The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1891-11-20


Mother was not watching at the gate on
the Tuesday on which a letter might be
expected from James. Indeed, there some
times crept over father and Susan a cold
chill of fear that she might never stand
there or anywhere else again.
For the feet which had taken SO many
steps in loving ministering, which had SO
patiently held to the round of small duties
laid out by Him who orders all our ways,
were at last taking a rest. She had been
suffering with a low fever. and the doctor
| shook his lead with a discouraged face as
day followed day. to be heightened into
week following week, and still the pulse
grew weaker and the faded eye DINNER.
If there was anything to rouse her.
the old doctor had said, sorely perplexed
at the utter lack of result to all his applied
remedies. There isn't so much the mat
ter with her-only a lack of vitality, Moth
ing seems to touch it,"
He sat with a helpless, baffled look.
DuIll2 tDt AaLtc4 hCStS GuSGA sEOICG
out on Tuesday for a little season of wistful
watching for the longed for letter which
| had never come. But to day she sat still,
weighed down by the burden of dread of
what might be, scarcely hearing the slow
rumble Of the wagon as father drove along
the lane. 4 few moments later he appear
ed at the door aud held up a letter before
Susan's eyes. She forgot her caution in a
glad spring towards him.
"A letter. A letter from James
She controlled her voice to a whisper,
but mother had been stirred from her half
stupor, aud had opened her eyes. The
doctor was watching her.
Read it, be said, m~otioning Susan TO
the seat at her mothers side.
Dear Mother: I've been thinking to-
night GOV long it is since | left home. !
never thought it would be so long, really
| didn't, when | got into a pet and came
off. And if I've wondered once why l did
it I've wondered a thousand times, for l
haven't in all these three years seen any
place that was quite up to home And if |
was to stay three times three. II never find
anybody like you and father and Susy.
There's another thing I've been Won
dering aud that's whether yon want to see
such a coed for-uothipg as me there
again"
A little 500 came from mother, and
Susan paused in alarm.
Go on, +" motioned the doctor.
''But I'm most sure you do, and I'm
rAAN@ hA On
very long before you see me. I've learned
a lot of lessons since | left and the one We
learned the best is that any boy who goes
around the world hunting for a better
| place than home is simpleton. SO I'm
| coming to be your boy again. And if you
! don't find that | can be a comfort to you
aud father and Susy, why, all you can do
is to send me away again
''Her fever'n be up again. said Susy,
bending over her mother in a fiutter of joy
and anxiety.
But there was a smile Oh mothers face
and a light Of hops and peace in her eyes
| which bad long been wanting there.
Thank God" she whispered. My
boys coming home.
And when James very soon followed his
| letter he held his breath at learning how
very uear he had coma to fading a desc
late home, and thankfully r~ejoiced IN the
blessed privilege of winning his mother
back to health aud happiness.
There are many boys who put on the
home letters and homo coming until too
late-sgdaey Dagre, IN N. ]. Obsereer
WAS DIs6USTED
with the learned doctors after swallowing
their costly medicine in vain for over a