The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-04-03
THE OLD ROOFTREE.

''Hello Jim! Where have you been
lately?'' shouted broker the other even
ing to portly finely dressed man in the
corridor of the ST. James The gentle
man stopped, shook hands with his friend,
and replied, ''I've been home to see my
old father and mother, the first time in
sixteen years, and 1 tell you, old man,
wouldn't have missed that visit for all my
fortune"
''Kinder good to visit your boyhood
home, eh?''
"You bet. Sit down. I was just think
ing about the old folks, and feel laxative
If you have a few moments to spare, sit
down, light cigar, and listen to story
of a rich man who had almost forgotten
his father and MOTHER
They sat down, and the man told his
story.
How came to visit my home hap
pened in a curious way. Six weeks ago
went down to Fire Island fishing. l had
lunch put up at Crook & Nash's, and
you can imagine my establishment when I
opened the hamper to find package of
crackers wrapped up in piece of news
paper. That newspaper was the little
patent inside country weekly published at
my home in Wisconsin. / read every
word of it, advertisements and all There
was George Kellogg, who was a school
mate of mine, advertising hams and salt
pork, and another boy was postmaster
BY George! it made me homesick, and 1
determined then and there to go home
and go home did.
I'm the first place I must tell you how
/ came TO New York. l had tiff with
my father and left home. 1 finally turned
up in New York with 81 in my pocket l
got job running a freight elevator in
the very house in which I am now a
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 ranked
in my bosom. Well, I went home. l
didn't see much change in Chicago, but
the magnificent new depot in Milwaukee
thought was an improvement on the old
shed that they used to have. 1t was only
thirty miles from Milwaukee to my home,
and I tell you, John, that train seemed to
creep. I was actually worse than a school
boy going home for vacation. At last
we neared the town. Familiar sights met
my eyes, and, darn it all! they filed with
tears. There was Bin 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,
through houses where only occasionally
saw one that was familiar. The town had
grown to ten times it's size when l knew
Not face in sight that I knew, and I
started down the platform to go home. In
the office door stood the station agent
walked up and said: 'Howdy, Mr.. Col
Inns?
''He stared at me and replied, You've
got the best of me, sir
II told him who l was and what 1 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
II tell you, John, it knocked me all in
heap. thought my father had enough
TO live upon comfortably. Then a notion
struck me. Before going home / tele-
spondents there to send me 81, 900 by first
mail Then T went into Mr. Collins
back Office, got my trunk in there and
put on an old hand-me-d down suit that I
used for fishing and hunting. My plug
hat replaced by soft hat, took my vaIise
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 planted. The house looked
smaller somehow, too. But went up to
the front door and rang the bell Mother
came to the door and said: we don't
wish to buy anything to-day, sir
''It didn't take me a minute to survey
her from head to foot. Neatly dressed,
John, but patch and a darn here and |
there, her hair streaked with gray, her
face thin, drawn and wrinkled. Yet over |
her eyeglasses shone those good, honest,
benevolent eyes. l stood staring at her
and then she began to stare at me- 1 |
saw the blood rush to her face and with |
great sob she threw herself upon me and |
nervOusly clasped me about the neck, |
Historically crying: It's Jimmy it's
Jimmy
Then cried, too John. Just broke
down and cried Like baby. She got me
into the house, hugging and kissing me,
and then she went to the back door and
shouted 'Georgen
Father came in in moment and from
the kitchen asked, What you want, Car
'hne?'
"Then he came in. He knew me in q
moment. He stuck out his hand and
grasped mine, and said, sternly, We'll,
young man, do you propose to behave
yourself now?'
HE tried to put on brave front, but
he broke down There we three sat- like
school children, all whimpering.
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 you workin' at now, Jimmyp
I'm working in dry goods store
q Then I suppose you don't live very
high, for I hear tell o. them city clerks
what don't get enough money to keep
,odv and soul together SO III just tell
on. Jimmy, we got nothin' but roast