The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-11-26
WESTMINSTER MD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1892.

sense of eommotion and pltasurable excite
ment aboard in the village. Little groups
gathered in the roadway, and busy house
wives, appearing in their doorways, shout
ed the tidings to each other across the
street.
"Hast heard tn news? Joe Brett's come
home. Maggy Dale heard stones throwed
at her winder this morin' when twas hardly
light, an looked out, an there he were,
with his red coat an all, an he waved his
hand an pointed to his fathers house, as
much as to say he were goin there, an
she'd see him agen later.
Ii was about sundown when | passed
the gate where the old man used to stand
and look down the road. There was no
one there now, and | easily imagined to
myself the happy little group assembled
together in the old homestead. bethOught
me of the old mans invitation to drop in
and see "our Joe 1t seemed rather too
soon to intrlde upon them, but after Il
moments hesitation | opened the gate.
"No doubt thought, II shall find the
young fellow no better and no worse than
others of his class; but am glad am
very glad he has come in time, for ! fear
his father is going fast.
found the door of the house ajar, aud
as | paused for 4 moment gu the threshold
/ heard the old mans voice speaking with
in. The tone itself would almost have ac-
quainted me with the good news even had
it not been the common talk of the village
''Eh. lad. but I thought as ye'd come on
yer birthday-with yer red coat and yer
medals, too, so grand like But ye're only
jest in time; Joe, yere' only jest in time;
fur I'm going fast, though | can die in
peace now as I've seed ye once more an
know as ye've forgave yer old father til
hard part as he acted lords ye
Not willing to remain longer an involun-
tary cavesdropper, | pushed open the door
and entered. The old man was sitting in
his elbow chair facing me. The waning
light from the window at his side fell upon
his face, showing it almost waxlike in It's
pallor, and yet irradiated by an expression
of the deepest joy | had ever seen on any
human countenance. Behind him, half in
the shadow, was the girl Maggy. Her face
was as pale as the old mans; her lips were
parted, and her hands clasped convulsively
as she listened to the words that fell from
him. So silent and motiOnless was she
that she appeared more like statue than
living being.
There was no one else in the room.
Meanwhile the old man still went on
speaking.
sit would a bin dreadful disappint
ment if ye hadn't a come today. Maggy
an mes bin lookin' out fur ye so long
There's never hardly bin a night as WI
haven watched fur ye from tn gate, ful
we knowed as ye'd come from tn village
an round tn bend o tn road, an VT
wanted to be tn fust to see ye. An tt
think as ye should a took us by surprise
arter all !"
He broke off and began to pass his trem
bling hand up and down and round abou
as though feeling for something before him
"An' it's fine ye look in yer red Goa
an all. Eh, but yen be turnin' all tn
girls heads an maxim Maggy jealous anC
he laughed a feeble little laugh.
But the girl behind him uttered no word
only clasped her hands tighter, while he
face cleaned ghostlike in the shadow
Neither of them took any heed of my pres
ence; the old man, | was sure, had no
even observed it. | longed to withdraw
and yet feared to disturb them by move
ment. Then | heard foot crunching tn
path outside The sound released me from
the spell that held me to the spot and
turned and left the room.
As | softly closed the door saw tn
Vicar coming toward me. He held a lette
in his hand and looked troubled.
II have bad news here" he said, "ver
bad news. Joe Brett is dead. He diet
on the voyage home This is a letter ask
ing me to break the news to his father
However shall do it?
"There is no need, | said
The old man died at daybreak. Thos
who were present spoke with awe of tn,
unseen presence, visible only to the father
eye, that hovered around the deathbed
He passed away peacefully, even happily
for he went down into the Valley of Shad
ows hand in hand with "our Joe, -
His last words were to the girl who hat
been wont to watch with him at the gate.
'Maggy," he whispered, "we'll wait fu
ye-Joe an mean we'll see ye comm
round tn bend o tn road