South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-05-29

! 80 PSso h' Jersey, mere was a
message calling him TO it. Mr.. LYNN
still owned the mill and farm, and
REV, his agent. wired bIm 10 come
down next morniog on special bu-
siness.
The business was of small account
OF course. A telegram could settle
it-but, the old place. And to-mor-
row would be his birthday.
lie wished he could tell the chill.
dren or The queer coincidence. Bu,
what would they care lie rose with
q long breath.
Pack my bag, Lewis. he said. and
II Miss Lynn should ask for me to-
morrow tell her have been called out
OF town.
The rain was falling Ia torrents the
next day as the train rushed along
The sandy lodges below Seagirt, the
pine woods on one side and the vast
heaving water on the other. IL was
nearly noon when he reached the lie.
Tie station. Aaron, with hi, lean
gray horse and ragged wagon, crept
10 sight as the train pulled away.
The Old fellow looked just "a he dill
when the children used to make fun
OF him and Polly would silence them.
IL was Polly who gave him that very
overcoat that ho had on, tea years
ago.
Mr.. Frew sent YOU
Aaron nodded. aud grun'ei out
some remark on the storm. It SEEM
ed to Mr.. Lynn that he had heard
those very words thousand times
before. low often he had logged
along this beach behind the old mare
hothing was changed. There was
Doctor Roden in his buggy with the
same patched bag. Van Storm had
had his field in corn this year, but
HUI, the blacksmith, had put porch
to his houee.
AS they drove past the marshes
along tho great road, two of the old
neighbors passed, End nodded laugh
ingIy, as il lie had been gone but a
week or two.
Had he been gone long? 1t seem
ed as II he might wake up and find
himself going home from the mill
with Polly at the door and the chill.
dfen beside her, waiting for him.
There was the honse now, with the
we'll at the side and the big walnut
trees, and-why! there was smoke
coming from the biz chimney, and a
glow of fire shining through the win.
dows into the cold air.
Whom has Frew p 1t into the house?
be shouted algriiy To deaf Aaron.
who nodd' d ami turned the mas up
/ TO the door.
IL opened. Was that his wife p a..
y In the braided meriuo gown he
used 10 like 50 much, and her white
spron and her. hair tucked back (?
che was waving bo.h hsnds and laugh.
'nS' and she ran to open the lor of
the wagon
Pollyl Oh, mv dear. is it youP
thought-you are SO ike your moth
He grew blind for q moment as be
stood on the ground.
She hal him in her arms and usyo
him what she used 10 call. when she
was a child, Christmas hugs. Come
m come 10. she cried, dragging him
along. Here is Joe piIing up the & Q
and ihern is oil! Susy in the kitchen
Just as she usel TO be. Aud The tur.
Key Is nearly ready, and the table /,
laid. L did it. Do you see all the
OLD china aud mothers spoousP Tbi,
IS your birthday party, dear.
thought OF il, but Joe carried It al
out.
Joe came up, and stood beside his
Esther. He had on q sui: Of rouot
Globes, gray Just nov with wood ash.
es The young social philosopher
laughed rather sheepjshly as a man
does WIN trying TO express feeling.
Ho" do you do, sir ? be said shak
ing hands.
| Come 10. She pulled him gently
through ths ball. There WAS the table
Just as PollV used 10 lay IL with The
bunch OF lilies 10 the middle, and III.
big chair by the fire and bis warn
jacket and slippers.
l don't understand, Margaret
Peggy dear.
Yes. kept all those things tb.
jacket and all. did not ike to los,
bold OF the old time. II wGs so coed
Aud deIr--ths tears ran over hel
cheeks.
! did not think you cared-cither
OF you, stammered their father, look
ing from one 10 the other.
No. We did not understand eacl
o'her up in town, 50 Joe and / thought
that down here She made him sit
down In bis Old chair, and drawing bi.
head close to her breast, s,roked BIZ.
cheeks.
The day seemed to ny. They had
dinner, and Mr. Lynn carved the sur.
Key and Tilol the tid.bits on their
plates 10 heaps. and then they gath
cred around the warming FIRE AMI one
oeighbor after another dropped in TO
tell the homeIy village news aud the
old stories
when night came on thsy we're lef.
alone. IL was strange how far tho
town and business, and clubs and
operas, bad dropped away from them.
Joe dashed oat to the beach. sure
that he heard inmate guns. and Sc
c-elly hoping that there was a wreck.
Peggy sat by her father, her head
on his knee. remember bearino
that story Of Captain Foulk's when
was a child, che said. The oeonle
here are 50 simple and sincere. Thew