Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-10-12
ages 10 me rnar the old man beat over

ages TO me mar the old man bent over
Inc in absolute silence.
could hear lie wind whistling With
ont, and now and then the rain IN tile
narrow window. and, too | could
hear the suppressed breathing of the
old man as he, proceeding with his
strange vigil. knelt BY my side.
could see, through half-open eye
lids, the aged head bending lower, M
til presently the w'thpred lips were
pressed 70 my brow. and tear fell on
my uptuned face.
1 could stand it no longer Thinking
that, perhaps, ! had lodged after all
with some crazed old being, | opened
my eyes and moved my bands rs H
waking from deep slumbcr.
My som" he said, softly and ten
derby, looking into my wide-open eyes.
There was something in the voice
and fervencv of tone and manner that
made my blood Jingle and my heart
throl faster, | sat up and sazel at
the bright happy face of mine host
"Iour SOM" | queried, a strange feel
ing of conviction taking possession
of me.
"Ycs." he rerlied. taking my hands
in . warm, trembling clasp Won are
my long lost iIarN-my dear Ii tie
son"
Am T." | asked, in il bewildered
way; Il feel that | must be.
"les," continued lie; when ! came
III from feeding your pony | thought
YOU reScmbled my boy. as / rcmem-
lin, .1,n1 u l,,+
why asked You your name. and when
YOU answered me, Harry Clifford, |
sure of it; bat | didn't want to make
Il mistake, SO after you We're asleep |
ran my fingers over YOUR temples to
find q gear | was sure y0l must still
;arrF. i6u got It bF being terribly
hurt once with a stone. | -rcmcmher.
And the scar is right here: spose
you've noticed it often" and the hand
went mp again to my temple and
touched small callnIscd sro. which |
had often taken notice nf
"YpS,' | exclaimed: Il reinemher
the TALL over the rocks at Tully, father"
At this he broke down and wcpt III
my arms for some minutes 1t is need
less to say that |. too, she'd tears.
Thus, in that lonely spot, in the
chcerless. cold autumn night, the aged
man found his Son whom he had
mourned as dead for wears; and | had
found my father.
They told me you were both dead,
ilr said, "whpn got away frun tlc In
dams thGt took me captive; and VIXEN
I couldn't fird trace Of either Of You,
| came West again and lived alone"
After pausing 10 wipe away I'll"
GlitteIiuE tears. he continued: I've a
good piece of farming land, Harry, Il
few milc+ further on; IL man is renting
it now, rs Tn not able to work much,
and so | live NJ here alone. I could
live with them, | suppose" he said,
presently, bat III rather not.
But" and his old face Enlightened
wonderfully in the dim freight, "the
mans time is ont in the spring and he
wants TO go South; so we'll go over and
manage the farm, won't we Harry
And |. more bewildered than ever.
and overcome with happiness and good
fortune, murmured, YES, father"
Well we did go over to manage the
farm; and ! invested my means in i'm
l.rolemeuts, so that We now are getting
along finely.
That old gentleman sitting there on
the porch is my father, whose story
you've Heard in Iart; and that lady
lifting about the house in there is my
wife ..
Happy? Oh, yes We are very happy
in our coy Western home; ami ! often
look at father and remember the old
man with bundle who seemed 50
willing that ] should lodge with him.