Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-04-16
Under the Roof Tree.


ed man in the corridor of the ST.
James. The gentleman stopped,
shook hands with his friend, and re-
piled: "I've been home to see my
old father and mother, the first time
in sixteen years, aud | tell you, old
man, | wouldn't have missed that
visit for all my fortune
"Kinder good to visit your boy
hood home, eh?"
"You bet. Sit down. / was just
thinking about the old folks, and felt
talkative. Ii you have few mo-
ments 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.
elbow | came to visit my home
happened in curious way. Six weeks
ago | went down to Fire Island fish
ing. l had lunch put up at Crook
& Nash's, and you can imagine my
astonishment when L opened the ham
per to find package of crackers
wrapped up in piece of newspaper.
That newspaper was the little patent
inside country weekly published at
my home in Wisconsin. | read ev-
cry word of it, advertisements and
all. There was George Kellogg, who
was a schoolmate of mine, advertis-
ing hams and salt pork. and another
boy was postmaster. By George! it
made me homesick, and l determined
then and there to go home, and 60
home I did.
In the first place must tell you
how | came to New York. l had a
tiff with my father and left home. l
finally turned up in New York with
dollar in my pocket. l got job rum
ming freight elevator in the very
house in which | am now partntr. My
haste to get rich drove the thoughts
of my parents from me, and when l
did think of them the hard words
that my father last spoke to me ram
kled in my bosom. Well, l went
home. l didn't see much change in
Chicago, but the magnificent new de-
pot in Milwaukee l thought was an
improvement on the old shed that
they used to have. 1t was only thir-
ty miles from Milwaukee to my home,
and tell you, John, that train SEEM
ed to creep. | was actually worse
than a school boy going home for va
cation. At last we neared the town.
Familiar sights met my eyes, and,
darn it all, they filled with tears.
There was Bill Lyman's red barn,
just the same; but great Scott what
were all of the other houses? We
rode nearly mile before coming to
the depot, though houses were only |
occasionally l saw one that was ia
miliar. The town had grown to ten
times its size when knew it. The |
train stopped and jumped off. Not |
face in sight that l knew, and l
started down the platform to go
home. In the office stood the station
agent. l walked up and said:
'Howdy, Mr.. Collins?'
He stared at me and replied: You
have the best of me, sir
l told him who | was and what |
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.
l tell you, John, it knocked me all
in heap. l thought my father had
enough to live on comfortably. Then
a 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 1 went
into Mr.. Collins back office, got my
trunk in there, and put on an old
hand me down suit that use for fish
ing and hunting. My plug hat l re-
placed by soft hat, took my valise
in my hand, and went home. Some
how the place didn't look right, The
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 maple trees
were planted. The house looked
smaller somehow, too. But / went
up to the front door and rang the
bell. Mother came to the door ard
said: I'VE don't wish to buy anything
today. SIR
1t didn't take me minute to sur
7ey her from head to foot. Neatly ,
John, but patch and a
larn here and there, her hair streak
ID with gray, her face thin, drawn *
md wrlnkled. Yet over her eye- :
glasses shone those good, honest, be-
levolent eyes. stood staring at |
Ter and then she began to stare at s
ne. | saw the blood rush to her
ace, and with a great sob she threw
lerself upon me, and nervously clasp
ID me about the neck, Historically
,rying: Its Jimmy, it's JIMMY !
Then | cried, too, John. / just /
,roke down and cried like baby. :
She got me into the house, hugging r
md kissing me, and then she went
o the back door and shouted, \
George!' t
Father came in in moment, and
rom the kitchen, he asked, 'What do