home. and
l tell you. John, that train seemed to
creep. | WAS actually worse than a
school boy going hone for vAc'tlon.
At last we ncarea the town. Fdml'llr
sights met my eyes, and, darn it all,
they filled with tears. There wAs Bill
Lvman's red barn. just the slm,; but
great Scott! what were all of the other
houses We rode nearly Il mile before
coming to the depot, though houses
were only occ .sionally | saw one that
was familiar. The town had grown to
ten times its size when | knew it. The
train stopped and jumped oil. Not
face IN sight that | knew, and | started
down the platform to 50 home. In the
Office door stood the station agent.
walked up and said 'Howdy, Mr. Col
lins :?
"He stared at me and replied lyon
haye got the best Of me, sr.'
II told him who | was and what
had been doing in New York, and he
didn' 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 9
bare living.
II tell you, John, it knocked me all
in heap. I thought my fathar had
enough to live upon comfortably. Ther
notion struck he, Before going homt
| telegraphcl to Chicago to one OF ou'
correspondents there to send me SlooN
by first mail. Then | went into Mr.
Collins back office, got my trunk il