The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-10-25

to realize that I was contending against
hope. Years were piling their weight
upon me; my strength was failing. Yet
1 struggled on.
For two years the interest on the old
mortgage which dated back to fathers
time had not been paid, and threats of
foreclosure had reached me. The pros
pect Of being turned out of this dear old
home was rudely thrust upon me. I
could think of nothing else. was
thinking of It one evening, just at dusk,
as l stood at the door.
a poorly dressed man, leading little
girl, came out of the obscurity of the
road, hesitated and stopped. His face
was half concealed by hair and beard,
and his shabby dress prejudiced me
against him; but the roll in his walk be-
tokened the sailor, and inclined me at
once to charity.
"We'er hungry, ma'am-sissy and
me, " he said in a grutf voice. "Some
bread and milk, please"
I motioned them into the kitchen.
$50 in there" said, ''and I will come
in moment and get you some food"
Twas gone no longer than was necessa-
ry to bring the lamp that 1 had left light
ed in the sitting room. At the kitchen
door my feet were arrested by the specta-
Gle of the mans impudence. He had
actually gone to the buttery, brought out
pan of milk and loaf of bread, dark
as it was, and out of dipper full of the
milk, he was giving the child drink.
I was very indignant. "How dare you
take such libertyl"I asked.
He turned his face over his shoulder
to me, and the merry expression of his
eyes stopped my scolding abruptly. He
spoke-this time in voice that l knew
at once. ----------
'Why, Patience, this is the way ]
used to do, you know"
l did not faint; but l must have
dropped if he had not caught me. so
Percy!n I sobbed, ''has God given you
back to me9n
eyes, sister. Where is. Ephrainl"
I pointed toward the hill.
We talked so late that night in the |
sitting-room that his little girl went to
sleep il my arms. The report in the
newspaper could not have referred to
him, as he said that he had never seen
the ship Emma Montford.
Bronzed and bearded as he was, he had |
the beaming eye and the laughing voice
of his youth; but when I told him more
about Ephraim, his eyes moistened aud
he was silent for long time
Later he told me the story of his wan
behring's which put in few words
He had sailed to almost every quarter
of the globe, and in the first year of his
absence he had twice or thrice written to
me. For some reason 1 did not receive
the letters As he did not hear from me
he became careless, ald for long time
was a wild and reckless rover.
Later, he settled in Australia, where he
married and reared family.
u thought was happy in those days"
he concluded. "But when, one after
another, my beloved wife and children
were taken from me-all but Clarice-my
eyes were opened to my ingratitude and
selfshness, and said to myself that these
Affections were judgments upon me.
Away off there on the other side of the
globe I grew hOmesick for the old place
and the dear, familiar faces-and here I
am"
His words filed me with delight, and
also panied me, for how could tell him
that the place was about to be soldl He
was quick to see the change in my face,
and asked me what was troubling me.
He would have to know soon, and it
seemed better to tell him at once. His
eyes actually frightened as he heard me.
as that all?" he asked.
"Alll why, you don't comprehend me.
I told you there was two thousand dol
lars and two yearsi interest due-jH- ;he
and"
He drew leather wallet from his
pocket, and tossed it into my lap.
"There, Patience, examine that at
your leisure. You'll find three thousand
dollars in it; you can use what's over to
fix up the old house. Fudgel be quieti
it's only drop out Of what l have ac-
cumulated Did you suppose I'd been
farming of in rich Australia for so many
years with nothing to show for it,"
1 was laughing and crying all at once.
''You looked so shabby, Percy, I did
not think"
mo more would any one. But you
might expect that when did come back,
all my boyish fun would come with me-"
This happened one evening long ago.
The years since then have brought to US
Ill the happiness that was forshadowed
in Percys return. On this mellow Indian
summer afternoon my heart is filed with
Joy and gratitude.
From the east window I see Percy
md Olarice as they stroll among the
mounds in the little enclosure where our
parents and Ephraim are sleeping. He
old me on the night of his return that
he dear child should always be with me,
md that much of his own time should be
;pent here. He occupies the little cham
Der which was his in boyhood; he will
nave no other.
All, is not life worth living, in spite of
Ill the clouds and crosses, when it brings
20 bright a sunset as this? Yea, not only
n the world to come, but here, also, do
We have our rewards. - Youths ComPdn
on.