Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-04-19


home. Somehow the place didn't loo
right. The currant bushes had been du
up from the front yard, and the fenc
was gone. All the old locust trees ha,
been cut down and young maple tree
were planted. The house looked small
er somehow, too. But l went up to tn
front door and rang the bell. MOthe
came to the door and said: we don
wish to buy anything to-day, sir
ut didn't take me minute to surve,
her from head to foot. Neatly dressed
John, but patch and darn here ant
there, her hair streaked with gray, he
/ face thin, drawn and wrinkled. Ye
over her eyeglasses shone those good
honOst, benevolent eyes. 1 stood star
ing at her and then she began to star
at me. l saw the blood rush to her face
and with great sob she threw herself
upon me, and nervously clasped mt
about the neck, Historically crying It,
Jimmy, it's JimmyP
Then l cried, too, John. l just broke
down and cried like baby. She got
me into the house, hugging and kissing
me, and then she went to the back dool
and shouted, 'George!'
Father came in in q moment, anG
from the kitchen, asked, What do you
want, Car'line?'
Then he came in. He knew me in a
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
whipped school children, all whimpering
At last supper time came and mother
went out to prepare it. l went into the
kitchen with her.
"'Where do you live, JIMMY she
asked.
"'In New York. replied.
"'I'm woriiin' in dry goods store
"'Then suppose you don't live very
high, for hear tell O. them city clerks
what don't get enough money to keep
body and soul together. So I'll just tell
you, Jimmy, we've got nothin' but roast
spareribs for supper. We amt got any
money now, Jimmy. We're poorer nor
Jobs turkey
81 told her would be delighted with
the spareribs, and to tell the truth, John,
| haven't eaten a meal in New York
that tasted as well as those crisp roasted
spareribs did. spent the evening play
ing checkers with father, while mother
sat by telling me all about their misfor-
tunes, from old white MoOley getting
drowned in the pond to fathers signing
a note for 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 l sup
posed they wouldn't. At last 9 o'clock
came and father said: Jim, go out to
the barn and see if Kit is all right.
Bring in an armful of old shingles that
are just inside the door and fill up the
water pail. Then Wen go off to bed and
get up early and go a-fshing.
81 didn't say word, but l went out
to the barn, bedded down the horse,
broke up an armful of shingles, pumped
up pail of water, filed the woodbox,
and then We all went to bed.
"Father called me at 4:30 in the morn
ing, and while he was getting a cup of
coffee l skipped over to the depot cross
lots and got my best brass rod. Father
took nothing but a trolling line and
spoon hook. He rowed the boat with
the trolling line in his mouth, while l
stood in the stern with a silver sinner
rugged on. Now, John, 1 never saw
man catch fish like he did. To make a
long story short, he caught four bass and
five pickerel, and 1 never got a bite.
cat noon we went ashore and father
went home, while went to the postof-
fee. 1 got letter from Chicago with a
check for 81, 900 in it. With some troub-
lie got it cashed, getting paid in S. and
$40 bills, making quite a roll. 1 then
got roast joint of beef and lot of del
icacies and had them sent home. After
that l went visiting among my old
schoOl-mates for two hours and went
home. The joint was in the oven. Moth
er had put on her only silk dress and
father had donned his Sunday -go-to-
meeting clothes, none to good, either.
This is where 1 played joke on the old
folks. Mother was in the kitchen watch
ing the roast. Father was out to the
barn, and had clear coast. l dump
ed the sugar out of the old blue bowl,
put the thousand dollars in it and placed
the cover on again. At last supper was
ready. Father asked blessing over it
and he actually trembled when he stuck
his knife in the roast.
"'We haven't had a piece of meat like
this in five years, Jim,' he said; and
mother put in with, And we haven't had
any coffee in year, only when we went
a visitin''
Then she poured out the coffee and
lifted the cover of the sugar bowl, ask
ing as she did so, How many spoons,
Jimmy?'
"Then she struck something that
wasn't sugar. She picked up the bowl
md peered into it. AHA, Master jim
NY, playin' your old tricks on your MAN.
ny; eh? Well, boys will be boys
Then she gasped for breath. She saw
t was money. She looked at me, then
1t father, and then with trembling fing-
srs drew the great roll of bills out.
"Ha! hal ha! 1 can see father now as
lie stood there then on tiptoe, with his
Knife in one hand, fork in the other, and
lis eyes fairly bulging out of his head.
But it was too much for mother. She
aised her eyes to heaven and said slow
Y, Put your trust in the Lord, for he
will provide
"Then she tainted away. Well, John,
here's not much more to tell. We threw
water in her face and brought her to,
md then we demolished that dinner,
mother all the time saying, MY boy
Iimmyl My boy JimmyF
l stayed home month. l fixed up
he place, paid off all debts, had good
ime and came back again to New York.
am going to send $50 home every
week. tell you, John, it's mighty nice
o have home
John was looking steadily at the head