The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-08-29
TAR FROM HONE.
Marion G. EGbert's Pretty and Pathetic
Little Sketch
Association NJ TheiF Meeting
NJ Tacoma

4
Of them twenty wears Of ave, stood to-
eeth.r near the delivery window Of the
posto1lice in this city. They were nice
looking, and. besides being without over
coats. wore oyerails and coarse. heavy
shoes. and no douht but that morning
obtained n breathing spsll, and had come
down from the great wheat fields that
border our fair mountains In the hone Of
hearing from home. Their hands were
tanned and calloused. vet shapelv. and
the crime upon their otherwise fair faces
gave unnistakable sisus that they were
Of those who follow the noisy threshers
as they 20 up and down our bright
valley. They were hard working coun.
try lads. evidently strangers, and the air
Of reserve and timidity about them show
ed that somewhere on the ereen earth
thew had been the subjects Of the minis
tration Of loving hearts and hands,
Directly. one advanced To the window.
and besitatinRly said: "If YOU please,
IN there a letter for John or William Bar.
tonP" Presently--it must have seemed
an aee to them. 40 great was their ex.
pectancy, 40 fearful Of disappointment-
a thick. Thite letter was passed TO them.
The older Of the two took IL, and hand on
arm, both Rasing most iutently and visit
fully at the superscriptiou, thew passed
slowly from The building and then sat
down in doorway close at hand. And
when the seal was broken, and the letter
brought 10 view. the elder said. cheerily.
"Why. it's from mother. Billy.D ''Thank
God !" said the other. reyerently. The
fond missive was gently opened. and Il
began: "To INV dear bows in n distant
land.n Inst then a soft breeze dropped
down from the handing poulars. and
blew omen the inner sheet. when a pausy
sweet thouOb faded. fall from tho letter
To the ground. Quick as a fiash. the
youneer caurht Il nm. and placed il in
the palm Of his now nervous hand. The
moisture that had been cloudinp his
ewes now turned To hot and binding
tears Then bowin0 bis bead. he silently
Kissed memorv,s bright messenger aRain
and Amin. and while looking earnestly
unon The lowpret the bov,s mind. asWift
a. the win0s of the mornin0 li0ht {" had
swept over the bigh mountains. the wild
prairiea. the sterile plain. the broad rivers
and brioht yalleya. tin n rested at last nj
the ala home beside the winding susoue-
hanna He secs the pansv had, now olo-
r;ous In wealth a. bloom. and by n the
wild thvme and sweet maiorim. fair
lilies. maripolds and golden rod. NEAR by
the snr;no. with ita borders ~ blue for.
Vet.me-nots and white lilies of the vallev.
The fraOTnnt woodbiDe n nm the noaTcb
os of old and the mac busb wifi its
aovers stilI IN bloom bv The oarden patb
but ;mmeasurabIv dearer and sweeter
IN the enraptured vision. 4 the dear
Vrav.haITed. blue-eved motber. Who bas
wy;tten them so lovinulv from that far.
awav home. The bovisb heart couId
hear Il no more. for he turned his sad
face. now streaming with teara-tbe over.
flov of tbe aoopized soul-to the vail
sno sileI ~ y 'Iousn nlS vely neHl' wOu'o :,
DIeas. me lA1 was mCtners 10y,
1no mao never Deen NOM nome oe,ole'
ne ie', ~ .ne lAc' - ~ " aN'ui ie.ll1A
land that nowhere presepted a familiar
:,